I Depend On You ~Zach Herron~

02

Iris's P.O.V.

Spring break came around and I was so glad. My best friend, Kayla, from Utah was coming to stay for the week.

"Iris, let's go!" My mom yelled. We left to pick up Kayla from the airport.

We waited by the gate for her to arrive. It had been three months, and I was so excited to see her. People started coming through the gate and I finally spotted the girl that I loved so much.

She dropped her stuff and ran towards me, as I ran towards her. I jumped in her arms and she caught me, hugging me tight.

"I missed you so much!" I shouted.

"Me too, you have no idea!"

Once we separated, we gathered her bags and went to our car.

"How's everyone back home?" I asked

"Good. Everyone misses you, though. Jesse told me to give you a kiss, but I'm not gonna do that," she said laughing.

Jesse is my long distance boyfriend. He's the only thing keeping me happy, besides Kayla. I missed both of them so much.

"Ugh, I've missed you guys so much," I said laying my head on her shoulder.

"How's your school?" She asked. I didn't want to answer honestly because then my mom would worry.

"Good, I guess," I lied. I would talk to her about it later.

We got home and Kayla and I went to my room. We talked about my lack of friends and how miserable I was. She told me that she would make this week the best week of my life, so I could forget about school.

Kayla and I had so much fun everyday that she was there. We went shopping and to different amusement parks and ate amazing food. It was literally the best thing that anyone could ask for. Which made it worse when I had to let her go back home.

"I hate saying goodbye," I told her as we packed her bags the night before her flight.

"Then say you'll see me later. We'll definitely visit this summer, so just think about that," she told me. I nodded.

The next morning both of us were crying at the gate.

"I love you," we both said in a hug. She waved to my mom and hugged me again as she walked to her gate.

                               ***

Kayla might've made that week amazing, but school was too terrible to forget. I had to go back. All of the bullies who pushed me and hit me and threw stuff at me waited.

It just got worse as school got closer to ending. I had pushed through it until April, then I just crashed.

It was about two weeks into April. My mom came into my room with the saddest look on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Your grandma died in her sleep last night."

"What? No!" I was in shock. I couldn't handle it anymore. I cried harder than I had ever cried before. I cried so hard that by the time we had the small funeral the next week, I didn't have any tears left. My emotions had dried up and all I felt was empty.

We had the short service and the burial ceremony. It was just my mom, her one brother, and I.

My grandma was one of the only people who could make me smile through my pain. She encouraged me to never give up and to stand up for myself, but now that she was gone I felt like I had nothing.

"I'm going for a walk," I told my mom. I grabbed my small purse and went out the door. It was pouring outside, but I really didn't care.

I walked through the neighborhood, not knowing where I was going. I saw a railing and went to it. Below it was a ditch with about two inches of water. I jumped over the railing and climbed down to the bottom.

I sat there just staring at my reflection in the water, when my phone buzzed. My phone showed a picture of me and Jesse with the flower crown filter as raindrops fell onto it. His name showed at the top meaning he was calling me.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey."

"What's up?" I asked trying to hide the fact I had been crying for hours.

"Your mom told me what happened. I just wanted to check on you," He said.

"Oh. Well, to be honest I'm not doing good at all," I said.

"Oh. Well now I feel terrible." He said very quietly.

"What?" I asked.

"I was going to call you to tell you something, and then your mom told me about your grandma."

"What were you gonna tell me?" I asked.

"Listen, I can't do this long distance thing."

"What?" My voice cracked. The rain poured harder. My phone would've been soaked, but my thick hood held most of the water.

"We need to break up."

"What? No, Jesse you can't do this."

"Iris, I just miss you too much. I can't be apart from you." My heart fluttered, but shattered at his words.

"But we've been through so much," I cried.

"You'll find someone new."

"No, Jesse. I love you."

"I just can't handle it. I need to be with someone who doesn't live across the country."

"I can't help it that I had to move. I thought you said nothing could come between us." I tried to fight back the tears.

"I know, but I just can't do it anymore. I'm sorry." With that, he hung up.

I sat there in shock, again. I can't believe this. My life is a disaster.

Maybe I should just kill myself. I'd be with my grandma again. No one would bully me again.

I looked through my soaked purse for the advil I kept in there. I pulled out a water bottle and looked at the pills.

"Am I gonna do this?" I asked myself. I shook off the fear and started swallowing pills. I had taken five and just as I was putting the sixth one in my mouth, it was slapped out of my hand and into the water.