Attention

6

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The library was empty and quiet as always. This is definitely the second most place I'm always at in the school. The first being the bathroom. My school bathroom isn't like typical school bathrooms though so, that's why I'm always there. Our bathrooms are actually clean and always smell like lemon.

"So, how are we doing this?" I hear a voice say next to my ear.

I jump in surprise at the voice and turn to see Carter. "Carter! Geez, you scared me."

He chuckles. "Sorry," he then sits down next to me on the couch I was sitting on. "But seriously, what's the plan?"

Last night, I was thinking of what we could do to find Carter's mom. I'm crazy for suggesting to find her anyways. What if we don't find her? Then what? That means I gave him false hope. And I could just imagine the sad and disappointed look on his face, completely heartbreaking and me being the cause.

I breathe in. "Okay, I do have a plan but...it's kind of crazy and we have to lowkey about it."

I didn't want him telling his dad, giving him false hope that he might find him because what if we don't? I only had the emotional strength to let one person down.

He has a contemplating look on his face and then finally says, "If it's gonna get my mom back then I won't say anything."

I sigh. "Okay, so, you know how winter break is coming up next week?"

He nods. "Yeah."

"Well, that's when we have to go to find your mom."

He looks confused. "Okay, what's so crazy about that?"

"We...we can't tell anyone what we're doing. When I told Joey that I found the letter from your mom, he looked mortified. So, I'm guessing he has an issue with your mom..? And if I'm right then he's gonna try to stop us. So, we'll just have to disappear for a little."

He sighs, nodding his head. "You're right, he does." Then he sighed again deeply.

My eyebrows scrunch. "What's wrong?"

"Well, Joey and I aren't really on talking terms right now."

"Why not?" I ask in shock.

He shrugged. "Because when I told him what my mom said in the letter about her not coming back. He looked...relieved and so I got mad about it. He thinks that my mom was never really there for me when I needed her. He thinks that my family is better without her. But he's wrong. My dad needs his wife and my sister and I need our mom."

I give a closed mouthed smile. "And I agree."

He nods firmly. "Okay, then, we're doing it?"

"Doing what?"

We both turn and see Joey looking at us both suspiciously. I look at Carter to see him glaring at him.

Carter stands up. "What do you care?"

Joey rolls his eyes. "Stop acting like this."

Carter immediately gets defensive. "Acting like what? Like my best friend doesn't care if my own mother comes back or not?"

"Carter, I do care. I just think she made the right choice and I don't see why you don't see that." he says, lowly.

"Then I guess I never will." In a rage, Carter storms off, leaving the library.

I look after him then back at Joey. "What's the matter with you? How could you say that to him?"

Joey scoffs, circling his way around the couch and sitting next to me. "You don't understand. Carter's mom is troubled and she doesn't even want to get better for him. She always missed the important moments in his life, it was always my mom that was there for him when his couldn't and it was very often."

What have I gotten myself into? What if Joey is right? I'll only be helping him bring back a mother that was careless.

But that's if we do find her.

"But Carter told me that she has manic disorder. She can't help it."

"Yes, she can." He faces his body towards me. "I haven't told Carter this so, don't tell him but when we were twelve and I was staying the night over his house, I went to the bathroom and saw his mom flushing down pills."

"Her prescription medicine." I whisper.

He nods. "Exactly. So, that should tell you right there. She doesn't want to get better. Not for herself and not for her son."

Oh god, what have I done?

A/N:

Do you think she'll still want to go through with the plan?