Status: Completed
Decided to Break It
Echo
I came to class late. Which meant the only seat left in drama was next to Amanda. Awesome. She sat there with a smug look on her face and her arms crossed but I was too drunk to actually care. “Your upcoming assignment…” Before I could even hear the teacher’s full thought, Amanda started whispering to me. “You’ll never be what he needs. He doesn’t want someone like you.” “What makes you think I want him?” “Oh shut your fat face, you want him. Every girl does. But he’s mine.” “You’re with Matt.” “They’re both mine.” I scoffed. “Whatever you say, bitch.” She stood up quickly and knocked her chair over bringing a lot of attention to us. I hate attention. “What’d you call me?” She stood over me and tried to assert dominance. Granted, she was like 5’10 and my little 5’3 frame couldn’t do much to intimidate her. But I’m crazy. That’s all I need. I stood up and she backed up a little. “Try me, bitch. Try me!” I yelled back. Ali, who was also in our class, stood in between us and started nudging Amanda back a bit. “Echo! Principal! Now!” I kept my eyes locked with Amanda’s to let her know that she couldn’t win this. As soon as she looked away, I grabbed my bag and walked out- a winner.
Yeah, I didn’t go to the principal’s office. Fuck that noise. Instead, I went back to the nurse’s office to find out that Josh actually did go home. I wasn’t going back home even though my dad wasn’t there and I wasn’t gonna stay at school either. So I quickly asked Ms. Bingham for Josh’s class schedule and address so I could “take him his homework.” “Ms. Morietti, that’s so sweet! Let me get that. Stay here.” She disappeared to the main office and I sat on the cot Josh was on and rubbed my leg where I’d cut last. Pain rushed up my leg, I smiled a bit, and kept doing it faster. “I know what you’re doing.” I looked up and saw Kevvy, the guy I met at lunch the day before, standing at the door. His bleached blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he wore blue jean shorts and a tie-dyed shirt. “Josh does that.” I didn’t say anything. He just came over and sat next to me on the cot. “Ali texted me that you and Amanda got into it. Figured I’d try to help.” I still didn’t say anything. I bit my bottom lip and tried not to breathe weird. I’m awkward in social situations sometimes. “Okaayy… Don’t say anything then?” He looked at me weird and scoffed a little. “Here’s his address and class schedule. Just tell the teachers that I sent you to get his things.” I hopped up quickly but Kevvy grabbed my hand. “I already got his assignments, Ms. Bingham. But I’m taking Echo to his house.” “I’ll write you a pass.” Kevvy looked at me and stuck his tongue out and followed her toward the main office.
A while later we got to Josh’s house. I loosened up a bit on the way and talked to Kevvy some. He seemed pretty cool- definitely better than Matt and Amanda. I don’t know why Josh didn’t hang with him more. Kevvy started laughing. “So then we just put a bunch of marmalade in his pillowcase and… holy shit!” Kevvy stopped his car a few houses away from Josh’s and when I looked out the window, I saw why. There were 3 cop cars and an ambulance, all with their lights on, outside of Josh’s place. Matt stood in the yard looking extremely confused with his hands on his head as the EMT’s took Josh away on a stretcher. He looked like he was sleeping but I couldn’t really tell if it was that or… Kevvy got out of the car and ran toward the scene. I got out too but couldn’t move away from the car. I couldn’t be near this. Not now. I tried to calm down and listen to what the neighbors were saying to get an idea of what happened but I couldn’t focus. My knees were wobbly, I started sweating and all I could think about was how this was my fault. If I did something differently, he’d be okay right now. He’d be smiling and running around and hanging out… with me. My dad told me it was my fault my mom’s dead. He was right. And now if Josh was dead… it was my fault too. I started backing away from the scene slowly and when I turned around to run, my knees locked up and I started seeing black spots. I fell.
“Her father’s not here.” “Where is he?” “I’m… I’m not sure.” “Well ma’am, he’s got to fill out her papers. Why wouldn’t her father come see her?” I hated waking up to that. I was in a bright white hospital room in a blue backless gown. Izzy was talking to the doctor who just couldn’t get over the fact that my dad wasn’t coming. I wasn’t shocked by that- he hated me. “You’re awake! Wonderful!” exclaimed the doctor who came rushing to my side. He immediately grabbed my wrist to take my pulse and Izzy came closer to me too. “Hi, Echo. How are you feeling?” I just stared at her and she looked away. “I’m sorry.” She whispered and put her head down. She had to have known that I was upset about my dad not being there but there was nothing she could do about it so I don’t know why she was sorry. I didn’t say anything though. “Your pulse is fine, but your blood’s a little weird. It looks like you’re missing nutrients. Are you eating enough?” I looked at the doctor slowly who was standing there with my wrist in his hand. His face looked innocent, like he didn’t know he just asked me a damaging question. I stared. I didn’t want to lie but I wasn’t going to tell the truth either. “Um… I think I have.” That wasn’t a lie. I think I’ve eaten too much over the years so missing a few meals wasn’t going to kill me… maybe. I was hoping it would, honestly. “Okay, we’re going to give you some medicine to balance out your iron count.” He smiled at me and quickly left the room, leaving an awkward Izzy in there with me. “I’ve left your dad numerous messages. He never got back to me. On his cell, at work, at home. I’m sorry, Echo.” I didn’t say anything. How could I? There was a tap at the door and Kevvy poked his head in. “Hey Echo.” He smiled at Izzy and walked up to my bed. “Figured you’d wanna know that Josh is okay. Something’s wrong with his blood though, they’ve gotta give him iron or… something. I don’t know.” That’s weird. “Thanks for tellin’ me.” He smiled. His smile was a peaceful one- I loved it. He stayed with me while Izzy went and grabbed some coffee. We talked about music the whole time- having the same random tastes. From Biggie to Black Flag, we talked about it all.
