How to Save a Life
Okay, sorry it took me so long to get this one done. I think you all will like it. And I'll give you a fair warning, if you cry a lot; I think you'll cry in this. I bet I will. D: Anyway please review and read! And check out my other SongFic and stories.
Code Lyoko SongFic one shot, I guess it's a bit of an YxW one. I really isn't meant for the shipping though.
It's gonna be long, so please bear with me. I think it will be worth it though.
I dedicate this FanFic too anyone on Warriors Wish whom I know and love. Thank you, you guys.
The lunch table was particularly quiet that spring afternoon. The sun was brightly stunning outside and teens talked and flirted in happiness. They were enjoying the spring light. I wasn't.
Aelita and Jeremy were murmuring to each other, Odd was playing his beeping video game and Ulrich looked like he was half asleep. That only left me and William. His shaggy jet black hair was thrown around ungratefully on his head. I looked at him with worried and he completely ignored me. Everyone ignored him sadly. After we defeated Xana and the real William came back, everyone treated him like trash, like he wasn't a person.
I put my head down quietly. I felt so depressed. It seemed I was the only person who actually cared about him. Well I didn't love him. I just like him as a friend and nothing more. But I was concerned. If you think I'm depressed you should see him. Even the gang didn't treat him that great. After Xana took over his body they didn't trust him with anything. I'm surprised they even let him sit at the lunch table.
Just then the bell rang out and everyone started scrambling out of the cafeteria. Today was Saturday and classes just ended. I had nothing to do for the rest of the day. I picked up my bag and started heading for the door with Jeremy, Aelita, Ulrich and Odd. Then I realized William was still back at the table.
"Uh, guys I'll catch up." I said with a slight smile. The gang looked at me, then William with cold eyes and walked away. After I heard their footsteps fade I carefully sat back down at the table and faced William. His head was tucked into his arms and when I sat down; dull eyes looked at me quickly and shot back down.
"I think we should talk." I said sweetly and he looked up again and grumbled.
Step one; you say we need to talk
His dark eyes were unfriendly and empty with dullness. He started to scramble up and I hissed, "Just stay."
He walks; you say sit down it's just a talk.
William quietly sighed and then sat back down. To my amazement, we stared right into my eyes. He also gave a not-so-reassuring smile and I looked with my icy eyes at him. I knew he didn't mean it.
He stares politely back at you,
You stare politely right one through.
"So what do you want?" said his ragged voice. I almost started laughing.
"You know very well why I'm talking to you." I tried not to sneer but I was hard not too. Then I calmed myself down. "Why are you so depressed?"
A very strong sneer rose in William's voice, "Take a look around! No one likes me!" A bit of a hiss made William sound extremely serious. But that took me back. I hadn't heard him talk that loud in since before Xana took control over him. I almost felt tears well in my eyes.
"I'm not like you and your friends anymore!" He mused loudly. I was surprised the lunch lady wasn't yelling at us.
"But I want to help you..." I tried to say, but his harsh tone cut me off.
"You don't have to act like you care. I can be depressed all I want! You just shut up and live your life." He hissed a lot quieter now. I was sure my eyes were starting to get red. I rubbed them quickly so William wouldn't see.
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
"Well I not like everyone else..." I mentioned quietly. I, the one person he once loved he didn't even trust me anymore.
"Yes, you might care a bit more then your friends." He said snidely. "And everyone else in this damn school." He barked. His voice was overpowering and lethal and it sounded like his was roaring with rage.
"But..." I started to say but he shook his head. "You don't get it Yumi." He said at a much lower tone but still with some edge and he picked his bag up and stalked away out of the lunch room.
Between the lines, of fear and pain
You begin to wonder why you came
I sat there for another few minutes stunned at all the emotion and rage William was giving off. What happened to the nice crazy boy who tried to hit on me all the time? That William was dead.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend.
Somewhere along in the bitterness.
