The New Girl

Chapter 15

I decided to go by David's house the next day.

"Oh, Alina," said Darcy, "come in."

"Is David home?" I played dumb, I didn't want to embarrass her by saying that I saw him being arrested last night.

"Why do you ask?" she asked.

"He hasn't texted me back which is unlike him," I lied, even though I haven't even tried to text him in days.

She made me some tea and brought some cookies over to the table.

"David, he's very sick. I don't know if he's ever told you about his depression and bipolar disorder," she started to say.

"Yes, he has."

"Well," she said with tears in her eyes, "he tried to commit suicide last night so the police took him away and now he's in a hospital, a mental hospital."

"Oh."

"He spent last night there, he's going to be there all day today, he's going to spend another night, and he'll be home tomorrow night."

"Does he hate me?" I asked.

"No, of course not. He gets like this because he's sick but I'm sure he still wants to be with you. You've made him really happy these past few months, I don't think I've ever seen him happy like this before."

I half smiled, "I'm happy to hear that." I just wish I could do more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got a text late Sunday night.

David: hey... can we talk?

Looks like David was finally back home.

Alina: yes

He called me.

"Did my mom tell you?" he asked.

"Yes, she did."

"I'm really sorry Alina. I shouldn't have been so distant these past few days. I just can't control myself sometimes."

"It's okay, really. I understand, David."

"No it's not okay, I don't deserve you."

"Yes you do, you just need help and that's okay."

"I promise, I will take my meds and I will start seeing my therapist more."

"I'm glad to hear that, I hope you get better."

"Me too, I'm going to sleep now so goodnight."

"Goodnight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I want to get a tattoo," said David after school the next day.

"Oh, of what?" I asked.

"Something small, a moon on my arm," he replied.

"How will you get it though? You're only 17."

"I have a fake ID."

"Okay," I said, "that's illegal."

"Wanna come with me later?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Great, I'm excited."

A little while later, he picked me up to go to the tattoo shop.

We listened to "Into the Fire" on our way there.

"Wasn't this song in Nightmare on Elm Street?" I asked.

"Yes, it was," he chuckled.

"I love that movie," I whispered.

We went inside the tattoo shop and he showed the artist which tattoo he wanted.

I held his right hand while the tattoo artist tatted his left arm with the moon.

"It looks cute," I said after it was finished.

"Thank you, this is my first of many."

He payed for his tattoo and we went back home.

"I feel like things have been different between us," I blurted.

"Different how?" asked David.

"Ever since your grandma died, it feels like our relationship has been a little off. I don't know."

"I'm sorry, I'm still trying to get back into reality."

"I understand, take your time. I just," I wasn't sure what I even wanted to say, "we haven't had much alone time and it's not just that, but we haven't gone out and done stuff together either lately."

He raised an eyebrow, "Well, I'm on a high dose of antidepressants so I wouldn't get much enjoyment from having some alone time, but I'll hopefully be better in two months... just in time for your birthday."

I smiled, "you remember when my birthday is?"

"Of course I do, babe."

All of a sudden, I started to get really excited for the upcoming holiday season.