(Please note, this chapter refers to some serious issues so if you're sensitive about it then just skip over it)
"You have one voicemail, press 1 to listen."
"Hey Christina." I chuckled at Rori's stupid nickname for me back when we were in school. "I did love you. I've always loved you. I think I fell in love with you the day you came by Rosa's to apologise. I ran away because I was afraid of admitting that I was ever in love with you. I didn't want to lose you, so I felt that leaving you alone was the best solution. I shielded my heart from you, not because I was afraid you would break it but because I didn't know if you could handle me and the baggage I had. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. You showed me how to be happy, how to love. You reminded me that being damaged didn't mean I couldn't have a life too. So thank you. I love you. Forever." I grinned. I only had to wait 7 years for her to utter those words and it warmed my heart to finally listen to them. Putting my car into drive I drove to the apartment she had moved out into.
Ever since the death of Olivia, she decided she wanted her own place even if it was temporary. She believed she needed some space for herself and time to come to terms with her loss. I agreed and helped her move some of her things into her new place before she could finally settle in.
I rang the doorbell a few times but she didn't come to the door. It wasn't late, only 11pm so I knew she would be awake. I called her phone but it went straight to voicemail, which wasn't unusual but something about how quiet her house was despite the lights being on was suspicious. Everything about this situation felt wrong so I used my copy of the key to open the door.
"Rori? Are you awake? I used the spare key." I called through the small apartment. Her bedroom lights were off so I assumed she just forgot to turn the rest of them off. When I reached her room however, the bed was empty and didn't look like it had been slept in. The lights to her en suite bathroom were shining through the door so I strode over.
I pushed the door open and saw her lying on the floor, half a bottle of whiskey and an empty bottle of antidepressants beside her. My heart dropped as I saw her lying there, lifeless and still. I fell to the ground beside her, lifting her head into my lap.
"Rori, open your eyes. Come on princess. Just let me look at your beautiful eyes." I cried. Pulling my phone out I called 911.
"911 what's your emergency?"
"My girlfriend is unconscious. Her pulse is weak. I need help. Oh god. Rori you need to wake up. For me. I don't know what I would do without you."
"Okay sir, stay calm. I need you to perform CPR. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes okay."
"The ambulance has been dispatched to your location, stay on the line okay." I pressed the speaker button and placed the phone on the floor before I began chest compressions.
Within minutes the paramedics arrived and they took her from my arms. "Let me go with her." I requested.
"What relation are you to her?" They asked.
"What does it matter, just let me come with you!" I shouted. They nodded, closing the door behind me and rushing to the hospital. In the ambulance I held her cold hand praying that she would wake up.
"Rori you have to wake up. I can't function without you. I need you. Don't leave me!" I wept. We arrived to the hospital and she was rushed inside where the doctors took Rori's gurney.
"How many pills did she take?" The doctor asked me.
"I didn't even know she was taking antidepressants."
"Okay. We've got her from here." I followed until they took her to a room which they made me wait outside of. My head was dizzy and I felt like I was going to vomit. Flashes of Rori lying on the bathroom floor, the life leaving her body scared me. My heart was still thudding wildly in my chest when I found the strength to call Donny.
"Sir, you need to come to the hospital right now."
"Chris what happened?" He asked worriedly.
"It's Rori. She's at the hospital." I broke down again, crumpling to the floor.
"We're on our way." He cut the line and I was left alone again. My head was in my hands by the time Donny and his family came, closely followed my own family.
"Chris! What happened?" Donny asked.
"I don't know. Rori left me voicemail so I went to see her. She was just lying there Donny. She was just lying there." My voice hoarse from the crying.
"We'll get through this son. Rori is one tough cookie." My father placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. Felicity had tears streaming down her face when she hugged me tightly.
"She'll be fine. She can't leave us like this." My sister said. My mother came up to me and wordlessly hugged me. Despite her calm composure I knew both she and my father were keeping a strong appearance. They took a inconsolable Donny to the side while I sat on the uncomfortable plastic chairs waiting for any words of the verdict.
I couldn't handle the eerily quiet atmosphere anymore so I left. Aimlessly I wandered the hospital and ended up in the maternity ward. Behind the glass was a dozen or so babies sleeping peacefully, blissfully unaware of the dangers of the world. These fragile tiny people held so much of our hearts it was hard not to love them. Ever since I met Rori, all I would dream of was to start a family with her.
I wanted to share my whole life with her, to see her grow big with our children or to be able to paint the walls of the nursery together. To create memories that would last a lifetime and more. To grow old and watch a thousand sunsets. I don't think I would be able to live without her not after I had fallen more hopelessly in love with her. My heart beat for her.
"Is one of them yours?" A man beside me asked.
"Oh no. I was just wandering through the hospital. My girlfriend is in the ER." I replied, wiping a tear from my eyes.
"I see. My son is there. He looks so beautiful, completely at peace."
"He's going to be a heartbreaker." I smiled.
"That I can see already. He's our third child and yet it never ceases to amaze us how wonderful a child is. Our two oldest ones have taught us so much in life I couldn't imagine my life without them. My wife and I always dreamed of having a large family since both of us were only children and they have been a godsend. They teach us to be giving, to be kind, to be loving. It's really quite incredible." The man smiled.
"Yeah." We stared at his son for a few more minutes before I decided to go back. "It was nice meeting you. Good luck."
