~!Author'sNote!~ Oh my god, you guys are amazing! I update this and five minutes later I've got a new review! I love y'all. Hope you like this one! xoxo, Aly

"Dammit." I said.

Alex looked at me, shocked. "Dammit? Really, that's it?"

"What else am I supposed to say, Alex? Would you rather have me break down in tears and scream my lungs out because my best friend is dead? No, Alex, I've gone through this before. The only way to push through is strength. And that's what I'm doing, being strong!" I yelled.

"Annabeth, you don't have to be strong. If you want to cry, do it. Hell, you need to cry. I can see it. You're beating yourself up over this right now."

"No, I'm not, Alex. I'm perfectly fine!" I lied.

"Oh, for crap sake! Just cut it out! Stop lying to my face! Stop lying to yourself! Annabeth, I've been through the same fucking thing. I know exactly what you're feeling. Just have the guts to let it out!" He said.

I stormed off to my bunk and climbed in.

I slammed the curtain shut, well, you can't really slam a curtain. Let's say I "shut it violently."

"Annabeth, I'm sorry I snapped at you. But, you can talk to me. I want you to talk to me." Alex said from the other side of the curtain.

I didn't say anything.

"Please talk to me." He whispered.

I opened the curtain and slid over to make room.

Alex climbed into the bunk and shut the curtain.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"Don't be, babe. It's alright." Alex pulled me against his chest.

"I just can't believe she's gone." I cried. "I mean, why would she want to do that? She never called me or anything! She never said she was depressed! She never acted depressed! I never expected this!"

That one word kept creeping back into my mind, suicide.

I sat straight up, rustling around the sheets for my phone.

I finally found it and turned it on.

There was one person I had to call.

I found the number and hit send.

"Hi, it's Ben. You must've called at a bad time or whatever and I'm sorry I can't come to the phone. But, just leave your number and I'll call you back." Ben's cheerful voice said.

It was followed by beep.

I sighed, "Hey, Ben. Um, it's Annabeth. I just found out about Trish. Call me as soon as you get this. I need to talk to you. I love you!"

I hung up after recording my message. "Shit!"

"Deep breath." Alex said, rubbing my back.

I inhaled deeply.

"And out."

I followed his order.

"Better?"

"Not really." I collapsed back on the bed.

Alex pulled me onto his lap and I hugged him tightly.

"I feel like shit." I said.

"I know, honey. I know." He whispered.

My phone started ringing and I checked the screen.

"Hey, Garrett." I answered.

"How are you?" He asked.

"Fine." I mumbled.

"Don't lie to me. Don't you dare lie to me." He scolded.

"Okay, fine. Honestly, I don't really know how I feel. I feel...upset, confused, disappointed. It's just so much to feel all at once. I really don't like it." I said.

"What happened to my best friend?"He asked.

"What the hell do you mean?"

"Normally, if I told you not to lie to me you would say, and I quote, 'Shut the fuck up. I'm not lying to you, asshole!', end quote."

"That's totally...true." I sighed.

"Listen to me, Annabeth. Just stay strong. Remember what I would always tell you?"

"Keep your head up, beautiful. They'll kill to see you fall." I responded automatically.

"Exactly. Always remember that."

"I will."

"Bye, Annabeth." Garrett whispered.

"Bye-bye, Gare." I whispered back.

I threw my phone at the wall, the back popped off and the battery fell out.

I shrugged.

"Anger stage?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, I think so." I nodded.

"Hey, bitches!" Kiersten said and tore the curtain open.

"Go away." I pulled the curtain shut.

"Bitch." She muttered.

"Slut." I said.

I was getting impatient, I couldn't sit still and I was entirely uncomfortable.

I climbed out of the bunk and grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank top.

I changed clothes in the bathroom and stepped back into the hall.

"What are you doing?" Zack asked when he saw me pulling on a pair of tennis shoes.

"Going for a run." I said.

"I'll go with you." He offered.

I opened my mouth to say no but I figured having someone with me would be helpful, I had a habit of pushing myself too far.

Zack changed quickly and walked into the living room where I was stretching my hamstrings.

"Ready?" I asked.

He nodded.

We walked off the bus and immediately started running.

I had no clue where we were going but I didn't care, it felt good to run.

I automatically started pushing myself further until I was in a flat-out sprint.

Zack was keeping up easily.

We kept going straight for quite a while until Zack said, "I think this is far enough, race back to the bus?"

I nodded.

We stopped for a few minutes to catch or breath and stretch a little more.

"Ready?" He asked.

I smiled, "Yes."

"On your mark!"

I put my right foot ahead of me.

"Get set."

I leaned forward.

"GO!" He shouted.

We took off, with me in front.

My legs were getting tired and my calves were starting to cramp up.

"Come on." I said to myself.

Pushing myself even harder, I got a good lead on Zack.

He started catching up with me.

"No!" I yelled and pushed as hard as I could.

"I'm gonna beat you!" Zack joked as he came up right beside me.

The bus came back into view and we kept sprinting.

In the last few feet, I managed to get just far enough ahead of Zack and I won.

"Success!" I shouted as I smacked the side of the bus.

"Okay, you win." He panted.

"Fuck." I said, gripping my side, I couldn't breathe.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine, just fine." It was a lie, I was dizzy and my eyes were unfocused.

Black spots appeared in my vision and I collapsed on the ground.