Chapter 14

11/20/2054

It was the Friday before Thanksgiving break. For three months, school had gotten easier.

"Are you excited for the holiday?" Kadin asked as they stood in line to pay for their lunch.

"Yeah, I can work more on my drawing," Ben said, nodding his head.

"When do you plan on showing me your art?" Kadin asked.

"I'm not sure," Ben said. "After the holiday, maybe," he said.

"When you're ready, I'd like to see your drawings," Kadin said.

"Okay," Ben took a deep breath and said. "Thanks for being patient with me," he said.

Kadin smiled sweetly and patted Ben on the top of his head. The two headed to a table in the back of the room and sat down.

"We're visiting my grandfather over the holiday, so I might not be online," Kadin said.

"Oh, okay," Ben said, looking up from his tray of food. There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Hey, it won't be forever," Kadin said, trying to reassure his friend.

"I know," Ben said in a shaky voice. "I'm sorry," "the holidays seem to get me down," he apologized.

"Whenever you feel down or anxious, take deep breaths and think good thoughts," Kadin said.

The rest of the school day, Ben did what was suggested and took deep breaths to calm his spiking nerves. They stopped and waited at their lockers when the last bell rang. Kadin tore a piece of paper and scribbled words on it.

"If I'm not in chat, here's my email," he said, handing it to Ben. "But please don't spam it," Kadin said.

"I won't," Ben said, slipping it into his jacket. Like clockwork, Alec pulled up, followed by Kadin's mom. The two boys waved at each other as they went their separate ways. Ben remained quiet on the way home.

Ben entered the house, his chest heavy. His brain was oblivious to what was going on around him. As Ben entered his bedroom, his body moved as if on autopilot. When Deb asked, "How was your day?" he didn't even hear her. It was as if he were no longer a part of the real world.

"Alec, what happened at school?" she inquired, her eyes wide with concern.

"I'm not sure," he shrugged, slumping his shoulders. "I don't believe they argued," he said.

Nobody saw Ben until he walked into the kitchen for dinner. His cheeks had lost their color, and his eyes, which were usually filled with emotion, were empty. Ben said nothing, but opened the fridge and made himself a sandwich. This made his foster parents glance at each other with worry in their eyes. Alec opened his mouth to say something, but the phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Hello," Alec said, walking up and answering the phone.

"Hello, Mr. McBride." "It's Kadin," he said.

"Hello," Alec said. "How can I help you?" he asked.

There was a weird silence on the other end of the phone. "I'm not sure how to answer your question," Alec said.

"Well, is Ben alright?" Kadin said. "I've had a bad feeling since I got home," he said.

"I don't know what happened at school, but he hasn't spoken since he got home," Alec said. "Did you boys have a fight?" he asked.

"No sir," Kadin said. "Me and my family are going to visit my grandfather over the holiday," he said. "I told him I might not be able to stay in contact," he added.

Alec suddenly remembered what the social worker told them. "I think I know what's going on," he said.

"What do you mean?" Kadin asked.

"When his mother left, he didn't speak for a week," Alec explained.

"I don't quite understand what you're saying," Kadin said.

"Well, you see, when that happened, he went into Lisis," Alec said. "He's gotten attached to you, so it's happening again," he added.

"I told him that I'd be back," Kadin said.

"I learned from experience that people with anxiety constantly fear the worst," Alec said.

Alec heard several voices talking in the background. "I'm sorry," Kadin said. "My mom needed me," he said.

"I don't want to ruin your family gathering, but before you go, can you bring something with your scent?" Alec asked. "It might calm him until you come back," he said.

"I'll do that tomorrow before we leave," Kadin said. "He's my friend, and he worries me sometimes," he said.

"We're worried also," Alec said.

Once the conversation was through, Alec hung up the phone. He turned around when he saw Ben head back to his bedroom.

"He's still not talking," Deb said, rounding the corner. "Who was on the phone?" she asked.

"His friend," Alec said. "He was worried about him," he said.

"We all are," Deb said, hugging him.

"His friend said he'd drop something off before they left," Alec explained. The next morning, there was a knock on the front door.

Alec walked over to the door and opened it. The 15-year-old boy stood in front of him. He had dark circles under his eyes. "How is he?" Kadin asked.

"I haven't seen him," Alec said. "He hasn't come down," he said.

"Can I see him?" Kadin asked.

"Go on up," Alec said. Kadin thanked him and headed to Ben's room. He lightly knocked on the door.

"Ben, it's Kadin," he said. There was no response. He reached for the knob but found it locked.

Deb stepped beside Kadin and handed him a silver key. "This is an extra key," she said. "Go ahead and use it." Kadin was more than worried by the awkward silence. He inserted the key into the hole and turned it. Tons of "what ifs" filled his brain as he turned the knob. The bedroom felt like a freezer. Ben was on his bed, his knees pulled up to his chest. His blue eyes were bloodshot and had dark circles under them.

"It's freezing in here," Kadin said, closing the window. Kadin noticed the opened bottle of sleeping pills.

"Are you ready to go?" Kadin's father stepped inside the room and asked.

"I'm not going, dad," Kadin said. "I can't leave when my friend is like this," he said. His father opened his mouth but quickly closed it.

"I'll bring in your bags," he said, leaving the room. "Do one thing for me," he said. "Call your grandfather and apologize,"

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