Asher's Heart

Chapter 36

I was completely, absolutely done with everything. I had had enough. My life couldn't get more messed up than this. It was driving me insane. I had to take my mind off everything.

The only thing that could help me was study.

I took out my books and dived into it. But I soon realized that my brain preferred to worry than do math.

I groaned and pushed back from my study table using my feet. It wasn't working. I needed a distraction. A pretty solid one.

I picked my phone from the table and dialed a number. It was a helpline to all my problems, especially the one at hand.

"I expected you to call sooner," Brooke said as soon as she picked up.

"Yeah well, I was saving you as my last resort," I said.

"My ego is hurt Ellie. You could have saved yourself the trouble if you'd considered me your first resort," she said with mock hurt and bitterness. A little too much of it that it seemed she was using it to hide the real disappointment. It felt ten times worse.

"I'm sorry," I said. That's all I could say really. I kept hurting people who cared about me and who I cared about without even realizing it. And I had no idea how to stop that. My meager apologies would only keep them for so long. Ultimately they would get tired.

She didn't acknowledge my apology.

"What do you want to do?" she asked instead.

"Anything?"

"Okay, I know what we're going to do," she said excitedly before hanging up.

Less than 15 minutes later Brooke was sitting on my bed as I chose what to wear. No, we weren't going to a party. Even I was surprised at that. Apparently, Brooke had an amazing idea for my sorry ass to get an awesome evening. Her words.

"Pick something black," she insisted.

She was also wearing black. I didn't ask why, I just went with it.

Her excitement was rubbing off on me as she drove, making me smile.

"Laser tag?" I asked as she parked the car and we got out.

"Nope. Zombie laser tag," she said with a grin.

I didn't get a chance to say anything because someone called my name.

I turned around to see Megan, along with Asher and Ashton. And I was surprised to find Noel there too. Why was I getting emotional? These were my friends. And they were here to help me get through this, putting me before their own problems.

Megan took me into her arms, although it had been only three days since I last saw her. I was ashamed to admit that I'd been holed up in my room for past three days. I just couldn't face anyone. Not my classmates and definitely not my mother.

"I missed you so much," she squeezed me.

There it was again. That feeling of guilt washing over me.

I had shut out everyone.

"I'm sorry. I should have answered your calls," I hugged her back.

"Alright! Let's get it on," Brooke announced and we all went inside.

It was dim inside. The blue lights made everything darker. We got our guns and headbands and were ready to start. Brooke had booked the place so it was only us. We divided ourselves in two teams. Megan, Ashton and me on one team and Brooke, Noel and Asher on the other. It would have been more fun if there were more people, but we had zombies to compensate for that.