The Final Wait

Chapter 19

Song: Anonymous Club

Artist: Courtney Barnett

Chapter 19

As Cressida's minion, Frederic had the duty of picking her up on Wednesday. He offered a ride to Octavia, who then invited Ezekiel, and he brought along Lochlan. When they entered Springer's Land, Octavia ignored the jokes everyone made about life on a farm and focused on the nature. It was truly well kept. She thought they'd sit on the front lawn by the table and bench, but Boden directed them around the house. Even better, she thought at the sight of the bluebells.

Cressida wanted to choose the spot they'd sit at, even though Octavia suggested the top of the hill under the tree. She didn't want to argue with the drama queen and followed Boden inside the house. It wasn't easy convincing Boden to have a study session with people he didn't get along with. Everyone else was shocked to the invite but curious about Springer's Land. Other than Tyson, Wyatt, Sasha, Zuri and Octavia, no one else from school had even stepped onto the premises.

'I told them I'm helping you get some snacks,' Octavia slid into the seat and watched Boden in the kitchen. He hunched over in front of the oven and watched the pie his grandma made for them.

'I can't believe I'm doing this.' Boden straightened to look at her. 'Tyson's my best friend. I'm only helping you because... you're my friend too.'

Octavia seemed taken back by his generosity. She didn't know what they were before, but smiled up at him. Boden looked down at the oven. An excuse to hide his real emotions.

'I come in peace. I just want to know if what happened the night my brother got in a coma, connects with the party.' Boden looked at her and folded his arms, a sign for her to continue. 'Can you tell me about Tyson's sister?'

'Hayden Chapman. She was cool. I sort of looked up to her as an older sister. She was smart, oddly short, and she loved Ricky and Ruddy.'

Octavia barely listened as the name still stunned her. Nikolai was in contact with someone named H before and during the party. It must've been her. She kept that to herself until they confirmed it.

'Why is she in a...'

'She's in a mental health clinic,' Boden said. 'Not a madhouse. I don't know how those rumours started.'

'How'd she get there?'

'She was acting... off long before the party. Sneaking out even though she's an adult. Mood swings, forgetting the twins at the park once, being secretive and just... not herself. I remember growing up, she was depressed and it must've gotten worse.'

'Did she go to the party?'

'Yeah, that night she must've broke. I don't know what happened, but the next day she couldn't stop crying, screaming and wanting to go out even though she had a hangover. Tyson refused to take her out. That's when she screamed and broke glasses. He said she would've gone out of control if the twins hadn't walked in. Tyson thought she was doing drugs. He saw her with Reagan that night.'

'Wait... Reagan does drugs?' Octavia's jaw dropped when Boden nodded. It all made sense why he and Cressida argued. It's not just about alcohol.

'Tyson told their parents, and they tricked Hayden. She thought they were finally taking her out, but they had an appointment at the clinic.'

 It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened after that one appointment. Octavia wished she hadn't asked. It wasn't easy for Boden. She wouldn't be able to look at Tyson or the twins the same way. Yet she related in their hope for a lost sibling.

 'What happened to your brother?'

'Last year Nikolai drove down here for a vacation with some friends. That's how he met Zuri's brother, Danté. I'm pretty sure he was at the party, but I don't know where he was going at two in the morning. Another car collided with him, and that asshole got away and left my brother. He didn't even help. He's still out there while my brother is a vegetable.

'We kept him here with my stepmom, staying with him until we could move here. It was... kind of a struggle with me. I wasn't taking it too well since they didn't tell me what happened.'

'Why don't you ask Danté?'

'Already tried. He promised my dad that he wouldn't tell me.'

The silence between them wasn't long. The oven went off and Boden took out the pie with oven mitts. She watched him set it down on the rack to cool off. They worked in silence to gather up snacks, mostly containing healthy options. Octavia was glad she brought a few cartons of ice coffee along. It was the only thing that kept her going.

 Once the pie cooled off, they carried everything outside to where the group finally decided on a spot. Exactly where Octavia suggested. They paced up the hill and placed the food, and drink on the blankets laid out.

Everyone read chapter seven at their own pace. Boden didn't want to speak up and say he was on chapter ten. He'd often look around at the others, and when he locked eyes with Octavia, she'd smile knowingly. He noticed how comfortable she was around Ezekiel. He laid on his side with one leg raised to support her back. His fingers combed her long black hair and twirled the ends. No one else was that comfortable here, it must've meant something between them.

'I wish Reagan was here for this part.' Cressida said and leaned forward to show the rest. 

They followed her finger to Psychoactive Drugs. Lochlan and Frederic chuckled, but the rest didn't. Ezekiel rested his hand on Octavia's back and realised how tense she'd gotten. Boden didn't like to joke about things like that. By the look on Octavia's face, she didn't either.

'Has it ever occurred to you, why your boyfriend does drugs?' Octavia tilted her head. Lochlan and Frederic stopped.

Cressida found it amusing and rolled her shoulders. 'He's bored and whenever he wants a bit of action, all he has to do is take that pill or smoke that joint.'

'Don't you want to help him? Maybe it's more than that?'

'I'm so done with him,' Cressida laughed. 'I tried to help by telling his parents or an authoritative figu—'

'No, that's not helping.' Octavia scrunched up her nose. 'That's ratting him out and leaving it to his parents to drop him in rehab.'

'Maybe rehab is what he needs.' Cressida flicked through the pages of the book and jabbed at the page. 'Depressants reduce neural activity, hallucinogens alter sensory perceptions, marijuana increase the chances of getting schizophrenia!

'Also, stimulants increase neural activity.' She pointed at Octavia's ice coffee in her hand. 'Girl to girl, slow down on those too. That's the only thing you drink? It's not good for the skin too. That's why I stick with water.'

'Okay, Cressida.' Lochlan watched Octavia put down her ice coffee. Her entire body froze from there. She barely felt Ezekiel move to wrap his arms around her. She wanted to shrug him off, but didn't when he rested his cheek against her hair. It was bad enough that she pointed that out. It would've been worse if they knew she took anti-depressants.

'Sometimes the way they help you is by giving you more drugs,' Boden spoke up. 

He looked at Octavia, who kept it all in. From afar she seemed like she didn't care, but up close, she was sensitive and a step away from falling. They locked eyes, and she finally understood that he was talking about Hayden Chapman. It also referred to herself, in a way.

Boden turned away when Ezekiel kissed her cheek. He distracted himself by finally cutting the pie. Cressida declined and stuck with the fruit. Octavia declined and didn't eat or drink anything. She batted her eyelids and straightened. She would not let people like Cressida Perkins tear her down. She picked up the book again and looked at everyone.

'Since we all seem to know enough about chapter seven, let's continue.'

Everyone followed, but Octavia peeked over her book at Frederic who, once again, remained silent and glued to Cressida's side.