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My anger began to boil over I could run for h this rabto help me buy myself a bottle of liquid numbness It worked before No one was here to save me Maybe I was the only one who could save me

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jade hadn’t slept in our rooht or at least I didn’t think she had I started rapefruit juice after I returned froot to the point where I re I was completely and utterly numb Just like I needed to be I alondered how someone could let themselves becoht be drowning their issues and pain in the seruetfulness It worked for a little while anyway

It was Thursday now To beup; I had skipped so many classes this week, but I didn’t care My head was pounding and ot out of bed I felt like a shell of my foro; instead I felt only sadness and loss No one had died, but it felt like I had I wished I could beHow does she do that? Was she ever like uide? As s anymore They burned in my chest every minute of the day I wanted the pain to stop, but I had no idea how to shut it off It was tiain, even if it was half the life I had before

After visiting the restroom, I lied back down under my covers and buried my head under my pillow before I heard my cell phone beep

Jade: R U OK?

Alex: Just Peachy

Jade: I couldn’t wake u up last night and I orried

Alex: U were here?

Jade: Y

Alex: Sorry, I guess I drank a little too ht?

Alex: Sure

I couldn’t care less if I ate or not, but I didn’t want to worry Jade more than I already had I could see it when she looked at me Her normally cheerful eyes had been replaced with downcast, sullen eyes I wondered if she felt my pain or if her expression was meant to mirror mine She was one of the few people I had ever felt cared for me, honestly cared for me I made ht have been the last person I had left in my life who acceptedleft here

I showered, brushed my teeth, combed my hair, and put on some decent clothes I could do this I could put on my best smile, lift my head up, and have a normal conversation with Jade over dinner People faked it all the ti, it was me It was in my blood

Jade eyed me up and dohen she walked into the room a little while later A small smile appeared on her face, "You clean up nice" I could tell she was still worried about ht I could ditch the sweatpants for one night"

"Where do you want to eat? My treat," she said as she applied a fresh layer of lip-gloss I was up for anything as long as we didn’t visit one of the restaurants Dane and I went to on a regular basis; I wasn’t ready for that

"Chinese?"