Saving Everest

3.

BEVERLY

I stared at her as she stumbled through the front door and removed her heels. Her hair a wild mess and dress disheveled.

"Here come on. Let's get you to bed," I spoke, making her jump slightly.

"Why are you still up?" she slightly slurred, chucking a little.

"It's six in the morning, I'm about to leave for school. This bus will be here pretty soon. I have a big test first period and I was studying a few notes before you came." I grabbed her arm and lead her to her bed.

Her eyes laid shut as she climbed into her bed, clothes and all.

"Who would have thought I would have given birth to a nerd." She cackled against her pillow, as I ignored her comment.

She moaned and gripped her head. "Can you please hand me the pain killers. This headache is killing me, and if you really loved me, you would make me some breakfast before you go."

I hate when she says that; if you really loved me you would..., I can't even remember the last time she told me she loved me, but yet it seems like I have to constantly prove my love.

"I honestly have like seven minutes to make the bus, I don't have the time to." I gripped my bag, glancing at the clock hanging above her bedroom door.

"You can't take seven minutes of your time to make your own mother some breakfast? You are so selfish. Don't you see the condition I'm in?" she spat, her eyes red and breath bad.

I missed the bus this morning.

I missed the test.

But my mom didn't miss breakfast.

I grabbed my books as the bell for third period rang. The halls filled quickly and it was an absolute struggle to make my way passed everyone. The halls were especially crowded today. Everyone smushed into clumps as everyone went in different directions.

But then everyone stilled in a tight circle, staring at the scene that played before their eyes. I didn't care what they were seeing, I was just trying to make my way to my locker.

I pushed and slid around the thick crowd until I saw what they were seeing.

Everest.

He was murmuring quickly to Cara, a grey hoodie covering his head. He was positioned at an angle that only gave away a profile of his face.

I felt like I was seeing a ghost. Even though I knew he didn't actually die, I didn't think he was ever going to come back. It's been like two weeks since the first day of school, and the Everest drama sorta died down since then.

But here he is.

In the flesh.

Cara had disgust covered all over her features. "You have some nerve coming here."

He tried to grab her arm, but she yanked it back. "Don't touch me."

Everest glanced around the large crowd and I saw redness and sadness brimming in his irises. He quickly whipped his head back towards Cara.

"Look, he's about to cry," someone laughed in the crowd, causing a few more chuckles to arise in the large group.

"Is this really how you're going to treat me?" His voice was that of anger. I have never seen Everest angry before.

Cara shrugged and grabbed some books from her locker, her blonde hair shielding her face.

Nash stood in between Cara and Everest, his face a sleet of stone. "Get outta here man. You don't belong here anymore."

His words struck my core, so I could only imagine how Everest felt.

His head hung low, the grey hoodie shielding his head. Strands of his bronze hair stuck from out of the top. He held his head up and nodded it slowly, before turning on his heel and storming out of the high school.

Teachers came into the hall and broke up the crowd, and for the second time, my heart broke for Everest.

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please add this book to your library, if you haven't already.

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