Ouroboros (being rewritten)

We're Running Out Of Time

  

     The next couple of weeks had been a blur, the same day blending in with the same level of worry, frustration and fear. Peter didn't bother answering any of my calls, any of my texts or any of my house visits. He just cut off any ties with me and would ignore me at school as if a word from him in my general direction would be torture he could not bear. I visited Roman once a day after school, sometimes twice, keeping him informed on the different reading assignments, the different tests he had missed and the latest gossip around school, certain that if he had been awake, he would've rolled his eyes and yawned of boredom for every second of it. I tried researching the killings, but on my own and having no leads to follow, I slowly started to give up; if Peter wasn't going to help me, I wasn't going to do the work for him.

---The thought of Peter and Letha as an item had never bothered me. Considering what was going on, it was rather heartwarming to see them getting closer to each other despite the constant fear and anxiety we were all facing. The reason for the pin of jealousy to burst my swelling heart was caused by the attention he gave her. The simple act of waiting for her at his locker for a chat was a right reserved for his closest and only friends; Roman and I. Now I was like any other students at Hemlock Grove High School, listening in as I passed by, hoping to catch a glimpse of their conversations and make sense of the snippets.

'...might quite pulling this shit if you just stopped fucking letting him?' Peter sighed, throwing some books in his locker. It didn't take a genius to guess who he was talking about which seemed unfair for the situation. Roman did like the attention, that was a fact but faking a coma for the sheer thrill of it was a bit much, even for him.

'This isn't you,' she said, reaching for his cheek and softly stroking it, 'I know you.' Any tenderness she might've seen on his face was disappearing, any emotions draining from his eyes as soon as those words left her mouth. She did not know him as well as she thought and she never could. He shook his head away from her reach and slammed his locker door behind him, ending the conversation.

'Don't make this my problem,' It took everything in my power not to call after him, reminding him caring was not a flaw but rather a requirement in a friendship but he was already gone and I didn't have the strength for a fight.

--The day was as dull as ever, my every thought consumed by Roman. I kept looking back at his empty seat as if he would magically appear, smirking at his comments to amuse the class but most importantly himself. However, as much as I hoped, Roman was not there, thinking of ways to get out of class. Roman was still in his hospital bed, in the middle of his empty room, only breathing thanks to the tubes going in his throat.

As soon as the bell dismissed us, I could not get out of this place soon enough, not even bothering to stop at my locker to leave some books. I had almost made it to the parking lot when Letha called after me, her voice all breathy from the effort. In her condition, it was rather cruel to ignore her and make a run for it, even for me.

'I just wanted to tell you,' she started, pushing the hair out of her face and resting her hands on her knees to catch her breath, 'I appreciate the fact that you care that much about Roman.' I shrugged but she was quick to add, 'Peter cares too. In his own way. He just went to see him, even talked to Olivia!' Adding that last part like a badge of honour, proving him to not be the selfish bastard he was so clearly bent on becoming. I wished knowing he had gone to see Roman changed everything but it did not.

'Peter is a big boy, he can do whatever he wants, it doesn't concern me, he made sure of that.' She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to come up with an excuse for his behaviour though she knew it was not going to change how things were. 'I'm sorry,' I added, 'It's not your fault.'