Part 57

Justen's POV

When I got home after school, my dad told me to call Natalie. It sounded serious so I went to my room and called my older sister.

"Hey Justen," Natalie said, answering the phone.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked.

"I should be asking you that," Natalie said. "Are you okay?"

"No," I said.

"Why not?" Natalie said.

"I'm not supposed to talk about it," I said.

"Why not?" Natalie said. "Is someone threatening you?"

"No," I said a little too fast.

"Who?" Natalie demanded. "Who is threatening you?"

"Nobody," I said.

"Well obviously someone is," Natalie said.

"Nobody is threatening me," I said.

"Are you lying?" Natalie asked.

That's when I seriously got fed up. "You know what, Natalie? I'm okay. You know what? I'm more than okay. I am fan-fucking-tastic. So thank you so much for your concern and for making me call you so that we can talk. Right now, however, I have a lot of homework to do so I have to go. Goodbye and I love you," I said before hanging up my phone and sighing.

I shook my head and grabbed some rope that I had been hiding in my room for a while. Staring at it, tears started to well in my eyes. I wiped them away and shoved the rope into an empty bag. Placing a letter in my bag as well, I left another letter on my nightstand before opening the door to my room and leaving. I made it through the living room and out of the house before getting on my bike and riding away from the place where I had my highs and lows. Away from the place I loved. Away from the place I was finally able to call my home.

When I made it to the spot I was going, I put the kickstand up to my bike and walked on foot to the giant oak tree that stood between two rocks.

"Thank goodness Josh isn't here," I thought as I tied the rope to one of the branches.

I made sure the rope was at the perfect length and wouldn't break before I tied something else into the rope.

Sighing, I sat down in front of the tree and let the rope hang as I watched birds fly across the beautiful sky. I looked up at the rope and sighed again because I knew what I had to do.

Climbing up the tree and placing the rope over my head, tears started to fill my eyes. I knew I had to do this but I couldn't help but imagine Josh's face when he found me. I couldn't just leave him. That's when it hit me. I had to go find Josh.

Josh was the only one I could talk to and right now I need him more than ever. The tears in my eyes started to fall down my face as I thought about how happy Josh actually made me. About how many memories we had made together. About how I loved Josh with all of my heart and nobody else.

Quickly standing up reminded me that the rope still hung around my neck. With one quick motion, I fell from the tree branch, heard a crack in my neck, and everything went dark.