Chapter 3- Goodbye?

Emma slowly sat up in bed and felt a searing headache. She had gotten completely plastered to drown the grief the previous night. Looking over at her nightstand, she saw her cellphone resting there, and saw she hadn't even bothered to charge it. With a frustrated sigh, she checked the battery - only 5 percent left.

As she put the phone back, she caught a glimpse of Olivia's picture, which sat next to it. A small pang of sadness hit her, and she started to tear up.

How could she have been so stupid? It had been a year, and she was still like this.

She sat in bed for a few moments, wiping her eyes. She knew that today was the anniversary of Olivia's passing. And even though it had been a while since then, the pain still stung just as much as if she had just relived it.

With a sigh, she finally decided to get up. There was probably something she needed to do today, she just couldn't remember what it was.

She slowly stood up and walked over to her mirror. Her reflection stared back, and she didn't recognize the girl that looked back at her.her hair was noted and tangled and her eyes looked tired.

Emma quickly threw on some clothes and made her way out of the apartment. The streets were busy and crowded and slow .she was already running late. This wasn't going to look good on her first week back to collage since the accident .

A few minutes later, she arrived at her school, only to find out that she was very late. Immediately, a couple of bullies saw her and started walking towards her , laughing and giggling they shoved Emma harshly in to the lockers .emma sighs walking away .

"Are you really that drunk that you don't know what time school starts, Emma?, did your mummy not wake you up on time or was you two busy getting pissed up all night like the sad pathetic freak" one of them scoffed. "Hey, maybe you'll get some special treatment from the teachers. If you're lucky, maybe you won't even get homework! You should drink some more."the other girl said laughing.

Emma didn't say anything - instead, she just headed towards her classroom. The bullies continued mocking and taunting her, but she ignored them like she usually would . Fucking stupid .

As she reached the classroom, the teacher was already starting to set up the lesson. when she walked inside, everyone immediately turned to stare at her, including the teacher. Emma looked down in embarrassment, feeling her face heat up.faces of sympathy and judgment stared at her from all directions.

"Where have you been?" the teacher asked. "School started over an hour ago., I'm not even going to ask for homework Emma , you need to spurt it out girl , anyway let's crack on with the lesson shall we?"

Emma didn't say anything right away, her mind racing with possible excuses. But before she could think up a convincing one, another student spoke up.

"You've been drinking again haven't you, Emma?" he said jokingly making the other students laugh.

Emma didn't respond,she looked down and walked to her seat in shame. She buried her head in her arms and tried to drown out the laughter around her., fatigue etched across her face. Whispers swirled around, carrying the weight of accusatory words.

As she settled into her seat, the quiet judgment persisted, a constant reminder of the tragedy that unfolded a year ago.

The air thickened with tension, and Emma, grappling with grief and guilt, tried to fade into the background.

The classmates continued to exchange glances,and whispers all around the room .

The teacher, sensing the palpable discomfort, directed the class to focus on the lesson, attempting to create a refuge from the unspoken accusations that lingered in the air. Emma, enveloped in her own world of sorrow, sought solace amidst the unrelenting whispers.

Lucy, Sophie, and Alice, seated at the back, exchanged glances as the heavy atmosphere thickened with tension. Their whispers became deliberate, targeting Emma on the anniversary of Olivia's death.

"Did you know it's been a year since Olivia died?

She hinted " poor Emma must be drowning herself in guilt again." Laughed Alice

Sophie played with her hair as she giggled "Yeah, she's always late and probably wasted again , I Can't believe the sad fucker hasn't moved on yet , how pathetic."

"Olivia deserved someone better. Emma's just a burden. And well .. killed her ." Whispered Sophie mockingly.

Their cruel comments reached Emma, who was already on the edge. As they continued there nasty comments,Emma's composure crumbled.

Well Sophie did you know that apparently Olivia's parents blame her for the accident. Can't blame them, really , I mean she was on the bottle when driving ."

Lucy looked at Emma in pity "Exactly. Emma destroyed everything."

"Lucy ,Sophie Look at her, she's barely holding it together. Probably regrets everything she did."mocked Alice .

Emma, unable to bear the weight of their heartless words, broke down, tears streaming down her face as she dug her nails in to her hips making them bleed .

In the midst of this cruelty, a classmate who had observed the exchange approached Emma, offering silent support. The teacher, sensing the disturbance, intervened, trying to redirect the class's attention.

"Hay don't listen to them" whispered a girl with brown hair

"Right girls stop it ! " shouted the teacher Let's focus on the lesson, everyone. Emma, take a moment if you need it."

As the teacher tried to restore order, the echoes of the hurtful whispers lingered, leaving Emma to navigate her grief in a classroom tainted with judgment.

In a sudden surge of emotion, Emma couldn't bear the weight any longer. Fueled by a mix of grief, anger, and frustration, she snapped. Without a word, she lunged at Lucy, her eyes ablaze with a pain that had festered for too long. In a swift, unexpected motion, Emma struck Lucy with a book before sprinting out of the classroom, leaving stunned classmates in her wake.

Shocked lucy shouted "What the hell ?!, we was just joking Emma ?!"Lucy held her head in pain feeling guilty about what she said .

Sophie and Alice exchanged wide-eyed glances as the class fell into a stunned silence.

Outside the classroom, Emma raced down the corridor, tears blurring her vision. She sought refuge in the bathroom, the cold tiles providing a temporary escape from the relentless whispers and accusatory stares.the walls slimmed as Emma panicked .

