One Month Later

I didn't go to school for a month. I was too scared and hurt to go back yet. Now, I'm standing at the school entrance with my brother.

"It's going to be okay, sis." Scott assured me.

"I hope so." I replied as we walked in.

My first hour class was smaller than I remembered. I guessed it was like this because of the shooting.

"Okay, guys. Today we're going to get right on task." The teacher told us as she handed out our first worksheet. She instructed us to work independently and came over to talk to me.

"I think I'm understanding most of this." I mumbled.

"I just wanted to check on you." She replied. "How're you holding up?"

"I'm constantly scared." I say shakily. "What if it happens again?"

"I know." She whispered. "You have every right to be scared. I want you to know that I'll be here for you. Talk if you need to."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hedger." I answered.

When I walked into chemistry, it all hit me again. I walked back to the bathroom to clear my thoughts. I didn't think anyone had followed me.

"Jayden?" a girl said. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes." I replied. "Just memories hitting me."

"Do you want to talk?" She asked. "I can help you out if you want to talk to me."

I went out to the girl and she led me to the library. No one else was in there. I told her about my side of what happened that day and what happened at the door of chemistry today.

"Do you see a therapist?" She asked when I had finished explaining. My response was a simple nod. I didn't trust my voice after the whole explanation was out.

She simply hugged me and said that she was also shot that day. She showed me her left leg and right arm where she had been shot two different times.

At the end of the school day, I had made a new friend. I was so excited to go home and tell my family about her. Then, I kicked myself for not catching her name.

When I got to the door, I could hear screaming from inside. I ran through the front door to the bathroom where the screams were coming from. My mom was in the bathtub with water up to the top.

"Call 9-1-1!" Scott told me.

I ran out of the room and called them. I didn't want to lose someone else. Not now.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?" A woman came on the line.

"We need an ambulance now!" I sobbed into the phone.

"What's your address, sweetheart?" She asked calmly.

"2156 North Stratton Street." I replied through sobs.

"We have an ambulance on their way now. Can you tell me what's going on?" She questioned.

"My mom is trying to kill herself!" I sobbed uncontrollably.

"Is someone else with you?" She kept asking questions.

"My brother is trying to wake her up." I explained. "We just got home from school."

"Okay. And she's not responding?" She asked, still sounding calm about this.

"No, she's not." I replied. "I hear the ambulance, now."

"Okay." She said. "I'll let you go. Good luck, sweetie."

Scott and I sat at the hospital all night. When the nurse finally came to talk to us, we had both fallen asleep.

"Scott and Jayden?" She asked calmly. "Can you come with me?"

She took us to a room so she could talk to us without disruptions. She asked about our parents and other family nearby.

"My cousin is going to let us stay with him." Scott lied.

"What's his name?" She asked. "This way I can put on that you will be with him."

"His name is Zach." Scott told her. "I'll call him."

"You can step out to the waiting room." The nurse instructed him.

After Scott left, the nurse took me back to see Mom. She was hooked up to a bunch of cords and machines. This didn't look like the Mom I knew.

"You can't touch her, but talk." The nurse guided me to Mom.

I sat in the chair beside Mom's bed and talked to her. I told her that Scott and I were going to stay with Zach until she got better. I cried when I told her how much I loved her. I kept praying that she would come back to us.

Sometime later, Scott wrapped a blanket around me and was carrying me over to the couch. He layed me down gently and told me to go back to sleep. He looked tired as well. I wondered if he had been crying like me. With that, I feel asleep.