Believe Me ✔️

[6] Acting Normal

Sunday Night

Beep. Beep. I walk over to the microwave and grab the popcorn, tearing it and pouring it into a bowl. I carry it into the living room and set it beside me. Tomorrow I'm going back to school. I don't want to; I have to. I need to move on. Besides, I already promised Tyler and Uncle Frank. I'm afraid of facing everyone, Logan and Vanessa, especially. How am I supposed to act normal around them? I grab the remote and turn on the news. I never used to watch, but it was mandatory at Fix Life, Fix You, that stupid weekend counseling they called 'summer camp' instead. I grab and shove a handful of popcorn in my mouth. Some pieces fall in my shirt and without shame I reach in my bra and eat those, too. I brush crumbs off the sweatpants I've been wearing the past week. I need a shower. Leaning back into the couch, I adjust until I'm comfortable and unmute the TV as a news story starts playing.

A woman with long blonde hair and cakey makeup stands outside the hospital. Her name flashes on the bottom of the screen: Elsa Wrightway. "Good evening, Florida. Elsa Wrightway here outside of Harris Memorial Hospital. Just in tonight Arnold Crumble and Betsy Crumble's daughter, Natasha, has been admitted for a suicide attempt. The parents are waiting impatiently inside Harris Memorial Hospital for any updates on their daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Crumble are asking the public for any donations to cover future and prior medical bills. You can donate at the number listed below by call or text."

The popcorn spills as I sit up fast, eyes gaped wide at the TV. I can't believe this. "No, not Natasha!" We weren't necessarily friends, but we had a few classes together sophomore and junior year. We'd copied each other's homework and shared notes whenever one of us missed class. She's one of the only people I can tolerate at that hell of a school. I wonder what pushed Natasha over the edge. I hope it wasn't as awful as when I tried freshman year. That was horrible.

"Who's Natasha?" Tyler walks in the living room and sits next to me, munching on spilt popcorn.

"Do you remember Mr. and Mrs. Crumble?" I ask and he nods. "Their daughter Natasha tried to kill herself. They're at the hospital right now waiting for an update."

Tyler's jaw drops. "Holy shit. That's horrible."

"I know..." I glance back and forth between Tyler and the TV. We're finally alone. No hungover Douglas to interrupt up this time. I could tell him about That Night. I could let the truth come out and finally get this heavy burden off my chest. I could do all of that, yet I don't. I swallow my words and eat more popcorn.

"It's good to see you eating again," Tyler says nonchalantly as he shoves another handful of popcorn in his mouth. I look over with careful eyes. "Freshman year was a little rough, yeah?"

I don't know whether to hug him or slap him. Maybe both. "Yeah, it was. Especially." I avoid eye contact and keep my eyes glued to the TV. It's just some dumb story about high school football. I hear our school and Paul's name and immediately turn the TV off.

"Hey, they were about to mention our school!" Tyler reaches for the remote, showing his true intentions of coming out to the living room, and I grab it before he can. "Addy. Turn the TV back on."

I have to change the subject. I can't see or hear anything about Paul right now. "I called Dad today. Or tried to."

"Let me guess. Stacey answered again?"

I nod. "Yeah. Dad was stuck in yet another meeting."

Tyler laughs and shakes his head. "Sounds about right. He's been checked out since we were fifteen. Don't even know why he bothers coming home when he does."

"Dad's just busy," I defend him, not knowing why. "Being a lawyer is a lot of work, but being the CEO of a firm has got to be exhausting."

"You know what else is exhausting, Addy?" He turns and gives me a serious look. "Not having a dad to talk to. Do you know how excited I was to tell Dad about football practice and the chance of actually getting a scholarship this year and then remembering I don't have a dad to tell all that to? It sucks. It fucking sucks."