I was in hospital for around another week, and eventually got better. I still felt shit though. Cook had to save my life again. I promised I wouldn't make him feel like that ever again. And I have.
I'm so stupid.
I went over to Naomi's, since Cook was hiding out there. I knocked and Emily opened the door, her face all tear-stained.
"Ems? You ok?"
"Not really" She sniffed, holding tears back.
I stepped inside and hugged her.
"Naomi again?" I asked, once I pulled away.
"Yeah" She nodded. "I don't know what we are anymore"
"That's easy, you're Naomi and Emily" I smiled. "If yous aren't together the world is seriously fucked"
She smiled a little.
"Cooks upstairs" She said.
I went up, and found him looking worse than Emily.
"Cook?"
"Alright?"
"Yeah but...what the fucks up with you?"
"Just..a lot of shit on my mind"
"Tell me" I said. I got onto the bed and sat beside him.
"..It's Freddie" He finally said.
"What about him? I haven't seen him for a few days actually"
"That's the thing, nobody has"
"What?" I frowned.
"He mentioned running away and nobody's seen him since, not even Karen"
"But..he wouldn't just leave? He wouldn't leave Eff. He wouldn't leave us" I said, shaking my head. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want.."
"You didn't want me to go mental again?"
"Something like that" He smiled.
"Fucking hell, everything's fucked up" I said, putting my head in my hands. "I'm mental, in love with a criminal, and one of my best friends has disappeared"
"When you put it like that it really does sound fucked" He laughed.
I laid next to him and sighed.
"If Freds left, where would he go?"
"No idea" He shrugged.
"He would've taken Effy with him right? And he didn't even tell Karen...somethings up"
"Don't worry about it man. We'll figure it out soon"
I nodded and put my head on his shoulder, while is arm went around me.
"It's his birthday tomorrow" I muttered.
I started to think the worst.
"Cook what if he's..." I couldn't finish my sentence. If I said it out loud then it would be too real.
"I'll go and find him"
"You will?"
"Yeah"
I started to think the worst about Cook too. If he left again i'd be able to handle it right? I can handle it, I can handle it, I can handle it...
Cook thought for a second, before reaching into his pocket.
"Karen gave me this' He said.
It was an exercise book, with Freddie's name on the front cover. I opened it, and came face to face with pages full of the words 'I love her' over and over, referring to Effy.
"Holy fuck.." I whispered.
I suddenly turned to a page that read
'JOHN FOSTER WANTS TO HURT HER' almost like Freds was shouting it. I sat up, frowning at the page.
"What's wrong?" Cook asked.
"Look" I said, and showed him.
"John?"
"Effys therapist.." I muttered.
I stood up and walked to the window, trying to think.
"Oh shit!" I said, once I saw who was out there.
"Cook!"
"What?" He frowned, sitting up.
"The police!"
He stood up and saw what I was looking at.
"Fuck!" He shouted, and pulled on his trousers.
Pandora suddenly ran in.
"Cookie, the fuzz!" She warned.
"I'm on it" He nodded, getting ready to climb out the window. "You're always looking good in lingerie Pandora" He said, nodding at her underwear.
"Ta" She smiled.
I shook my head at him, smiling a little.
"Be careful" I whispered, while he climbed to the floor. He got down safely, and looked up at the window, shooting Panda and I a smile.
"Run you tosser!" I whispered.
He took off in the direction of Freddie's house.
I heard the officers break open the door and rush through the house, yelling Cooks name.
"Fucking hell" I muttered.
One of them burst in and grabbed Panda and I, and started asking about Cook. I stared at them, not saying a word until they eventually left. I watched them out the window looking around for Cook with sniffer dogs.
"I need to go and warn Cook" I sighed. "Coming Panda?"
"Yeah" She nodded.
JJ came with us too, as we made our way to Freddie's shed.
"Ok, if he's in there i'll give you guys a signal" He said, as we got to the door.
"Ok.." I said.
We waited while he went in, until he poked his head back out and whispered,
"The sea-eagles are roosting"
"What?" I whispered back, frowning.
"He's here"
"Oh!" I said, and walked in with Panda.
Effy was in there too, staring down at Freddie's exercise book. Cook must have given it to her.
"Hey Effy" I said.
She managed to look up and crack a smile.
"Cook, I brought you your shirt" I said, and handed it to him.
"Thank fuck, i'm freezing" He said.
"Erm, guys? Ive been meaning to tell you something..." Panda said.
"Spit it out Panda pops" Effy smiled.
"I'm going away" She admitted.
"Really? Where to?" I asked.
"Harvard! On a history scholarship"
"Harvard? That's amazing Panda!" I smiled.
JJ put some music on, and Karen suddenly came in.
"I thought..what the fuck are you guys doing?"
"Having a party. I think Freds'll like it, don't you?"
Karen thought about it for a second.
