Her Suicide Note

Chapter Two

Adrian
One thing I've never understood was time. Time seems to go by so fast when you're not in school, but when you are, it's like 10 hours of your life are being taken away each day instead of 7. Time can also be very sneaky. You could see and talk to someone who is so alive and well one day, but the next, they're dying in a hospital bed.
I'm thinking about this as I gawk up at the clock in the gym.
"You know, you staring at it isn't gonna make it move faster." I turn around to see a good friend of mine, Nathan Crosby, shaking his head at me.
We haven't really spoken much since Dylan died last Monday. He was the one that brought Nathan and I together a few years back and without him, we just haven't seen much point in hanging out anymore.
"I know," I tell him. "But it's still nice to hope."
He chuckles a little as the door to the girls locker room opens and they start to pour out onto the gym floor. He narrows his eyes at the crowd as if looking for someone.
"Got a new girl?" I try to sound teasing but you can tell I'm not happy about it. His ex-girlfriend Lisa's funeral was just Sunday, two days after they found her in the bathroom; it'll be pretty messed up if he already has someone else under his arm.
"No," he states and gives me a look as if he knows exactly what I'm thinking. Without elaborating further, he turns back to the girls still filing out before his eyes widen and he smirks.
I follow his gaze to see a short girl in sweatpants that look a little too big for her and a black T-shirt. I recognize her as the friend of Nathan's ex. I've never personally met her, but I know that her and Lisa were pretty close. The only thing Nathan's told me is that he calls her Caribbean, for what reason, I didn't ask. She has her long dark brown hair in two braids draping over each shoulder. She runs her fingers over the dark freckles sprinkled across her cheeks.
"Caribbean!" Nathan calls out, but it's as if he never said anything at all. She marches right past us and plops herself down on the front row bleachers.
"I think you should leave her alone," I state.
Nathan rolls his eyes. "Why does everyone keep scolding me whenever I talk to her?" he questions. "Like Lisa being dead is my fault."
Even though I don't know if this is true for sure, I won't be surprised if it is. Nathan has always been a playboy. Including Lisa, he's had five girlfriends this year and it's only November. The way he breaks up with them makes me surprised that no one else has offed themselves.
A sharp whistle brings everyone's attention to the center of the room where Mrs. Stevens and Coach Jackson are standing.
"Good morning, everyone, and Happy Friday," Mrs. Stevens begins receiving mumbles of "Good Morning" in return.
A real Good Morning is being home still sleeping in bed.
"Today is a free day so we have multiple activities for you to choose from," Mrs. Stevens explains. "But, you have to be doing something." She gives a pointed look to Melanie Hoffman and a few of her friends that usually sit on the bleachers during class. "So, Coach Jackson, if you can get out the equipment."
While everyone breaks off into different groups, Mrs. Stevens walks over to Melanie's and holds out her hand. With huge eye rolls and dramatic huffs, Melanie and her friends dig around in the pockets of their sweats and pile their phones on top of one another in Mrs. Stevens' palm.
"I didn't have to fight you?" Mrs. Stevens asks in mock surprise. "Are you guys okay? You're not sick are you?"
"Ha, ha, ha," Melanie sneers sarcastically before turning her back on the PE teacher.
Mrs. Stevens turns away, hardly fazed by the gesture and goes over to her cart. Coach Jackson yells out my name and tosses a football my way. Catching it, I walk over to the girl named Caribbean.
Either she doesn't notice I'm there or chooses to ignore me, but I have to tap her shoulder numerous times to get her to look up. I notice the strain in her neck as she has to crane her head all the way up to look at me. I decide to make it easy on her and sit down.
"Hi." I start off a little awkwardly because the look she gives me doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. She's making me feel on edge as if every move I make isn't the right one. I straighten my spine and clear my throat. "So, uh, you wanna throw the football around with me and my friends?"
When she blinks, it takes a little while for her to look at me again and I know she's rolling her eyes beneath her lids. "No thanks," she says with such an icy tone, the hairs on my arms stand at attention. "One, I don't know how to throw a football and two, I'm already going to play volleyball with some other girls." She gestures over to Melanie and her crew who are waving her over.
"Oh, okay." I try to hide some of my disappointment from her rejection. "Well, if you ever want to know how to throw one, I'm pretty easy to find."
"I hope you don't hold your breath on that," she mumbles before getting up and jogging over to the volleyball net.
I glance up at Nathan who's standing a few feet away, his hand over his mouth. I know he's laughing at me. I wonder if she was acting that way towards me because she thinks him and I are still close.

I catch Caribbean coming out of the bathroom during lunch. She's wearing black, rectangular shaped glasses and has something-a piece of paper, maybe-in her hands that she's reading. I wait until she's done before walking up to her.
"Hey, I never got your name," I tell her.
She looks up at me. I never noticed during PE, but her eyes are the deepest shade of blue you can get. The nickname is too perfect. I wonder if she wears contacts.
"I don't wear contacts," she says and I raise my eyebrows, completely confused. "You said you wondered if I wore contacts, I don't."
"Oh," I stutter. I didn't even realize I had said that out loud.
She starts to walk away but I grab her wrist. Big mistake. She's small, can only be five feet at least, but she has the punch of a professional boxer. She hits me straight in the chest where my heart is and I swear I think it stops beating for a moment.
"Don't touch me," she growls.
I nod vigorously. "Got it," I say, a little breathless as I rub my chest. There's definitely going to be a bruise there later on. "I just wanted to know your name."
"Why?" she asks.
I shrug. "I don't know. I was just curious. I'm Adrian."
"I didn't ask," she states, positioning the straps of her backpack higher onto her shoulders. I notice she hasn't taken her hair out of her braids.
"I know, but I just thought it'd be better if I gave you my name, too."
She purses her lips and I have a feeling she's going to try to walk away again. There's definitely no way I'm stopping her this time. "Bianca." she says curtly and I know that's all I'm going to get from her, so I nod.
"It's nice to meet you, Bianca." I don't stick my hand out for a shake. I now realize that if I'm going to stay on this girl's good side, I have to follow her lead and not do anything she wouldn't.
"Adrian," she says simply before turning on her heels.
Even though she didn't say it with a pleasant tone, it still makes me feel good inside that she said it at all.