I stood up and stretched my shaky bones. I wanted t help William. It wasn't his fault that Xana took his body. My eyes were gloomily as a forcefully reached the door of the lunchroom. I looked up at the cloudless sky. It was such a beautiful day; I didn't know how William could be so depressed.
Then the memories hit me like a gunshot. How much I think of him, I really couldn't bear to see him this way. So to get out of the abyss of my playful memories, I ran back to her dorm as fast as my legs could take me. I really wanted to help him, and I couldn't.
And I would have stayed up with you all night,
Had I known how to save a life.
--
After an hour of sitting in my room and thinking I decided maybe I could ask the guys how I should handle this. After all, he was still part of our group. Cracking my door open slightly, I poked my head out and started walking downstairs.
--
"Your nuts for that boy aren't you?" Odd smiled as a joke ran through his lips. I wanted to punch him in the face for that. We were all outside beside the dorm entrence.
"Shut up." I hissed and gave him a leveled warning stare. Odd backed away.
"Yumi, he's not been nice to us either." Ulrich mentioned flatly.
"Yes, 'cause you guys treat him badly. He doesn't know what to think anymore!" My warning level was getting higher.
Let him know that you know best, 'cause after all you do know best.
Aelita was lagged out of the conversation here. I knew Yumi cared about William, but she just didn't trust him, after trying to throw her in the digital sea so many times.
I fought with the boys many more minutes feeling worse and worse for William. They're all bashing him, for what he really isn't. They just don't trust him... if it wasn't for that Xana I... "Yumi."
A small but stern voice came out behind me. My heart always gave way hearing the voice, William's voice. I sped around quickly to see his eyes in an overpowering stare at everyone behind me.
"Hi..." I said weakly. I almost face palmed myself for being so stupid. William's glare traveled around then he stepped up.
"You guys hate me, I know it, so don't hide it." He hissed.
"We don't hate you..." Jeremy countered, "We just uh..." his voice was lost.
"We can't get ourselves to trust you again." Aelita answered, trying to act strong. William only looked.
"It wasn't my freaking fault that Xana attacked me!" He spat, taking another step forward.
"Yes, but if you weren't goofing around Xana would have never caught you in the first place." Ulrich pointed out effortlessly. William's eyes narrowed.
"Yumi what do you think?" He asked politely. I froze up.
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence.
I cleared my throat, "Well, you did let yourself be captured." I pointed out in a very small voice. William looked like all of hell was going to break lose from him.
Lay down a list of what is wrong
Things you told him all along
"Just shut up Yumi. You don't know." William growled. His face looked like it was when he was about to hurt us on Lyoko when he was possessed. William stormed back the way he came, into the dorms.
"All I wanted to do is help him. I just made it worse!" My mind screamed in frustration.
"Hey Yumi it-"Ulrich started to say but my thoughts exploded at him.
"No! Shut the hell up, all of you!" I violently yelled. "You don't know how you guys are treating William! He has feelings! The whole damn school is against him! His parents think weirdly of him and you guys aren't helping! We're the only freaking real friends the boys ever had and you decide to bash him. Nice one guys." I hissed my last words deviously and stormed into the woods, not caring.
"I'm sorry William." I mentally noted.
And pray to God he hears you.
And pray to God he hears you.
--
Behind the shadows of the broken old tool shed I was sitting in the tall grass with my spirit pinned be side me. I hate how all the kids laughed at him. Now he hated me. And I was only trying to help.
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend.
Somewhere along in the bitterness.
I thought about going to apologize to William but I knew I was just going to get yelled again once again. I quietly wailed out in annoyance but I knew I couldn't do anything. It was like my arms and legs were pinned beside me. I just wanted to be friends will William again.
I punched the cool grass hard, feeling the small blades cower in between my figures. Every little sentence or thought about William buzzed in my head. I could understand his pain, but he wouldn't accept guidance.
And I would have stayed up with you all night,
Had I known how to save a life.
After the little fest with the grass I stood up shakily. It had gotten pretty late again. I should be getting home. First, whether he liked it or not, I was going to apologize to him no matter what.
