The stinging went through me as I remembered that dream I had a few months back. I was never going to have that family with Nick. I wasn't going to live happily ever after with him or just sit there and enjoy his company. I let out another yell of pain, louder this time. This must have been what that dream meant as I remembered that last screaming matching the one that I dreamt.
"Rachel, open the door, it's locked," Bridget cried out in an alarm, which was a lot worse than her normal panicking. She started banging on the door as the knob twisted.
I got up with my legs shaking and was feeling like I was going to fall to my death. I bawled out in tenderness with every step I took with my probably broken ankle. I wobbled instead of my normal stroll. I could hear Bridget freaking out on the other side of the door as I tried to get to the door. When I opened the door I started to fall, but Bridget caught me just in time. Just like a friend was supposed to do, being there no matter what.
"The guys are in the main building in the neighborhood, right? So I'll be back and don't lock the door. You know he won't have his key. Also don't move, Rachel," Bridget said, worried and rushing as she was trying to figure out what to do before she then helped me to the couch.
"Don't get Nick-" I yelped as I grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving me.
"Rachel, I'm getting him. He needs to be here."
"Okay, fine, get him," I screamed and cringed, not having the strength to argue.
She left and stabbing heat started to rip apart my insides. The room started to spin. Curling more into my hopes for something to put me out of my misery, but I found my pen on the couch. I wrote in handwriting that mirrored my print in kindergarten, I wrote arsenic. When I was finishing the 'c' my whole body jumped and surged causing me to fall off the couch. I blacked out collapsing onto the carpet. I was blacked out in the house alone, in the quiet. I prayed that this wasn't going to be the last time I was in this house.
32
Nick
I stood around with Dill and John, this being the first time in a while we all hung out, but I was feeling guilty about leaving Rachel alone at home sick. She’d been sick for such a long time despite what she told me. Selfishly I was enjoying being with my friends, and Mark wasn't with us, which made me happier. That was when the door crashed open and Bridget came in running trying to catch her breath at the same time.
"Nick, come with me. Rachel's very sick and we can't dial 911," Bridget yelled, out of breath. "She isn't lying either, because she was hysterically crying when she called me. When I got there she was on the floor not able to stand."
"Damn it! I shouldn't have listened to her. I should have stayed with her. Damn it!" I was so angry. I couldn't believe she lied to me again. What else had she lied about?
"Nick, please hurry. She's in so much pain," Bridget screamed, her brown eyes huge with fear, tears about to spill over for her friend that she was so close with.
It was at that moment I felt my heart drop. I knew something was wrong. I could feel her pain in my bones. Pushing Bridget away and I ran as if it was the end of the world. I needed to get there before anything bad happened. I prayed that there wasn't anything terrible to worry about.
The houses became a blur as I ran by to get to Rachel. I could only think of Rachel. She was the only thing that mattered now. Everything we had done or been through together. These last few months were the best times of my life and they were with her. We had been through so much and just to lose her now would be the worst thing imaginable.
Rachel was pushing her hair behind her ears as she read on the couch or was writing her stories anywhere in the house. Rachel just putting on her makeup in the morning, after finishing brushing her hair as she got ready for school. Rachel just laughing or talking to me as her eyes glistened or just how her lips formed to show off her white teeth when she did so.
I remembered when we were on the trip, waking up with her in my arms for the first time. The time I had to go find her in the rain and we ran around in it for me to fully understand how free she always wanted to feel. The first time we kissed without her slapping me on Thanksgiving. Right after we had left from the dance we danced in the snow. Mark's party when I had saved her from my own friend. The time she had to run away from me, or just doing our homework together. I had to get to her. She needed me and I needed her in my life. I needed to get home before it was too late and I was left…alone. I couldn't lose her. I didn't know how I would do in life without her.
Our house came into view as I leaped towards it. I threw the door open, hoping Rachel would be sitting on the couch reading or standing there saying 'got you' as she threw her arms around me, giggling. I would have done anything for either of these to be true, but life isn't ever fair.
Instead, a pale sick fragile Rachel was on the floor where I guess was where she fell. She wasn't