Locked in a stall, Emma sank to the floor, her sobs echoing in the confined space. The weight of grief, guilt, and the burden of judgment bore down on her. Alone with her pain, Emma grappled with the overwhelming emotions that had spilled over, seeking solace in the silent sanctuary of the bathroom.

In the dimly lit bathroom, Emma's hands trembled as she fumbled for a small pill bottle in her bag whiteout hesitation, The emotional turmoil pushed her to a desperate edge. Without much thought, she swallowed a handful of pills, seeking an escape from the anguish that relentlessly pursued her.1 pill , 2 pill , a couple more can hurt can they ? Before she knew it she had taken the whole bottle …

As the medication took hold, a heavy lethargy enveloped Emma. The bathroom walls seemed to close in, pulsating harshly and the harsh fluorescent lights blurred into a hazy glow. Her vision swayed, and the sounds around her became distant echoes which bullyed her .

Emma's body slowly weakened, and she slumped against the bathroom stall, she began to choke as she uncontrollably threw up all over herself , her mouth began to foam as she held on to the wall in fear , she struggled to stay awake ,succumbing to the sedative effects of the pills. The world faded into darkness as she slipped into unconsciousness, the cold tiles beneath her were the only witness to the silent struggle that had just taken place. The air hung heavy with the weight of despair as Emma's consciousness drifted away.

As time passed, the bathroom air grew increasingly stifling, the smell of vomit and agony poised the air, Emma's reaction to the pills took a dangerous turn as Emma failed to wake up , Sophie, growing concerned after Emma, went searching and found the bathroom door locked.

"Emma, are you in there? Open the door, I'm so sorry about what I said , I know it's hard , I'm really sorry please say something …"

Sophie lent on the door trying to listen for movement

"Emma ? Are u in hear? "

Growing concerned she locked under the door , she jumped backwards falling on the ground with a loud bang realising Emma's situation.

"E..Emma! Wake up ! "

Sophie began to bang on the door loudly hoping to wake Emma up , Receiving no response, Sophie quickly sought help from the teacher.

Sophie: "please sir help! Emma's in the bathroom, and she won't answer. Something's wrong! She's covered in sick sir please come quickly !"

"What do you mean! Show me Sophie , show me right now " he shouted , "you girls are in so much trouble if I find her in a state , mark my words " threatened the teacher

The teacher, sensing the urgency, rushed to the bathroom

" Emma ? "

Sophie and the teacher looked at each other worried .

" right Sophie I'm gona need you to try and slide under the door and try to wake her up . "

Whiteout hesitation Sophie tried to slide her self under the bottom of the stall , she quickly sat Emma up .

" sir what do I do ? She's covered in vomit ! " Sophie shouted

The teacher ran out the bathroom and called for assistance to unlock the door. In a frenzy, they managed to break it open revealing the tragedy which had taken place .

Inside, they found Emma unconscious on the floor, surrounded by the remnants of the pills. Vomit stained her clothes, and the harsh reality of the situation unfolded.the teacher quickly rushed to Emma and wiped vomit of her mouth . He panicked not having a response as he carefully pulled her out the stall placing her in the ground in the recovery position, starting to preform CPR .

"Emma, wake up hunny , come on wake up !"

He tryed multiple times to wake her but nothing worked

"SOPHIE RING A AMBULANCE , WE ARE GOING TO LOSE HER! " he screamed , he cradled Emma in his arms as he waited for the ambulance.

Despite their efforts, Emma remained unresponsive..

Within minutes, paramedics arrived, and Emma was swiftly rushed to the hospital. The weight of the day's events hung heavy in the air as Sophie, the teacher, and the paramedics navigated the aftermath of Emma's desperate act. The repercussions of that tumultuous day would reverberate, leaving questions and concerns in its wake.

" I'm so so sorry sir , I didn't mean any of this two happen " Sophie cried holding Emma's hand

" Sophie , let's not think about that right now "

In the emergency room, Emma lay pale and unconscious, connected to a web of tubes and monitors. The harsh hospital lighting accentuated the toll that both emotional and physical pain had taken on her fragile frame. Sophie, guilt-ridden and tearful, stood by Emma's bedside, grappling with the gravity of the situation.

Sophie whispered "I never thought... I didn't know she'd take it this far."

The teacher, equally shaken, tried to offer words of comfort.

"We couldn't have predicted this. Emma was hurting, and we need to focus on helping her now."

As the medical team worked urgently around Emma, the reality of her desperate act sank in. The beeping of machines became a haunting soundtrack, punctuating the anxious silence in the room. The doctor finaly broke the never ending silence.

"She ingested a significant amount of medication. We're doing our best to stabilize her. We can't promise anything but she might just make it , she a strong one "

Sophie, clutching Emma's cold hand, watched helplessly as the medical team fought to bring her back from the brink. The weight of guilt and the consequences of that fateful day loomed heavily.

Hours passed, each minute dragging on with unbearable uncertainty. Finally, a flicker of movement from Emma stirred hope in the room. The doctor, monitoring the vital signs, delivered a cautious update.

Doctor: "She's stabilizing, but it's crucial to keep a close watch. We'll need time to assess the extent of the damage. Can we get her mother her please"

Sophie, overwhelmed with relief, sank into a chair, her emotions a turbulent mix of regret and gratitude. The teacher, witnessing the fragility of life, contemplated the impact of their actions and the importance of compassion in the face of profound suffering. The hospital room became a somber refuge where the echoes of that tumultuous day lingered, awaiting the uncertain path ahead.