The Mixed Tapes

Chapter 6

"Hey, where's Alex?"
Jack merely shrugged at me, and pulled out his phone as we walked in the direction of school, "He didn't answer my call this morning, and no one was answering the house phone." Nodding nervously, I did my best not to let my mind wander. But I couldn't fear was the only thought that entered my mind, and I nibbled on the inside of my cheek, hoping, praying that nothing had gone wrong.
"C'mon Hadey," Jack spoke nudging me gently as we walked down the quiet street, "He would call immediately if something was wrong, so don't worry about it."
"We can't know that," I mumbled back, glancing behind us to see if Alex was just playing a game, and was actually behind us, "Nothing bad has ever happened to him, so we don't know."
Jack sighed, "Hadey, everything's fine. Maybe he's at school already." Sighing, I nodded, causing Jack to chuckle and throw an arm around my shoulder.

"He's not here is he?" I asked during PE as Jack and I walked around the field, while our fellow classmates ran feverishly, like their grade depended on it.
"Hade, relax!" Jack groans, "He's probably sick or something!"
"He would've called or something," I whined, picking up my pace hearing Jack running behind me, we make our way towards our teacher, "Mr. Kay, were done, can we go now?"
Mr. Kay doesn't answer but continues to stare at his clipboard, "Did you finish you're laps?"
stupid fuck. I just said were done
"Yessir we are," I snap slowly, through clenched teeth.
"Have fun then,"
"HADLEY WAIT UP!"
I ignore Jack and run towards the girls locker room, knocking on the side door, waiting for it to open.
"Are you ditching?" Jack gasps, "You never ditch."
"I'm worried Jack," I sigh as another teacher opens the door, letting me and some other girls in, "I'm going to go okay?"
Jack shakes his head, "Hadley, stop acting like you're his girlfrie-"
I feel my stomach drop at his words, and realization hits his face when he realizes what he just said.
"I didn't mean it like that, y'know I didn't," Jack sputters out quickly. Shaking my head, I try and smile, "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Hadey, I didn't mean it!" Jack gasps as I disapear into the locker rooms.

I'm nervous as I walk down Alex's block towards the light green house, fidgeting with a loose string in my hoodie pocket's, I continue walking, Jack's annoying statement ringing in my ears. Shaking my head, I walk up the path towards the Gaskarth household, shocked to see both of Alex's parents cars, Daniel's and Alex's in the drive way. The family was crazy, and most of them time, were not home at the same time.
Biting the inside of my lip, I walk towards the front door, my finger lingering on the door bell, I take a deep breath and ring it.
Moments after noone answers and their is still silence on the other side. Sighing in defeat, I make a movement to walk back down the porch steps, but I stop as the front door opens.
"Hadley?"
Turning slowly, I come face to face with a distraught, and teary eyed, Isobel Gaskarth.
"Uhm, Hello Isobel," I mumble out, trying to hold back my nerves, "I just came to see if Alex is allright, because he wasn't at school. . .uhm, but are you okay?"
She shakes her head, fresh tears streaming down her face, "No, Hadley, their was an accident."
My stomach drops at her words, and she motions me in.
"Oh God," I whisper, offering the women who was like a second mother to me a hug, "W-what happened?" I asked as she hugged me tightly, shaking her head she gasps.
"Daniel, he,he,"
She didn't even finish her sentence and I knew what had happened.
"He's gone," she gasped.
My face was frozen in shock, and i did my best to not cry, guiding the middle aged women towards the couch, when I spotted Alex's dad sitting on the couch, grief stricken, and not moving.
"Peter, Hadley's here," Isobel spoke solemnly, causing me to look at her sad sad face, then at her husband's who, never had I seen before, cry.
"I"m so sorry, Mr. Gaskarth," I said giving him a quick tight hug. He shook his head, "We'll manage," he gasped taking a deep breath, and clearing his throat, "Alex is in the backyard. . . H-He was the one that found Daniel."
I held back a gasp as I stared out the sliding glass window, spotting my best friend instantly, laying with his back towards us in the white hammock, held between two trees.
"Go see him, Hadley," Isobel spoke to me solemnly, taking her husband's hand and putting her free hand to her face.

Silently, I dropped my back pack on the grass and made my way towards Alex. Pulling at the hem of my skirt, I stopped a few feet from the Hammock, starring at the form that never stood still, and in shock, I watched as he didn't move.
"A-Alex?"
I saw him flinch at the sound of my voice, and saw him fidget around in the hammock, turning so his back was towards me and his face facing the fence.
Sighing I walk towards him, my lip trembling when I hear him cry. Taking a deep breath, I take a seat on the hammock, careful not to disturb him, I gently lay a hand on his shoulder.
"Alex, everything will be okay," I say softly, watching as he placed his hand over my own.
"When?" he asks softly, causing me to flinch and pull my hand back, shocked to hear his voice.
"W-What?" I ask him, watching as he turns to face me. His face was pale, his eyes red, and tired. His bottom lip was trembling.
"when will everything be okay?" he asked looking at me, as I put my hand through his knotted locks, watching as he leaned into my hand, closing his eyes, tears escaping his closed lids.
I bit my lip, as I felt tears stream down my own face, "I don't know, Alex, b-but it wi-"
"Don't tell me what you don't know," Alex suddenly snapped, pushing my hand away, causing me to cringe at his anger, "I don't need uncertainty."
Shaking my head, I nodded, "I'll see you later, okay?"

He wanted to be alone, and he didn't need mine, or anyone else's prying. Sighing, I grabbed my backpack, and headed out the side gate, letting is shut softly behind me. Walking passed the kitchen window, I watched heartbroken, at Alex's parent's as they cried from they're position on the couch. Wiping my eye, I stare up a the sky, "Why the hell did you do it Dan?"

Walking down the garage pathway, I headed down the sidewalk towards home. I walked dragging my backpack next to me, hoping it would rip, so I would have excuse to go back to see him, knowing that he didn't know that he needed someone.
"HADEY!"
I looked behind me and saw Alex standing infront of the sidewalk on his house, his shoulders hung limply, and I watched him wiped his nose.
Sighing I turned on my heel and headed back towards the light green house, taking a step closer, opening my arms I let a boy I know longer knew cry, and cry knowing well enough, that the pain was just starting.