*trigger warning*
Chapter 11
Rumors have been going around the school, but none of them evem came close to what really happened. My biology class knew I was involved and the students tried asking me, but I assured them it was nothing.
I was still a bit shaken up and I honestly didn't get that much sleep at night. Images of what happened flashed through my mind. I hated it.
Grayson was constantly apologizing to me for frightening me, but I told him to stop.
Since it was lunch at school, I took the opportunity to video chat Grayson while I ate with Belle and Thalia. I had one earphone in so they wouldn't hear what Grayson was saying.
He was still in bed, looking exhausted, but he was the one who wanted to video chat.
"You look as exhausted as I feel," Grayson said.
"I couldn't sleep," I told him. "Yesterday frightened me."
"I'm so sorry," he said. "I thought....I thought it was....the only way to escape....everything. It's those damn anti-depressants." Recently, ever since yesterday actually, he had been pausing mid-sentence a lot. Grayson assured me it was nothing when I asked him about it. I was sure it was because he was so nervous or stressed over something.
"Are you still on it?" I asked.
Grayson sighed and nodded. "It's the only....treatment that's available....to me so far. It's working a bit. It's just the side effects that's....taking a toll on me."
"I could tell," I said. "You have huge bags under your eyes."
"I bet they make me look sexy."
I rolled my eyes, a tiny bit happy he was making that joke again. "They sure do."
"Poppy?" Belle said. "Can I talk to Grayson?" She was sitting beside me, so I handed her the other earphone.
"Grayson, Belle wants to talk to you," I said. "Be nice."
Grayson sighed as Belle came into view for Grayson. "I'm worried about you," Belle said. "I know you don't like me, but you are my best friend's boyfriend."
"I'm fine, Belle," Grayson said, not even snapping at her like he normally does.
Belle frowned. "Really? No offence, but you don't look fine."
"I'm just tired," he said. "I didn't get much sleep."
"Did Poppy tell you what happened yesterday?" Belle asked. "There was a level 2 school lockout and she knows why. She won't tell me, though."
"She didn't have to tell me," Grayson said. "I was there."
"You were?" Belle asked. "So you saw what happened?"
Grayson shook his head. "No, I was....what happened. Belle, I decided to push my hatred....to you aside for Poppy's sake. And she trusts you, so I trust you. Yesterday, the school went in lockdown because....I was this close," he held his finger and thumb a tiny bit apart, "to committing suicide."
Belle's eyes widened at that. "You....What?!"
Thalia, who wasn't in on the conversation, looked confused and a bit worried. "What's going on?" she asked.
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?
Grayson was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking down. His eyes were red as if he was crying, and like I said it wasn't something I had seen or heard from him often.
I looked at his wrists, both of which were covered by a white bandage. My eyes then wandered to the wooden floor which was stained in what I hoped was red paint. However, I knew I was wrong. "Grayson, you didn't...."
Grayson looked at me, guilt written on his face. "I'm sorry, Poppy. I just....My dad and brother...." He looked at his wrists, sniffing before wiping away a tear. "My life is a mess. I don't know how much more....I can take. I tried calling you before I...."
I sat down beside him, leaning my head on his shoulder. "What happened?"
Grayson sighed. "My dad has been trying....to contact me recently and I....can't take it anymore. He showed up here a few times....demanding that he sees me but my mom refuses. Sometimes they argue. Other times my mom just....slams the door in his face."
"And your brother?"
Grayson sighed loudly. "I ran into him today. Things did....not go well. My anti-depressants fell out of my pocket....and he grabbed it before I did. He, uh....He made fun of me and said really hurtful things. So...."
I grabbed one of his hands and gestured to the bandage. "You cut yourself?"
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I haven't done it in a while and I just....I lost it. I'm sorry. I just....I thought I could....Damn, I'm sorry. If Gale didn't come when she did, I would have....I almost...."
"Grayson, I don't want you hurting yourself," I said.
"I know," he said. "I'm sorry. Gale is going to be staying here now. I really need my older sister and she knows it."
I smiled at that. Gale had always been a great sister to Grayson. She was always there for him when his dad and brother beat him and even got to him in time when he was almost beaten to death.
"Good," I said, kissing Grayson's cheek right as my cell phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket, looking at the caller id as Grayson laid down on his bed. "Hello?"
"Poppy, hey," Belle said. "Um, I kind of need my best friend right now so can you come over?"
I sighed. "I can't. I'm at Grayson's."
"Can't you leave?" Belle asked.
"No," I said honestly.
"Oh," Belle said. "I see. Put the person you've known the longest last."
"Belle, it's not like that," I said. "I would have went to your house but something happened with Grayson."
There was a bit of silence before she asked, "Is he okay?"
"Kind of," I said. "He just needs me here. Any way you can tell me why you need me over the phone?"
I heard Belle take a deep intake of her breath before talking. "Devon wants to get back together with me."
I had to admit, I was a bit shocked at the news. Then again, he did seem a bit desperate when he wanted to talk to Belle. "Really?" I asked. "What do you want?"
"I don't know," Belle said. "I mean, I know he was a jerk but when we were together, just the two of us, he was like a whole different person. I honestly do want to get back together with him but I don't know if I can forgive him for being involved with the shooting."
"I wish I would know what to do," I said. "But I don't want to get in the way of the feelings. Maybe, you can tell Devon that you will, but he has to prove he changed."
Grayson looked at me at the sound of Devon's name, but I ignored him. "You know what?" Belle said. "I think I'll do that. Thanks, Poppy."
"No problem," I said. "Anything else?"
"No, that's it," Belle said. "I'm going to call Devon now. Tell Grayson that I hope he's okay."
"Will do," I said. "Bye."
When I hung up, Grayson asked, "What about Devon?"
"That was Belle," I said, ignoring his question. "She hopes you're okay?"
Grayson sat up, his eyebrows furrowed. "Babe, I didn't ask who it was. What about Devon?"
"Nothing," I said. "Besides, you hate Belle anyway."
"I don't," he corrected. "So...."
I sighed. "Devon wants to get back together with Belle and she wants to as well. She just doesn't know if she can forgive him after what he did."
Grayson groaned. "Don't tell me you're....encouraging her!"
"I'm not," I said. "Well, not really. Come on, Grayson. Give Devon a second chance. Didn't he used to be your best friend?"
"Yeah," Grayson said. "But that was before....I almost had him killed and he....was out to get me. He's trouble."
"Grayson, just trust Belle," I said. "She can handle herself."
"Whatever," Grayson said before laying back down on his bed.
I hoped Belle would be able to handle herself.
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Poor Grayson. ): He's going through so much. I'm glad Gale's back in the story, though. Grayson definitely needs her.