It's Jared's birthday and I've been thinking about him all day. The teachers have grown aggrivated at my daydreaming but I couldn't care less. Finally Science comes around, my last class of the day and since my lab partener, Kim, is sick, I have to work with Sean. Sean's not the best person to work with. He's always on and off, laughing one minute and throwing chairs the next.
As I'm doing the lab there's a knock on the door and everyone turns to see who it is. I'm too lost in my daydreams to look until people start whispering.
"Oh my god. He's sooo hot." Olivia whispers.
"Is he new?!" Jess asks.
"I think I'm in love!" Samantha sighs and I roll my eyes. When I turn around I meet his eyes and my heart stops right there in my chest. I stare at him until I cant see through my tear, blurred eyes, then I get up and sprint to him jumping into his arms as we both hold eachother sobbing. I block out everyone else and focus on him.
"Happy Birthday." I say through my sobs and he laughs.
"Of course that's the first think you say to me."
"How... I cant believe it.." I brush away my tears.
"You look so different." He tells me.
"I am different." I sigh, knowing he'd be dissapointed in what I've gotten myself into, in the last few months. I notice a lady standing in the room, the principal. She looks at the teacher,
"Please excuse Alissa. I need to take her for the rest of the day." She says and the teacher nods, clearly confused.
Jared and I follow her out of the room and I see my aunt and uncle at the door. I'm allowed to be with them for the rest of the week, so after I pack my bag, we leave.
"When did you wake up?" I ask when we're in the car.
"Last night."
"What? Why didn't I know?" I ask thinking of what I did last night, I cried my eyes out with another bottle of vodka.
"I wanted to surprise you here. Plus I needed some time to figure everything out." He sighs. If the accident was hard for me, it must be a thousand times worse for him. He's been asleep for a few months because his own father shot him and when he wakes up he finds himself in a hospital across the country, without his friends, realizing his family was dead.
"Thank God you're okay." He shakes his head and stares at me. "What happened when you got home?"
"I saw dad shoot himself, and you were all on the floor in the foyer, and there was blood everywhere." Tears roll down my face. "I thought you were dead. It was almost too late. I should've called 911 immediately, you were still awake at the house and went into a coma at the hospital. I didn't know... If I had waited a second later you would've died." I sob.
"Don't for one second think this is your fault. You understand? we're both right here and everything's okay." He says and I smirk. "What?" he looks confused.
"If I were okay, I wouldn't be in rehab, jail, school." I sigh.
"What happened to you?" He looks serious and I shake my head frowning,
"I went crazy."
"I'm here now. Everything will be okay." He hugs me and for the first time in the past three months, I feel safe.
We go out to dinner that night and celebrate. After dinner we go to my aunt's house and our uncle leaves.
In the middle of the night I wake up to Jared in my doorway. I know he'll never admit that he's been crying and can't sleep, but that's just who he is. He acts strong enough for the both of us. I make it easy for him,
"Jared. I cant sleep." I lie. He nods.
"Yeah. I was just checking on you." He comes over.
"Can you stay with me?" I ask his unasked question he nods and gets in bed, pulling me close to him.
"What was it like?" I ask.
"What?"
"Being asleep for so long? What were you doing?"
"It just felt like I was sleeping. I cant explain it really." He shrugs and then looks me in the eye. "Aunt Sarah told me everything." He sighs. I dont answer. What am I supposed to say? I made some really bad choices but how would he have coped if he was in my place?
"She showed me your drawings." He smirks. "They're pretty disturbing." I nod, knowing he's right. "I'm sorry I wasnt there for you."
"Jared... If you were dead... I would be too. You gave me hope when my life had been spinning out of control." I shake my head. "I dont even know who I am anymore. A few months ago, drinking would have never even crossed my mind. I went from swearing to wait until I was married to have sex, to being with men that are twice my age..."
"I heard about your math teacher and Lis, I'm sorry I wasnt there to beat the shit out of him. I'm sorry I wasnt there for you to lean on. But I'm here now and you can be you again. I'll protect you." He holds me as I cry.
"I dont even know who 'me' is anymore."
"Yes you do. You're Alissa Caroline Munroe. The girl who always has a smile on her face. The girl who gets guys to drool when she passes and her big brother is there to beat them up. The girl who would do anything to make the ones she loves smile. The girl who has "LOST" episode marathons with her best friend, Meghan, every weekend. The amazing artist and the perfect student. You're my little sister and I love you no matter what you did." He tells me.
For once in my life I dont know what to say, I'm at a loss of words so I dont say anything and fall asleep in my big brother's arms, knowing I'm safe and nothing's going to hurt the two of us as long as we have eachother.
__________________________YAY! Something happy finally happens! Whad'ya think?? Let me know! Vote and comment!!!!!