“Don’t laugh too hard.” Josh stood at the door with his white and blue hospital gown on and an I.V. I sat up straighter. “How are you?” He shrugged. “I’ll live”.
Yeah, I didn’t go to the principal’s office. Fuck that noise. Instead, I went back to the nurse’s office to find out that Josh actually did go home. I wasn’t going back home even though my dad wasn’t there and I wasn’t gonna stay at school either. So I quickly asked Ms. Bingham for Josh’s class schedule and address so I could “take him his homework.” “Ms. Morietti, that’s so sweet! Let me get that. Stay here.” She disappeared to the main office and I sat on the cot Josh was on and rubbed my leg where I’d cut last. Pain rushed up my leg, I smiled a bit, and kept doing it faster. “I know what you’re doing.” I looked up and saw Kevvy, the guy I met at lunch the day before, standing at the door. His bleached blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he wore blue jean shorts and a tie-dyed shirt. “Josh does that.” I didn’t say anything. He just came over and sat next to me on the cot. “Ali texted me that you and Amanda got into it. Figured I’d try to help.” I still didn’t say anything. I bit my bottom lip and tried not to breathe weird. I’m awkward in social situations sometimes. “Okaayy… Don’t say anything then?” He looked at me weird and scoffed a little. “Here’s his address and class schedule. Just tell the teachers that I sent you to get his things.” I hopped up quickly but Kevvy grabbed my hand. “I already got his assignments, Ms. Bingham. But I’m taking Echo to his house.” “I’ll write you a pass.” Kevvy looked at me and stuck his tongue out and followed her toward the main office.
A while later we got to Josh’s house. I loosened up a bit on the way and talked to Kevvy some. He seemed pretty cool- definitely better than Matt and Amanda. I don’t know why Josh didn’t hang with him more. Kevvy started laughing. “So then we just put a bunch of marmalade in his pillowcase and… holy shit!” Kevvy stopped his car a few houses away from Josh’s and when I looked out the window, I saw why. There were 3 cop cars and an ambulance, all with their lights on, outside of Josh’s place. Matt stood in the yard looking extremely confused with his hands on his head as the EMT’s took Josh away on a stretcher. He looked like he was sleeping but I couldn’t really tell if it was that or… Kevvy got out of the car and ran toward the scene. I got out too but couldn’t move away from the car. I couldn’t be near this. Not now. I tried to calm down and listen to what the neighbors were saying to get an idea of what happened but I couldn’t focus. My knees were wobbly, I started sweating and all I could think about was how this was my fault. If I did something differently, he’d be okay right now. He’d be smiling and running around and hanging out… with me. My dad told me it was my fault my mom’s dead. He was right. And now if Josh was dead… it was my fault too. I started backing away from the scene slowly and when I turned around to run, my knees locked up and I started seeing black spots. I fell.
“Her father’s not here.” “Where is he?” “I’m… I’m not sure.” “Well ma’am, he’s got to fill out her papers. Why wouldn’t her father come see her?” I hated waking up to that. I was in a bright white hospital room in a blue backless gown. Izzy was talking to the doctor who just couldn’t get over the fact that my dad wasn’t coming. I wasn’t shocked by that- he hated me. “You’re awake! Wonderful!” exclaimed the doctor who came rushing to my side. He immediately grabbed my wrist to take my pulse and Izzy came closer to me too. “Hi, Echo. How are you feeling?” I just stared at her and she looked away. “I’m sorry.” She whispered and put her head down. She had to have known that I was upset about my dad not being there but there was nothing she could do about it so I don’t know why she was sorry. I didn’t say anything though. “Your pulse is fine, but your blood’s a little weird. It looks like you’re missing nutrients. Are you eating enough?” I looked at the doctor slowly who was standing there with my wrist in his hand. His face looked innocent, like he didn’t know he just asked me a damaging question. I stared. I didn’t want to lie but I wasn’t going to tell the truth either. “Um… I think I have.” That wasn’t a lie. I think I’ve eaten too much over the years so missing a few meals wasn’t going to kill me… maybe. I was hoping it would, honestly. “Okay, we’re going to give you some medicine to balance out your iron count.” He smiled at me and quickly left the room, leaving an awkward Izzy in there with me. “I’ve left your dad numerous messages. He never got back to me. On his cell, at work, at home. I’m sorry, Echo.” I didn’t say anything. How could I? There was a tap at the door and Kevvy poked his head in. “Hey Echo.” He smiled at Izzy and walked up to my bed. “Figured you’d wanna know that Josh is okay. Something’s wrong with his blood though, they’ve gotta give him iron or… something. I don’t know.” That’s weird. “Thanks for tellin’ me.” He smiled. His smile was a peaceful one- I loved it. He stayed with me while Izzy went and grabbed some coffee. We talked about music the whole time- having the same random tastes. From Biggie to Black Flag, we talked about it all.
“Don’t laugh too hard.” Josh stood at the door with his white and blue hospital gown on and an I.V. I sat up straighter. “How are you?” He shrugged. “I’ll live”.