"Thank you. The house is going to be quite busy now." He laughed.
"Chris where were you? I tried calling you but you didn't pick up." Felicity cried.
"I left my phone at Rori's. What happened?" I asked, brow furrowed.
"She's going to make it Chris. Rori is alive." She grinned at me. I felt like the breath had been knocked out of me. I sank to the ground unable to believe what I had just heard. She was alive and that was all that mattered right now.
"The doctors said they had to pump her stomach, but she'll be fine." Donny added.
"Oh thank god! Can I go see her?" I asked the doctor who had just come over to talk to us.
"Yes but she's resting so you'll have to be quiet. We have to keep her under 24 hour suicide watch and we do suggest she go and speak to a therapist. From what I understand she has been prescribed antidepressants for a couple of years now but she hasn't been taking them. Someone in her fragile state of mind will quite easily relapse, so she'll need all the support you can give." The doctor told us.
I nodded before entering her room and taking a seat beside her. Holding her hand I kissed her forehead. This wasn't the first time Rori almost died, but this time she wanted to purposefully take her own life. It broke my heart to see her in so much pain. I didn't even know the extent of her pain because she protected everyone she loved from it. All this time I thought she was dealing with, when in reality it was destroying her.
"Why didn't you come to me? You knew I would do everything in my power to help. How could you ever think this was the right thing to do. There's so many people in this world who love you, didn't you think of that? I can't sit back and watch you suffer in silence. It's killing me Rori. I can't see you die. I'm being selfish. I want you all to myself so I can't let you die." Tears fell uncontrollably down my face, splashing on the sterile floor. I cried as I watched her chest move up and down with every breath she took. Donny looked distraught as he sat on her other side, clutching her hand as if she were to disappear in an instance.
A few hours passed and she still hadn't woken up so I went to get coffee giving Donny some privacy too. "How are you feeling?" My sister asked.
"Honestly? I don't know. I mean I'm happy she's alive, but I'm sad that she was going through this much pain that I didn't see this coming." We took a seat at a table.
"You couldn't have seen this coming. I mean no one did. When she called me I genuinely thought it was just another social call, I didn't know it was to be her last words to me. I can't believe she felt like it had to come down to this. It's scary how depression can affect someone so much that it can lead to suicide."
"Rori's awake guys." Jess ran in asking.
"Jess?" I turned to look at her.
"What?" She looked at me weirdly.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Did you think Rori and I never made up? We've been trying to patch things up for the last couple of months. Everyone else is here too." She told me.
"So you're friends now?" I was still surprised when we made our way back to Rori's room.
"Of course dummy." She slapped my arm. I just rolled my eyes at her. My eyes widened when I saw that when Jess meant everyone was here she really did mean everyone.
Ben, Tom, Oliver, Rosa, Enrique, Valentina, Anna and even little Echo. Her old neighbour Anya and her daughter came to see Rori as well. To see everyone whose lives Rori had changed made my heart swell with pride. Donny was with her probably trying to get her to talk. He came out with an exhausted look on his face.
"I guess it's all of your turn." He sighed, sitting down on the plastic chairs.
"She's going to be fine Donny." I reassured him. "Look at how many people care for her, she's not alone."
"I always knew that girl was going to give me heart attack one day." He chuckled without humour.
"Today is not that day." I smiled before joining my friends. Each of them were taking turns to tell Rori how much they love her.
"I made this drawing at school today. Also I'm going to be a sophomore next year. Can you believe that A?" Echo laughed.
"Wow you've grown up so fast. By the way I've kept every one of the drawings you sent me."
"Really?" She grinned.
"Of course, who's going to tell the world that I knew this famous artist when she was a tiny girl. I'm going to need you to sign it for me though. I'm going to be the first person to receive your autograph." Rori smiled.
"Thanks A. You're the best." The girl kissed Rori's cheek before handing her the art she had created.
"Rori, take care of yourself dear." Anna squeezed her hand comfortingly.
"I will Anna. Thanks for coming." Rori smiled back tightly.
"We care about you so we want you to do well."
"Thank you." Rori said quietly, shame filling her face.
"Ro, you could have spoken to me. I was your best friend. I know we weren't on the best terms but I'm still there for you. I was a little mad at you but I'm so over it. By the way I have some new stuff to tell you." Jess winked.
"Okay Jess. When I'm finally out, we'll go for coffee." Rori laughed.
"Screw coffee, we're having a sleepover just like old times." She giggled.
"Whatever keeps you happy."
"No Ro, whatever keeps YOU happy. That's all I care about okay. I want you to recover as soon as possible."
"I will."
"I'm there for you Rori, through thick and thin okay? That's what best friends are for." Felicity smiled, holding back the tears I knew were threatening to fall.
"I know, and I love you for it." Rori sat up to kiss my sister on the cheek. Rosa came up to her bed and whispered a few words in Rori's ear before she ushered the niece and nephew out. Soon everyone had left and it was just me and Rori in the room.
-------------------------------------------------------
Mental health is a serious issue and I'm glad more and more people are starting to talk about because the easier it is to get rid of the stigma that surrounds it.
I just want to say that if any of you do feel depressed, or feels suicidal, talk to someone. It has really helped me to know that someone cares about me. I am always there to talk to as well, just don't be afraid. If anyone who know's what you're going through it's me, and I know I like talking to people to help get through the bad days.
Love you all
Neha x