As I walked into the crossroads clearing, luck seemed to be on my side; William was hanging around on a bench. And of course, no one was around. I wandered up to him and I thought I saw him cringe for a second but then turned around with, surprisingly, welcoming eyes.
"Um, hi William." I said causally, trying to hide my nervousness.
"Hi Yumi." He mumbled but he stood out. For a second I thought he was going to walk away but he turned to face me with a smile.
"I-I'm sorry." I let out. William looked at me with charming eyes; I looked into the pools of brown.
"It's okay Yumi; I should say I'm sorry too." He answered sweetly, and too my great surprise again, he hugged me. I actually felt better with his arms around me. We're going to be friends again!
"Yumi, I want you to always remember me." He mentioned quietly. His eyes were flickering into an imaginary world. I searched his face in curiosity but found stillness.
"Okay..." I solemnly nodded. He ruffled my hair, I'm pretty sure my checks blushed.
"I wish everyone would stop bashing you..." I murmured angrily. My hand started clenching into a fist and my knuckles cracked.
"I wish so too..." He muttered with a slight edge in his tone, "My parents think I'm a bit mental now..." He hissed no one particular.
"I wish it was better for you." I said and broke away from him with my pale face pink as a rose. He smiled again and let me go.
"You should get home." William answered. I nodded.
"Uh, I'll see you tomorrow." I laughed at our little hallmark moment. I started to walk away and heard him say, "Maybe not... good bye Yumi." My heart thumped for a moment, and then it settled back down. I had no idea what happened as I quickened my pace down the dirt road of the forest.
--
The night was particularly cool that night and the wind was stirring on the roof of Kadic. If it wasn't for one hazy cloud lingering in the starry sky it would be a perfect night with the full moon in the sky. William stared forward.
All his life he had never thought what would happen in the end. After his encounter with Xana he thought he was going to die. But that never happened. Instead he was manipulated over his own will to fight against his friends. Then afterwards he would come back and no one, not even his parents would trust him. Such an agonizing pain was cut too deep inside of him a he couldn't take it anymore. William stepped forward.
How to save a life
His sightless eyes stood straight. It was truly a beautiful world; maybe on the outside at least. He had learned the inside of the world was a horrid wasteland filled with thoughts of the devil and hell. In fourteen years he had enough. William could feel the weightless air in front of him. The welcoming night engulfed his shaking body as wind caught his body in an abyss of dread, pain and an unseen light.
How to save a life
--
At around 6am my hair was brushed and I was ready to get to school early so I could talk with the guys about William.
After saying good-bye to my parents I stepped outside. The air was particularly damp and heavy this morning. Heavy mist lay on the road like a blanket, although I could start to see peaks of cerulean blue light above my head.
Crossing the road carefully I started walking into the depths of the forest in the school grounds. A wet dew was spattered along the leaves and some drooping wildflowers. This was my favorite time of day, I was all alone and had time to sense the morning. But as I got closer and closer to the school a strange feeling bubbled up in my stomach. I clutched it sorrowfully and give a small grunt of acknowledge. The pain seemed to edge every part of my body into alert, like my instincts were pricked for attack. I hissed again and continued to walk forward.
The opening of the trees to the school was before me, but something held me back. An unseen force restrained my arms and legs for a moment and I wanted to go running back home.
"Why the heck is this happening?" I murmured to myself as I sawed free from imaginary ropes and restraints and continued to walk forward with a dreadful presence around me.
No one was usually around at 6:30am in the morning except some early morning lights in the dorm windows above my head. Small shades of pale yellow crept it's way through the curtains leaving an eerie light along the gray and black pavement. Then something hit me.
There was a black muffled color along one side of the pavement. I narrowed my eyes and looked at it closely. It almost looked like a hug garbage bag. I walked a few more steps closer and peered at it in wonder. My heart almost doubled into two hearts beating at a mile. I stared in horror as I realized what I was looking at. Without another skim thought pulsing in my brain, my legs stormed off; sprinting at imaginary speed.
