Status: This story will have an alternate ending
Dark Side
Goodbye You
Zach's POV:
I see the fear in her eyes.
"Hello, Jack, I'm Zach, Katrina's boyfriend.” He ignores me and walks over to Katrina.
"Hey, sweetheart. How ya feelin?”
"Go away, Jack. I don't live like you anymore."
"Well, then I guess I should be going."
"Jack, you're still a good friend of mine."
"Shut up, Katrina. We both know why you would never date me. Because you're a stuck up bit-"
"Get out of here." I yell at him.
"Fine. I didn't wanna stay around much longer anyways."
"It's anyway." I correct him and he leaves.
"Zach, what time is it?" Katrina asks me.
"About 4." Her face falls.
"And he's already drunk. I think Jack is the only one of us who has no hope left for them. He ran away when he was 13 and has been drinking ever since. When he's sober, he can be a great guy. " She looks so sad. Millie does, too.
"I'm sorry. It must be tough to see a friend like that." I say.
"It is, but we'll be okay. Goodbye, Jack Lanson."
"Lanson? Like the people that own the whole shopping center?"
"Jack is their son." I remember the story from 10 years ago. I thought it was weird that a boy my age ran away from home.
"Wow. He's been gone that long and they still haven't given up hope?"
"Do you know how often his parents would come by and ask if we'd seen him?” Kat tells me.
"Shouldn't you tell his parents and everyone else that he's okay?" It seems like the right thing to do.
"We can't. They would be heartbroken that he's like this." Millie says.
"Won't they be able to help him?" I'm on Kat's side, but this boy’s family deserves to know he's doing okay. Everyone has left except Millie.
"Zach, we can't. He's past help and it's easier to let them think he's dead. There is no saving him now.”
“I don't believe it."
"It's hard for all of us." Kat puts her hand on my shoulder. "We went through this every day. Someone would die, get arrested, or pass the point of no return.”
"I can't even imagine how mom would feel if it was me or Vic. She hates that I moved out, but she can still see me and know I'm me."
"She would be devastated. Let's not think about that. I have all the important people back in my life. My life's getting better."
"Well, I'm going to let you hang out with them. I will see you tonight or tomorrow." I walk out and see only Michael left.
"Your girl's in there gossiping about who knows what. Wanna help me with my mission?" I explain everything to him.
"Dude, are you serious? You can't-"
"Shut up. She has hawk hearing."
"She's gonna flip. You better do this carefully and perfectly or our next post will be announcing your death."
"It will be perfect. And she's not like that. She's gonna love it no matter what I do."
"I'm glad you're sure of this." I've never been more sure of anything.
"I am sure." I walk up to the nurses’ station. "Can you tell me when Katrina Mitchell gets out?"
"A few days. Maybe Thursday." That's two days from now.
"Okay. Thank you." Friday will be the best day of Kat's life. Hopefully.
I see the fear in her eyes.
"Hello, Jack, I'm Zach, Katrina's boyfriend.” He ignores me and walks over to Katrina.
"Hey, sweetheart. How ya feelin?”
"Go away, Jack. I don't live like you anymore."
"Well, then I guess I should be going."
"Jack, you're still a good friend of mine."
"Shut up, Katrina. We both know why you would never date me. Because you're a stuck up bit-"
"Get out of here." I yell at him.
"Fine. I didn't wanna stay around much longer anyways."
"It's anyway." I correct him and he leaves.
"Zach, what time is it?" Katrina asks me.
"About 4." Her face falls.
"And he's already drunk. I think Jack is the only one of us who has no hope left for them. He ran away when he was 13 and has been drinking ever since. When he's sober, he can be a great guy. " She looks so sad. Millie does, too.
"I'm sorry. It must be tough to see a friend like that." I say.
"It is, but we'll be okay. Goodbye, Jack Lanson."
"Lanson? Like the people that own the whole shopping center?"
"Jack is their son." I remember the story from 10 years ago. I thought it was weird that a boy my age ran away from home.
"Wow. He's been gone that long and they still haven't given up hope?"
"Do you know how often his parents would come by and ask if we'd seen him?” Kat tells me.
"Shouldn't you tell his parents and everyone else that he's okay?" It seems like the right thing to do.
"We can't. They would be heartbroken that he's like this." Millie says.
"Won't they be able to help him?" I'm on Kat's side, but this boy’s family deserves to know he's doing okay. Everyone has left except Millie.
"Zach, we can't. He's past help and it's easier to let them think he's dead. There is no saving him now.”
“I don't believe it."
"It's hard for all of us." Kat puts her hand on my shoulder. "We went through this every day. Someone would die, get arrested, or pass the point of no return.”
"I can't even imagine how mom would feel if it was me or Vic. She hates that I moved out, but she can still see me and know I'm me."
"She would be devastated. Let's not think about that. I have all the important people back in my life. My life's getting better."
"Well, I'm going to let you hang out with them. I will see you tonight or tomorrow." I walk out and see only Michael left.
"Your girl's in there gossiping about who knows what. Wanna help me with my mission?" I explain everything to him.
"Dude, are you serious? You can't-"
"Shut up. She has hawk hearing."
"She's gonna flip. You better do this carefully and perfectly or our next post will be announcing your death."
"It will be perfect. And she's not like that. She's gonna love it no matter what I do."
"I'm glad you're sure of this." I've never been more sure of anything.
"I am sure." I walk up to the nurses’ station. "Can you tell me when Katrina Mitchell gets out?"
"A few days. Maybe Thursday." That's two days from now.
"Okay. Thank you." Friday will be the best day of Kat's life. Hopefully.