Emily Duval walked into Dalton with sweatshirt zipped up to her chin and her hands shoved in her pockets. Her messenger bag was messily slung over her shoulder. She knew exactly where she was going: Warbler-ville. She walked in the general direction of the Hall of Music when she noticed something out of the ordinary. There was no one in the halls. Usually a Warbler or two were still rushing to practice or a math geek was rushing to math club. She shook off the worry and continued to the Hall of Music. That is when she knew something was wrong. Jeff wasn't sitting on the bench by the window. You see, Jeff ALWAYs sat on that stupid bench. He loved it, he loved the way the courtyard looked in the different weather conditions. She dropped her bag and broke off into a sprint towards Jeff's room. (Well, Jeff and her brother's room but Jeff was all that mattered right then because he wasn't at the bench…) She was spotted running by her brother from the practice room and he came out and grabbed her arm.
"Em, what's wrong?" Nick asked her softly.
"Nick, where's Jeff?" Emily questioned, her voice shaking.
"He's sick… Why?" Nick demanded.
"It isn't right. He is ALWAYS on that bench. I'm going to check on him. Give me your room key," Emily said holding her hand out.
"No! He's sick; let him be," Nick snapped.
"Fine come with me," Emily told him making her older brother sigh.
"I have to get back in there. Here; don't come crying to me when he kicks you out because he's sick," Nick sighed and handed her his key.
He grabbed her bag before walking back into the practice room. Emily tried to even out her breathing; Jeff was probably just sick as Nick said. She reached their room and unlocked the door walking in. She looked around and walked over to Jeff's bed, where he was not residing. She looked around until she saw the closed bathroom door. She knocked cautiously, "Jeff?" No answer. She knocked louder, "Jeff!" No answer. She tried the door handle; it was open. She was really hoping he hadn't like fallen asleep… She entered the bathroom and was taken aback by the sight. Jeff was laying on the floor, his bare stomach bleeding. He was unconscious and there was a blade in his pale hand. She knelt next to him tears running down her face, "Jeff!" His grey sweatpants were also bloody and she saw he was still breathing. She was hyperventilating. She fumbled around for her phone before she realized it was in her bag. She was kneeling in blood but she didn't care. She stood up and sprinted to the practice room yelling for Nick. She entered the room, her face covered in tears and blood dripping down her knees.
"Oh my God." Nick broke out into a sprint towards his room and Emily followed as the rest of the Warblers followed.
Nick stood in the bathroom doorway as everyone else gathered in the small dorm room. All of them stared. Emily snapped, "What are you gawking at? CALL 911!" Nick couldn't move. His best friend…. How could he not know?
"Get them out." Was all Nick could say. She rallied them out then left the door cracked. She directed them to sit as Trent announced help was on the way. She looked at them, "You know Nick., He panics and doesn't want to exploit Jeff, alright? I'll call Trent when we get word and you guys can all come to the hospital. Right now… Nick needs some time and I need to be with them…"
"We understand, Em. Go be with your brother and Jeff. We'll go talk to the headmaster and keep him out of here. You have it under control?" Trent asked softly.
"Don't I always? I will call, I promise." With that, Emily disappeared into the room where Nick had collapsed onto his knees crying.
Emily put an arm around him, "Nick, calm down."
"I can't… Em…. How did I not know?" Nick asked her.
"He never showed that he was upset-" That was when the paramedics barged in the room.
Emily had taken off her shorts that were bloodstained now, and was just standing in the hospital in a leotard and sweatshirt. She was a gymnast so she did a homeschooling program through Crawford. She always went to Warblers practices so she could have human interaction with people other than gymnasts. Nick has an arm around her shoulders as she shivered and looked at her legs, "I hate hospitals."
"I know." Nick was still out of it.
Jeff's parents were sitting across from them and Nick couldn't look at them. They abused Jeff, they hurt him, yet they were here. Pretending to care. Nick had explained all of this to the doctor and the doctor agreed to not let them in the room. His aunt, Jeff's guardian, was there also but she was sitting next to Nick, Nick was like her son as was Jeff. His parents shouldn't have been there.
"Jeff is awake and wants to see Liz, Nick, and Emily," a nurse announced making the three rise instantly.
"What about us?" Jeff's mom asked batting her eyelashes.
"I have instructions to not let you in the room," the nurse replied as the three shuffled off into Jeff's room.
Jeff was laying on the bed connected to an IV and all sorts of other cords. Emily winced when she saw her friend looking so sick. He managed a smile as they pulled chairs up by his bed.
"Jeff…" Emily was crying now.
He reached for her hand and she let him have her hand, "Nick, Aunt Liz, could I please have a minute with her?"
Nick and his aunt nodded and left closing the door. He scooted over painfully and made her lay next to him on his side with the heart monitor which they draped over her stomach.
"You found me…" Jeff whispered.
"Yeah, I did," Emily was holding back tears.
"Thank you. Thank you for not believing them. Thank you so much. I can't help but think that I was wrong. I didn't want to die. I was just…" Jeff had tears running down his face.
"I know, Jeff. What was it? Why didn't you call me or Nick or something…?"
"I couldn't. I was a coward."
"Coward is a negative word."
"I know."
Emily harshly grabbed Jeff's chin, "Don't ever scare me like that again, alright?"
He nodded as she smiled, "Alright. I need to go. I'm sore from practice and my Jeffy is in the hospital. I need to go think."
"Wait! Your Jeffy?" A smile played on his lips.
"Yes. Now, call me later tonight. I want to talk to you but right now I can't without crying… Jeff… Just… Ugh… Call me…" Emily exited the room.