The Guarded One ✔

Chapter Fourteen

Hi all,

This chapter has a TRIGGER WARNING because it speaks about suicide. So if you're sensitive to this topic then please SKIP to the end of this chapter. 

Thank you

------------------

I open my eyes slowly as sitting up and yawning. Seven am my cell reads. I shake my head in disbelief as jumping out of bed. I grab a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt from my bedroom floor that I slide on.

Suddenly I hear my cell buzz from my nightstand. Message from Tyler. What does he want? School starts in half an hour.

His message reads:

Can u check on Jess? She's at my dad's, only ten mins away from you.

I respond with: Will do

When Tyler says 'my dad's', he technically means his uncle's. Tyler's story is another that I don't know well, despite years of friendship.

Once my dressed I run downstairs, guzzle down the cup of coffee that my aunt left on the kitchen countertop, before jumping in my car.

***

I take my fist and slowly hit it against the wooden door. Her car is the driveway, she's definitely here.

I stand there for over a minute before I roll my eyes. I'm going to be late for school. I've checked up on friend's before, usually, it's Duncan. The last time I've had to, no one had heard from Duncan for days and we found him in bed with the chicken pox.

I lift the welcome mat where I find a spare key. I pick it up and quickly slip it into the key slot. I twist and push, allowing the door to creep open.

"Jess" I cry as walking through her father's house. Nice place. "Jess" I cry once more as I hear an odd noise coming from the bathroom. I enter the bathroom with caution where I find Jess on the floor, head in the toilet throwing up. I gasp.

After another minute she leans back, against the wall when I give her a towel from beside me. She's pale, looks really sick. I've never seen her like this.

"What are you doing here?" She wipes her mouth as breathing heavily.

"Tyler told me to check on you" I inform as dropping to the floor, beside her 

"Of course he did," Jess sighs "what did he tell you?"

"Nothing" I assure, "you wanna tell me what's going on?"

"You don't need to know" she sighs as tears threaten to pour.

I think about what Ayla said to me days earlier. I can't just walk away from this.

"So it's serious" I cock a brow.

"Yeah" Jess nods.

"You know I can help you" I lower my voice. 

"How?" She shakes her head, "how are you going to help me huh?"

"How about you tell what's going on first then we can work it out" I beg.

Jess looks down. "You've gotta buy me a burger first"

***

Jess and me skip school and end up at the beach with a burger in our hands.

We sit on the hood of my car, with our legs hanging off the end. We look at the waves in the distance. The beach has always been our safe place.

"Well?" I raise a brow.