THE JOCK JUST WANTS THE NERD [2]

65

Trigger warning

||JACKSON||

Cold.

Wet.

And dark.

Bridge creaking along with the wind that was blowing, freezing with the dampness. "What, are... you doing here," Kenny's voice nearly dissolved from the crashing sound of the storm.

"No, what are 'you' doing here!" Kyle yelled, frantically screaming at the top of his lungs. He tried to take a step forward, only causing Kenny to step back closer to his death. Everyone couldn't move, fear crawling on our skin.

"Kenny..." I mumbled. Why? Is he serious about killing himself? The air filled with grim.

"Don't you dare come any closer," Kenny gave a serious warning. He only needed an inch to fall.

Suffocating, is what we felt.

I couldn't budge. Not a single muscle in my body can. One wrong move and he could die in a flash. "Kenny, please, don't do this!" I tried to reason, pain constricting my throat, "you can't throw yourself away like this..."

"Why, why can't I?" Each word slithered out of his mouth. Eyes carried hopelessness, "it's my own meaningless life to make my choices, not yours..."

"Kenny, let's talk about it, this isn't the way," Kyle was trying his best to retain composure. I looked down at him, legs were shaking immensely under stress.

"There is no way," Kenny replied, "there's just no reason for me to be alive anymore..."

When he said those words, he began to break. Kyle and I watched as Kenny was cracking into a person more vulnerable, a part of of which that we've never seen before. Eyes widened at him as his own watered. "I don't wanna live anymore!" Kenny cried, shouted at the top of his lungs. His sentence shot a pang in my heart. Even though rain drenched and soaked us all, I could tell that genuine tears were rolling down his cheeks. He was hurt, and still continues to.

He wanted to end everything with suicide...

"Kenny..." Kyle couldn't take it anymore, even he had started to dawn with emotions. "Y-you're wrong. I know how strong of a person you are," his tone full of sadness, worrying for his dear friend.

Thunder was rumbling.

Clouds coated the sky.

Winds grew aggressively.

"Even stronger people have a limit of their own. And I've reached mine..." Kenny retorted, slowly facing the edge of the bridge.

"Stop!" I called out, "Kenny, listen to us. We're your friends who can help you," heart was pumping from my chest. It was starting to hurt. The constant thumping and ringing filled my ear.

"How exactly? You've learned the horrible truth. My parents are drug dealers and I am their son. It's all over the news and I would definitely be arrested due to association. There are no such things as good endings in life."

"I don't see you as a bad person, you're innocent. I believe in that. We'll find a way to get you out of thi-"

"Quiet..."

Kyle and I flinched as the rain kept coming down. Kenny was sobbing, the sound of aching echoed.

"I don't care. I just... don't have the will to live any further..."

Then, the unbelievable happened.

Adrenaline kicked in, and I rushed towards him as fast as I could.

The world and time slowed down, eventually to a stop.

Kenny.

Leaned over.

The edge.

...

...

...

Kyle yelled out in horror.

Body crashed onto the side as I extended my arm out while the other supported me, taking hold of anything.

With all of my strength, I caught his wrist just in time. Kenny dangled, his weight almost pulling me off with him, "Kenny!" I gasped, grunting, trying to bring us both up but I wasn't enough to do it alone.

Kyle approached immediately to my side and stuck his own out for Kenny to reach, "take my hand!"

He swung from my grip as he stared at us. The anguish he has, pushing him to stop it all. "Let... me... go..." he could barely speak. Pieces of himself had shattered, life hanging by a thread and he had almost cut it.

"K-Kenny, please," I grimaced, hand starting to slip from the rain.

"My life is destroyed. My parents abandoned me, I have nothing. How can I live if nothing matters and nobody cares about me..." each gasp came with each streaming tear.

"Kenny, shut up!"

I stiffened. Kyle blew up as he gave out raging emotions. Kenny was shocked, looking back at him. "Nobody... cares about you?" Kyle murmured silently.

"D-do I not matter to you? Do you think I don't give a single damn about you? We've been through many things together all these years. We had each other's backs for so long. F-fuck, I was so worried to death! I was looking everywhere, asked so many people where you are! I never stopped calling you! Do you think 'I' don't care about you?" Kyle wept, hurt.

"I care, Jackson cares, Carla cares, people see you as someone who matters a lot to them...

...Please don't kill yourself!"

Both looked at each other deeply, damaged at the sight. Thunder sounded violently, the shockwave caused the bridge to vibrate. "Kenny!" my fingers were beginning to lose hold.

But, before I thought all hope was lost, Kenny reached out to Kyle's hand and clasped it tightly. Seeing the cooperation, the two of us pulled him back up with a roar. With the final ounces of stamina, we had safely flung Kenny to the center of the bridge, the three of us panting.

"I'm sorry..." Kenny sobbed, "I'm so sorry..."

We looked at his curled form, Kyle didn't hesitate to hastily crawl towards his friend and hugged him tightly. Watching them, they held onto each other arms, constricting to after almost losing one another. All Kenny could do right now was apologize for his actions. Both were huddled together, soon I joined in and shielded us all from the piercing droplets. We saved someone.

The warmth, bringing back life.