Chapter 3

I look over from my seat doubling over in laughter as dad sings off key. He starts dancing as he does so making me laugh harder. No. This is when it happens. Please no. Everything slows down.

As I sit up from laughing looking over at my dad my eyes look behind him. A pickup truck is speeding at us not looking like it's going to stop. "Dad look out!" I feel myself scream. He looks over and goes to floor it but it's to late.

The truck slams into us making the car roll a few times. We end up upside down. I groan coughing from some smoke in my face. "Dad... dad" I call looking in his direction. I see him but his eyes are closed. "Daddy! No dad wake up!" I scream.

I put my hand on the ground the brace myself as I unbuckle my belt. I cry out in main as a piece of glass gets stuck in my leg. I pull myself out of the broken window as people surround the car. "Miss are you okay!?" Voices yell at me.

I don't answer as I pull myself to stand. People try to hold me but I shove them away limping around the car. "Dad! Dad answer me!" I yell dropping next to his window. "Honey let us get him out" Someone tells me.

3 guys work on unbuckling him. One holds his upper body one holding his lower body. Once he's unbuckled they slowly pull him out laying him on the grass. I scramble over next to him ignoring the pain in my leg.

"Dad. Dad wake up. Please wake up" I start to cry as I lightly shake him. I still don't get an answer. I hear sirens but I can already tell they can't help him. "No! Please don't leave me!" I scream crying on his chest.

"Miss the ambulance is here" A voice says softly. "They're too late! They can't help him!" I scream. I scream and cry as I'm pulled away from him and they load him into an ambulance.

"Natalie! Natalie!" I hear a voice yell. "Natalie wake up!" I hear again as my eyes shoot open. I shoot up in bed tears running down my face. I'm pulled into a chest and I smell the faint smell of Tylers cologne.

I grasp onto his shirt as I cry into his chest. "It's okay Nat. I'm here. I know it hurts." He says softly. As my grip on his shirt lightens he pulls back a bit. He wipes my face as I whimper and sniffle.

"I'll be right back alright?" He says softly. I nod weakly as he kisses my head jogging out of the room. Not long after he leaves he returns with a cup. And I already know what's in it. "Strawberry milk." He says softly handing me the cup as he climbs onto my bed.

I grasp the cup tightly in my hands. I drink slowly not wanting it to go away so fast. I frown once I finish it but set it on my nightstand. Tyler lays down pulling me with him. I lay my head on his chest as he plays with my hair.

"You're gonna be alright. I promise" He whispers. "You're the best big brother ever" I mumble. "Anything for my little sister." He says back. We lay in silence and I can feel myself dozing off again. I feel him kiss my head before I fall asleep completely.

I wake up the next morning alone. Once I go back to sleep he goes back to his room. I rub my eyes as I sit up. I check my phone seeing a text from my best friend Marlee. I roll my eyes as she's asking what she should wear. No matter what I suggest she chooses a different outfit.

I climb out of bed running a hand through my gray hair. Yes I dyed my hair gray. It looks awesome. That's me. I walked to my closet picking out some clothes. Today was a day I didn't care. I slide on a pair of jeans and then slip on a hoodie. I brush out my hair, it still being wavy. I don't bother with makeup as I walk out.

I stuff my phone in my pocket as I get to the kitchen. Mum looks over giving me a small smile. I give a weak one back knowing she heard me screaming last night. "You alright hun?" She asks softly. I nod wordlessly.

"Here's some pancakes." She says pushing a plate to me. I smile softly pulling it in front of me as I start to eat. Tyler soon appears next to me getting his own plate. I roll my eyes as he scarfs down his food. "You might want to breathe when you eat." I smirk at him.

"Oh hush you." He laughs. I giggle at him seeing as his laugh is pretty contagious. "You two get to school." Mum laughs shooing us away. "I work after school!" I call as we leave. "You know she really appreciates you helping out. No matter how many times she says she has it handled." Tyler says giving me a soft smile.

"It's the least I could do. I feel like I'm not doing anything." I shrug as we walk towards the school. "Well she loves the help. No matter how many times she forgets to say it" He chuckles throwing an arm around my shoulder.

As we get to school I'm tackled and I laugh. "Hello to you too Mar" I say as she helps me up. "Hey best friend" She smiles cheekily. I roll my eyes at her. "You look cute" I smile at her. "No help to you!" She whines.

"Marlee any time I suggest an outfit you wear something completely different." I laugh as we walk to the doors. I see Tyler walk over to his friend Liam. Liams a shy one, but is really nice. He moved here from Wolverhampton not long ago.

We walked down the hall as I heard my other best friend. "Natty-boo!" He screams. I turn laughing. "Nicky-boo!" I scream back as he picks me up in a hug. He sets me down as his girlfriend walks up laughing. "Hey Meg." I wave at her. She rolls her eyes hugging me.

This was my friends. And I was okay with our small group. And Tyler and Liam of course. We walk to our lockers which are oddly enough close to each other. We group up again walking to our first class.

"So how was your weekend?" Megan asks me as Nick and Marlee argue over something. "I had the dream again..." I mutter looking down. They all knew about my nightmare. "Natalie that's the 5th time in the past week. You hardly get any sleep" She says softly.

"I don't know how to stop it. It haunts me." I say as my eyes water. She gives my hand a squeeze and I weakly smile at her. We get to English heading to our seats. I'm sat towards the back gladly. This boy Max sits by me. He's a mystery.

I guess you could call us friends. We talk and joke around. Speaking of Max, he walks through the door his hazel eyes meeting mine instantly. He drops his bag sitting sideways in his chair facing me. "Why does it look like your about to cry?" He asks.

"Hello to you too" I laugh softly. "Nat.. what's up?" He asks me. "Nothing. I didn't get much sleep I guess all my yawning is making my eyes water" I say shrugging. "You sure?" He asks me. "Yeah. I'm fine Max." I smile nudging him.

I hate lying to him but I don't want to burden anyone else with my tragic life. It's hard enough that my family and few friends deal with it, I couldn't put this on him. It's to much for me to deal with sometimes.