⚠️- if you are sensitive to certain depression triggers please do not read this chapter!

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Finally the hectic party was over and it was time to go home. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day. I was finally going to see Tom again. Me and my best friend had been seperated for over seven months after he went to film for Spider-Man: Homecoming and I was so excited to see him again. Around three months ago he stopped messaging me, but the date was already arranged and it didn't bother me too much.

I stuck out my hand and called over a taxi, asking him politely to take me home and he nodded with a  smile. I jumped into the back seat and we drove the three miles down to my small apartment building.

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Upon reaching the building I passed the driver the change and shut the door gently as I slid out and into the night air. The driver waved and smiled as he zoomed up the street. Seeing someone else happy left me in a good mood. I skipped to the apartment building and keyed in the password to the door. After ten there was a password for the door, until then anyone was free to walk through the doors. I smiled to the security guards and the manager as I passed the front desk and waited for the lift.

"Miss Thomson" I was called over as the lift doors opened. I looked over to see the manager calling me over. I smiled and walked over, pulling my bag up to my shoulder. His face was full of concern and worry. "Yes? Is everything alright?" I asked, quickly becoming scared as to what news he had for me. "There is a.. A guest waiting for you in your room" he smiled weakly. I tilted my head and nodded. "Do I know them?" I asked out of curiosity. He nodded. I smiled gingerly and walked slowly back over to the lift, the thought of who the person might be playing on my mind.

As I reached my floor, I quickly dashed out of the lift, pulling my keys from my pockets and rushing to my door. To my surprise, my door was already open when I turned the key. I slipped in from the empty hallway and turned on the living room light. Madelyn, my sister, was sat in the couch waiting for me. I smiled. "Maddey, Hey! I was worrying about who might be waiting for me-" I giggled "What are you doing here for late?" I asked, placing my bag down on the table. Before she could speak, she broke down into floods of tears.

"Hey, Hey! Oh gosh what happened?" I asked, kneeling down in front of her and leaning my forehead against hers. Her cheeks were flushed and damp and her palms were sweaty as she clung onto mine, our fingers intertwining. She took a few deep breaths and calmed down a little, sitting up. I sat next to her, still holding her hand. "Toms not coming home tomorrow" She snivelled.

I bit the inside of my lip. I was disappointed, but I couldn't understand why she was getting so worked up about it. She barely knew Tom, only knew him threw myself, so why was she so upset? "That's ok, he has to come home next week anyways. I can see him then" I smiled. "Now, do you want something to drink?" I asked, standing up.

"You don't get it" she sighed, getting a little annoyed with me. I turned around sharply, my eyebrows furrowing at her comment. "Well is there something I missed? Toms not coming home tomorrow, yeah I'm disappointed but I'll see him next week anyways" I said turning my back to her. I heard her chuckle sarcastically and her feet pattered against the floorboards.

"Ellie, Toms not coming home" she sighed. I turned around, it's like the anger was contagious. "Ok Maddey, what's gotten into you?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip. She bit her lower lip, I watched as her nose twitched slightly and she looked inside me, staring deep into my eyes. "You might wanna sit down" her voice was a little shaky. I tilted my head and sat down slowly. "Ok, now tell me what's going on with you?" I demanded.

She took a deep breath. Leaning against the wall and brushing her hands through her hair. There was a long pause before she began.

"Toms parents called last night while you were at the party... They-... They told me something I didn't want to hear... Didn't expect to here.." she paused. I was getting extremely anxious at the tension she was building.

"Ellie..." she looked up at me, tears welling in her eyes.

"Maddey?"

"Three months ago... The police found Toms body..." she looked down at the ground, placing a hand over her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks.

My stomach turned inside out. My head began to sweat as the acid from my previous meal welled in my throat. I swallowed, keeping it in. Silent tears fell down my cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" My voice was nothing but a whisper. Madelyn looked up at her once again. "He's gone, Ellie... He's dead..."