Chapter 14

Nina

Mid-way through the tournament and we're rocking it. There are times I feel unsteady, but other than that I think I'm good. Right now we're waiting for our next game, sitting watching our competition play, and joking around. Jessie's on the phone with somebody right now, maybe Fabian, who is up in the stands with Eddie.

Then she frowns, and hangs up.
"Who was that?" , I ask.
"Nobody" , she replies.
"Was that Austin's dad?" , I ask his court date was yesterday. She nods sheepishly.
"8 months" , she says quietly.
"Really? Wow. Well Bastard deserves it" , I say going back to braiding one of my teammates hair.
"Nina, he doesn t deserve that much, he made a mistake". , she says, I shrug ignoring her.

"We re in the finals, guys. One more game and that trophy is ours." , I say and the team cheers.
"Nina?" , a male voice asks, and I turn to find a familiar face.
"Fabian" , I reply the question in my tone not only holding confusion but hope.
"We should talk." , he says, glancing at Jessie who nods at him. I nod as well and walk away with him.
"So?" , I ask, not hiding the obvious confusion in my voice.
"You have to forgive Austin.", he states, and right as I am about to smack him he adds, I never looked at you the way he does. , he finished.
"Austin isn't Austin anymore. You should of seen his eyes, they were dead. He wasn't there anymore" , I share to my ex, something about this feels wrong, talking to Fabian about my relationship problems.
"He needs you, more than he will ever let on, he needs you" , he states, then he turns and walks away, like that was supposed to be the greatest advice in the world.

And maybe it was.

One Week Later...

Jessie

It as always been my job to pick Nina up. Mine and Austin's. But he's not here right now, and I can't do it alone. Eddie helps, a lot. I don't know what to say about her though. She looks dead. Like a zombie.

We won the tournament and as soon as that trophy hit her hands she shut down. Having no goal to take over her mind, it seemed like the passed week at now taken over her mind, and crashed into her. It consumed her like a burning fire, and it tore at her. And now like a burned building she was only a shell.

Eddie never leaves her side, but she just looks in front of her like everything makes since there, or like she's with Austin there. She goes to school, she's still passing classes, but Nina's not her.

This isn't like when her Gran died. She only tuned out for a couple days then. Blared music loudly, then Austin came over and stayed the night. She was normal again the next day. Austin was the only one who could make it better. And she needed him. But she couldn't get to him right now.

And he probably needed her.

Three Months Later...

Sam

I missed Christmas. And New Years. And Nina's Funeral.

She didn't die, she's just not alive anymore. I left the hospital yesterday. After being in a coma for months. Now I'll go to summer school to make up my classes.

I'm going to see Nina today, for the first time since that night, which is really all a blur. I've heard of how she is, and I'm scared to see her.

I got the restraining order on me for Austin removed. He's still in Prison for Five More Months.

February is coming to a close. He'll be out in time for college, none will take him.

I go to Nina's room with Jessie, and see the dead girl sitting in a chair looking out the window.

"Hey Nina" , I say walking over to her and sitting down. A smile touches her features, just barely, not on her mouth, but just her eyes, then as if it was the wind she whispers.
"Hey Sam" . But I hear her real question, What Are You Doing Here?. I sit with her answering her question.

It's been hours just sitting here, her looking out the window, me looking at her. Both of us on the same mind set. Remembering the friend who is lost and needs found. And forgetting the childhood that ended too soon.