Senior Year with My Protector | Protector 1.2

Chapter 11

       Belle held up a finger before looking back at my phone. "Why?"

       "I have....depression," Grayson said. "And the anti-depressant I'm on....increases suicide thoughts and behavior under a certain age and....I'm under that age. That's why Poppy....was there. She convinced me otherwise."

       "Who knows about this?" Belle asked.

       "Let's see....My mom, older sister, Poppy, her parents, Tony, all the school staff, and now you. Is Thalia with you two?" Belle nodded. "Don't tell her. Don't tell anyone, okay? I only want certain people knowing."

       "Don't worry, I won't," Belle said. "Thanks for pushing aside your hatred. Now I'll leave you to talk to Poppy." She took out the earphone and handed it back to me.

       Someone called Grayson, which made him turn his head away from his phone. "I'm sleeping," he said to who I guessed was his mom. "The answer is no! I'm busy!....Mom, please no! You know why....Yes, but not him!" He sighed and turned back to the phone. "Poppy, I have to go."

       "Is everything okay?" I asked, knowing something was wrong.

       "I'll tell you later," he said. "I promise, it's just something....I have to deal with right now. I love you."

       "I love you too," I said. "Call me tonight?"

       Grayson nodded. "I will. Bye." He hung up, so I pulled the earphones out and put them in my backpack. I wondered what was going on this time, but I knew he wasn't happy about it.

~*~

       About an hour after I got home, Grayson called my cell phone. "Hello?"

       "Poppy, can you please come over?" he asked. "I need you here."

       The distress in his voice made me frown. "What's wrong?"

       "I'll explain when you get here," Grayson said. "Just....hurry, please. I'm so sorry."

       I didn't hang up as I hurried down the stairs, grabbing a pair of shoes from the closet beside the door. "Grayson, why are you sorry? What did you do?"

       "I....I tried it again," he said. "I can't....I-I'm so sorry."

       "Grayson, just hang in there," I said, opening the front door and hurrying out before hanging up. I should have told my parents where I was going, but I hated hearing Grayson in so much distress. He almost sounded like when he did yesterday.

       Yesterday....When he tried committing suicide. Would he....? I tried it again. I'm so sorry. Grayson's words flashing in my mind made me ran to Grayson's house. I had to take a few breaks, but nothing too long. Instead of the normal twenty minutes, I was there in less than ten.

       I knocked on Grayson's front door, which was soon answered by Grayson's older sister, Gale. She recently finished college, so she stopped by at Grayson's from time to time. "Did you run here?" she asked, noticing my exhaustion.

       "Yeah," I answered breathlessly. "Is he okay?"

       "Depends," she said with a frown. "He, well he's in his room. And as a heads up, his the floor in his room hasn't been washed yet so you might feel a bit light-headed at the sight." She widened the door, allowing me to come in.

       I took off my shoes before heading upstairs to Grayson's room, feeling worried. What did she mean by the floor hasn't been washed yet?