"Yeah, ok"
Her, JJ and Cook got up to dance, while Effy texted the rest of the gang to come. They eventually turned up and we started to party, necking shot after shot. I airwolfed them with Cook, howling loudly after the last one. It burned my throat, but I kept it all down. Emily and Naomi made up, and everything was fine with them again. Cook pulled me up and danced behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I leaned into him, while he kissed on my kneck a little.
"I love you" He whispered.
He went out for a slash, so I danced with Katie until I realized he'd been gone for a while.
"Anyone seen Cook?" I asked.
They all shook their heads and carried on dancing. I stepped outside, holding my head.
"Fucking hell I'm trashed" I laughed.
I looked around, squinting into the darkness, but couldn't see Cook anywhere.
"Cook? You out here?"
I didn't hear a reply.
I instead leaned against the shed wall, taking deep breaths until my headache wore off. I rolled a joint, my first one in months, since I'm not really supposed to have drink or drugs on my pills. I took a good few drags, before hearing footsteps.
"Cook? It's about time, how long does it take to..."
He was shaking.
"What's..what's wrong?"
He put his hands either side of my face.
"Kal, listen to me now yeah?" He said, staring deeply into my eyes.
"What the fuck?" I frowned, putting my hands over his.
"Something really fucked up has happened and-"
"What?"
"I..I just...I can't say" He sighed.
"What? Fucking tell me!"
"It's better if I just show you"
He grabbed my hand and led me away, down a few streets. I was so worried I could barely speak.
"Here" He said, nodding at a giant house.
"Why here?"
He took me to a back window and pushed it open, before climbing through. He grabbed my hand and helped me through, before snapping on a light.
"An office? Who's house is this?"
"John. John Foster" He muttered.
A chill ran down my spine.
"Cook why the fuck are we here?"
He nodded at a box on the desk.
"Open it, look inside"
My hands shook as I pushed the lid off the box, and reached inside. I pulled out whatever I'd touched and came face to face with a t-shirt.
Freddie's t-shirt.
And it was covered in blood.
"Cook is this.. is.." I turned to look at him.
He slowly nodded, letting his teary eyes wander to the floor. I dropped the shirt and stared at the blood on my hands.
This can't be happening.
This can't be fucking happening.
The main light suddenly clicked on, our heads turned towards the door. He was there.
John Foster.
He slowly walked towards us, wielding a bat.
"What have you done?" Cook frowned.
"Don't be stupid Cook. She told me all about you two. Kal?" He said, smirking.
I gulped, stepping back a little.
"There was much to correct in Elizabeth. Perhaps I still can"
"You..you've done something to my friend?" Cook said.
"This is wasting time" He suddenly brung up his bat and smiled at me. "Kal, kneel down please"
Cook stepped in front me.
"You're not touching her" He said.
"Would you prefer to die first Cook? Maybe Kal can watch"
I took a deep breath, and grabbed Cooks hand.
"I don't think you know what I am mate" Cook smirked.
"I do. You're nothing" John hissed.
"Yeah" Cook nodded. "I'm a fucking waste of space. I'm just a stupid kid. Ive got no sense..criminal. I am nothing"
It hurt to hear what he thought of himself.
"So please..please. Get it into your bonce, that you killed my friend. And..i'm Cook. IM COOK"
He pulled his hand away from mine and suddenly punched John to the ground, hitting him over and over.
"RUN KAL" He yelled.
I ran through the door and tried to find a way out, and realized almost every door was locked.
"Shit!" I said, running my fingers through my hair.
None of this seemed real.
I suddenly pushed open the door to a room, and noticed a window at the end. I could jump out, get help. Perfect. I ran in and suddenly heard something.
"Help.." It said.
I froze up, and my eyes frantically looked around for a light switch. I found one, clicked it on, and what I saw next almost made me pass out. Freddie was laying on the ground, tied up, bruised badly with blood all over him. He was barely breathing. Both his eyes were bloodshot and blacked out.
"Freddie?" I kneeled next to him, taking his face in my hands. "Freds?!"
"Kal?" He whispered.
"Yeah Freds it's me!" I said, and kissed his forehead. "Stay awake for me yeah?" I'm gonna get us help alright?"
He nodded a little, and fought to keep his eyes open.
I ran back to the office, to find John bloodied up on the ground, and Cook standing over him, panting.
"Cook? Oh God is he.."
"Nah he's still breathing. Didn't you find a way out?"
I shook my head.
"No. I found Freddie" I said.
"What?"
"He's not dead Cook. He's not fucking dead!"
Cook took a deep breath, and stepped towards me, taking my face in his hands again.
"You've got your phone on you right?"
"Yeah" I said.
"Call and ambulance, and the police. Tell them everything"
"Well you've gotta leave. They'll see you and take you back into prison" I said.
He shook his head.
"I'll go back"
"What? To jail? But the boys.."
"I'll deal with it. I'll go back, finish my time, and then we can be together yeah?"
He pulled me in to a tight hug. I hung onto him.
"We'll be together"