S O R E N

My throat felt like sandpaper and my eyes were puffy. My body was cold and I was drenched in sweat.

"I failed?" A hoarse voice that didn't sound like mine escaped my lips. Eyes still closed I felt my wrist, recognising the feel of a drip stuck, "I don't remember..."

Opening my eyes I looked around painfully and noticed with surprise there were people in the room. Red sat on the floor his head resting against the one seater couch, Jay sat curled up in the chair.

I watched her sleep for a moment, her face slack as her knees were brought up to her chin. It wasn't until my eyes drifted slowly to Red was when I realised he was awake.

I watched him stand up and walk towards me. I closed my eyes knowing I was too weak to fight, too dead. But no slap came. Instead I felt him engulf me in his arms.

"You stupid idiot." He huffed next to my head as he pulled away.

"You didn't tell mom did you?" I asked, feeling quite uncomfortable with how mushy he was being, probably because Jay was here.

He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, "She doesn't need the stress of worrying."

That'd be right, wouldn't want to stress her with her own sons health.

In annoyance I looked away from Red and made eye contact with Jay before spitting, "What you doing here?"

Red whacked me around the ear softly scolding me, "Be nice, she saved your life."

"Fuck off." I spat before I started to cough and everything went dizzy. All I wanted to do was vomit up everything that I'd ever consumed.

A man dressed in a white lab coat walked in on me swearing my head off. He coughed once and everyone turned to look at him.

He walked up to me and and stood next to Red, "Young man, you consumed over five different drugs. Do you recall taking these?"

"No," I lied.

"Well Sir, our tests are correct. All these drugs were illegal which concludes you or your guardian having a fine of $6,000, loss of driver's license, and luckily for you, not jail because you're underage." He finished with a raised eyebrow and strong stance, "You'll be in here for another day kid."

I closed my eyes as Red talked to the doctor before they both exited to talk in private.

I knew Jay was looming over me but I didn't want to open my eyes, I didn't want to see her disappointed look. Then, her presence was gone and my phone lay next to me. She'd left.

I opened my eyes and picked up my phone, wondering why the hell she had it. Unlocking my camera I pulled down my bottom lip which was extremely swollen.

You'd think getting a tattoo when you're high and drunk would be something stupid, like a swear word or even something meaningless.

But it seems as if I was still there that night because I had gotten the word "TO FORGET" tattooed on my bottom lip.

"To forget", something I wish I could at this moment. It's funny how we take drugs to forget, only to want to forget what we did when we were not us. To forget the blur of half naked bodies pressed up against me, drugs and alcohol.

I sat up slowly and felt my head spin until I thought to the point where I was going to vomit. Laying back down I stared at the roof.
It wasn't just everyday that you existed. You didn't have anywhere to go, no one needed you. You were just alive.

Jay had saved me... That means she was down that end of town but why? No one knows who she is, but still she doesn't seem like that type of person.

She just talks, forever talking. For some reason I didn't mind, her voice was bright and cheerful. It was kinda like that catchy song that you hated yet loved.

The twins busted through the door about an hour later. Robin and Colin both talking at different speeds and as they finished each other's sentences.

"Damn Soren, some girl—"

"Friend you've got there. Saving your ass—"

"From some a pedo 50 year old man, who'd probably..."

I looked at them both. Both with blue eyes, blonde hair and tanned skin.

"I saved her you idiots, why do you think my knuckles are swollen?" I growled at them both, both so annoying and energy filled.

"Uh—"

"Huh. We both know she saved your ass."

"Soren's got a girlfriend. We saw her leaving too ."

"Fuck, that's one—"

"Hot—"

"Kitten."

"Shut up you fuckwits." I spat at them, they both just laughed as Robin patted my head like I was a child, knowing I couldn't move.

"Stop annoying him." Red said to both them, they grinned and took a step away from me, "Soren, I was having a talk with the doctor. He said we can take you home but you must stay in bed."

Colin waggled his eyebrows then proceed to hump the air.

"She's not my girlfriend you shithead." I growled before turning to look at Red, "Alright. Shall we go then?"

It wasn't until I was laying in my king size bed that I realised there was a note in my phone case.

I pulled it out and opened it.

Hey, it's not Ray. (Sorry to disappoint you) BUT instead it's JAY! Whooooh.

Relief flooded through me and I let my muscles relax.

Rough night? Just wanted to say thank you for saving me, I don't know if you remember that or me. Anyways, I'm going to cut this short in case you DON'T remember me because then this letter would be really weird. Hope you feel better and stay healthy. If you ever wanted to feed BlueJays with me, come find me :D this is so awkward if you don't remember me...
But my name is Jay, not Ray. The girl in the tree.

I scrunched up the letter and stuffed it in my hoodie pocket. I let the room surrounded me in darkness... Darkness which strangled me. But it wasn't like I tried to stop it, I opened my mouth and let myself drown.

Brothers that cared for me. A mom too busy too care, a dad too disappointed to look at me. But everyone missed the crucial point.

Some people aren't meant to be saved, you have to let people drown.

People who were never made to breathe.

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