"No..." I softly sighed to myself. My knees had knelt down already, and before me was a bruised, unnatural looking bent body. The body that had once occupied a boy that I call one of my best friends. A boy who loved me very much and wanted me to love him. A boy who would make tough comments and not mean it all. It was the body of William Dunbar.
"Damn it." I cried, "Damn it, Damn it, Damn it!" My hisses turned into an angry and agonizing wail which made my voice crack with grief. My eyes started to burn as fresh tears rolled down my face and sank into the fabric of his lifeless body.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend?
William's eyes were closed but his body was tangled into a mess. His arms and legs were flopped around in horrible angles and positions. There was some dry, dark red blood dripping down his mouth, and little bits of stains on his black shirt. His shaggy hair covered his eyes in a defensive position.
In my sobs of utter wailing my mind stirred into something; my lips caught a snarl in them and my eyes broke open blinded by rage.
"Everyone did this! If it wasn't for them William would be here!" My thoughts screamed with frustration and all I could help was furious howls and sobs.
Somewhere along in the bitterness
My sobs of sad pain and twisting agony batted at my inside, silently destroying all my good thoughts. I was truly blind to the world at the moment as I yelped for him to come back. My soul was yearning for his, I just wanted William back.
One by one, my sobs started drawing out some people from their dorms. I knew eyes where peering down at my face, then running down the stairs, to see what I was leaning over.
And I would have stayed up with you all night
More sun started yielding through the clouds and like dapples covered the ground. At this point I heard crying of other kids, gasps of some, and wails of others. I doubt they had ever seen this happen before. The whole school was devastated.
How to save a life
Just then I felt a soft pressure on my back. I could hear little sniffs and cry coming from it. As I looked up with my red and puffy eyes I could see Jeremy, Aelita, Odd and Ulrich hugging me tightly. Pressing into their warmth, I slowing let out small sobs.
--
The next few days came and went. William had died of jumping off the school roof. The funeral was today. And I can't believe everyone talked me into going.
My mind was whizzing with painful and happy memories. For some reason, I couldn't cry anymore. My body had accepted what had happened. I know why William had done it. And I really didn't blame him.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend?
Somewhere along in the bitterness.
Once the funeral was over, the organ creaked and we all started to scuffle up. But then the pastor leveled his hand down.
"Excuse me, but Mr. & Mrs. Dunbar would like to speak." He motioned with his hand and the couple stood up willingly and watched the audience carefully.
"My dear friends and family," William's mom announced quietly. We all stood on the edge of our seats.
"William had some tough struggles in his teen years, but he managed to get through all of one. That reason is why we are sitting here in sorrow today.
Hot water formed in my eyes put my hand defensively wiped it away quickly. My hair dragged down my face as I looked back up.
"I admit I did some wrong, to that boy. But I was just trying to help him..." He voice cracked and a sniffle broke the silence. Then her eyes narrowed once again and looked up stronger.
"In all his times of good and pain, there was one person that he couldn't stop talking about, one person that made him happy."
My heart thumped. Who the heck could that be? William always seemed happy around one person? When was that? Who was that?
"That person is sitting out in the row of chairs right now." Mrs. Dunbar smiled. "That girl is Yumi Ishiyama."
And I would have stayed up with you all night
My heart gave a heartless wail. I wasn't sure if this feeling was good or horrible. All I know is at this moment, I felt like wings had spread out on little buds on my back. And I was unfurling them, reaching every tip and love the world had offered to me.
"William actually cared." I thought it realization. He did love me.
"Yumi, thank you." Both parents said smoothly into the microphone with a hard focus of interest. And I could only smile with clapping rang through my ears. Then I knew, the old William had died, but a new meaning of him had bloomed up like a flower inside of me.
How to save a life.
Rawr, I'm finally done. This took forever too. Longest one-shot I've seen in a long time. Bear with me and read it please!
AND REVIEW! I'M DESPRATE FOR THOSE!
XD Hope you liked it. Sorry for long-ness.