24

"Lich! Whore! Bitch!"

I was left staring at the bold writings laid on the paper which I had found tucked on my desk.

Very amusing that whoever thought it wise to send me threat messages, couldn't spell the word 'leech' and believe me, that was the height of embarrassment, seeing as to how it definitely was a student from here.

They made sure to go vulgar this time around, sparing no comportment. But who was taking notes of decency, now?

Upon arrival today, I met my door locked, unlike the last time I found the message in here, so how ever did they gain entry into my office? And who exactly was sending the messages?

"Miss Sangretti?"

I spun around to the voice at once, suspicious eyes narrowed my way while I hid the crumpled piece of paper in my palms, tossing it into the desk drawer.

"Please, Come in" I followed immediately, motioning for him to take the seat away.

"How has your day been, Chris?"

"Boring" He stated flatly, relaxing back in the seat.

"Of course, I haven't met a kid who comes beaming at me saying School's been the best thing that has happened since the start of the day" I chuckled.

His expression remained blank, eyes onlooking me, as the young man seemed not to take part in my amusement.

At once I had wiped smile off, soon turning to the file in my hands.

"I'd like to know who your friends are, Chris" I called.

"I don't have one" He followed.

"That's a lie. Everyone has a friend"

"The ones I had called me a weirdo and cut off all communications with me after at the edge of a cliff"

"You've been friends with Cole and Logan for a while now. What changed?"

"Oh Hendricks and Marshall got problems of their own now, Miss Sangretti" He chuckled.

"What would it profit three afflicted people moving together?"

"But they've been good friends to you" I began.

"Is that what you call a person who cuts himself off you? Cause that was exactly what Logan did"

"Talking about losing his brother" He scoffed.

"I also lost myself. But do I look for someone to blame it on? No! I take responsibility and face it"

"And as for Cole, let's not even go there. All that fool cares about, is which of the juniors would end up in his bed"

I stared at the young man away, watching the look held in that gaze.

"Why haven't your parents taken you into rehab?" I called, pushing forward in my seat, eyes held onto his.

"That's the thing, Miss Sangretti. You do not listen. No one cares!" He called at once, voice booming in the space.

"I care"

"No you don't" He chuckled at once, relaxing back in the seat.

"Your position here requires you to say that, but you and I both know you'd rather be home laid in bed, watching some movies that would push you out of reality. Something that would ease the pain"

"Isn't that what we all want? Some peace" He called.

"But true peace can only be gotten when we're out of this world" He called in a low voice.

The silence came in, his eyes fixed low to the grounds, while my gaze remained centered on the young man.

"Chris" I called, gaining his attention for just a moment.

"What do you think would happen if you were to end your life today"

For a second, he turned quiet, eyes shifting through mine, and at once, he let the words out.

"I'd be at peace, of course"

"No you wouldn't"

That scrutiny which remained on me, never took a leave, with eyes examining me with a look that said 'What the hell are you saying?'

"The people you'd leave behind would be torn. For the rest of their life, they would carry the pain of your demise. The hurt that they could have done something, yet they did nothing"

"Your mother wouldn't come to forgive herself"

At each word that poured out my lips, I could see his eyes contracting on my form, scrutiny centered on my profile.

But that gaze still remained blank at me, onlooking.

"Your Father would hate himself!"

"Everyone dies, Miss Sangretti" He called in a low voice.

"That is true" I let out "But it stings more when it's of an unnatural cause"

"Suicide is pain"

"Well then do you enjoy the trauma of living? Living in wretchedness? Living in distress? Having to experience a new crisis every coming day, haven't you ever thought of ending it all?!" His voice poured out in a bellow.

"I would be a liar, if I said I haven't thought of putting an end to my life" My own voice was low, eyes fixed on the young man.

"But what say do I have in a life I didn't give myself"

"I am privileged to live in it, Chris. We both are. Why would you want to alter that?"

He had turned silent, eyes staring out the window, with no movements made from him.

For a while, all to be heard were the sound of those low breaths which he gave, with grief-stricken eyes peering at no one in particular and in a second, he had taken to his feet, the air of melancholy trailing after him.

"Chris"

He spared me not a glance, just making his way out the room.

***

THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW…

"Why were you in there?"

The eyes of Chris were narrowed at the young in front of him, watching the pensiveness held in that gaze.

"Good day to you too, Logan" He called, proceeding to leave, but was held back at once.

"Answer me, Chris!"

He was jolted by the growl which followed, eyes watching the fury held in the gaze of his friend.

"Why were you in her office?!"

"Have you gone mad, Logan?" Chris called in a yell, with eyes narrowed at the form away.

"What business is it of yours whom I go to see?…. You've never cared after all, why care now?" He let out, soon pulling out of Logan's hold, yet that figure drew even nearer to him, eyes never taking a leave off his form.

"What happened in there?" The voice of Logan remained low, that gaze centered on the form of Chris.

"What do you think would happen in a Counselor's office?" Followed the response, with the sound of his chuckles pouring out.

"A conference to solve world hunger?"

"I've got issues of my own too, Logan!" He thundered at once.

"Heck! you're not the only who's got things he's battling. Every single one of us does. But have you cared to ask? It's been about you....Every now and then"

"Don't you give me that bullshit!" Snapped the voice at once, with the form of Logan inching closer.

"You knew what happened. I never chose to turn away"

"And we all sympathized with you!" Chris called immediately.

"We paid our respects, grieved with you, we were there for you. But you took it as the end of the world. You lived in it. Pulled back at the expense of our friendship"

"Don't you ever speak ill of my actions, not until you've lost family and know how it feels"

"Well you're making me lose one now" Followed Chris. "You, Logan are breaking the relationship we've had"

"You've been doing the same thing too"

That voice broke out of nowhere, with the figure of Cole soon coming into view.

"Isn't that what you're doing right now, turning away from us?"

"Oh, please" The laughter which emitted from the lips of Chris, filled the halls, the sound slapping onto the walls.

"When you both are serious, you let me know"

He turned to walk away, but the grip of Logan had altered his movements, eyes squaring him.

"You don't walk away, and then go complaining that we turned away from you. When you're doing just the same thing"

"Let go of me" The boy called in a low voice.

"Why were you in that office?"

"For fucks sake! Why does it interest you so much what I went in there for? I went to get counseled, Logan. Do you think I was fucking the lady?! She's old enough to be my mom's kid sister"

At once, Logan had slapped him onto the walls, fist reaching out, but the hold of Cole had altered the impact mid-way.

He at once, pried the form of Logan off a perplexed Chris.

His eyes held onto confusion, staring at the rage which sat in the gaze of his friend. Such rage he couldn't tell where it came from.