High School. A Teens Best Friend. Yeah Right.

By Risty Maskell and Silver15

Disclaimer: Nope, not ours.

Summary: Oh come on…

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I was touched that Jaime had defended me against Jo. She was a friend of Randy's and I knew that she hadn't forgiven us for getting him expelled. But it wasn't just that. What she said…had brought back the memories.

You see, Jamie knew a bit about what had gone on between Randy and me, but I'd never really spoken to anyone about it. Not really. I'd just blocked it out and pretended that it hadn't happened. And usually it does work, unless something happens to remind me again.

After gym class, when everyone went to lunch, I held back. As I hurried to my dorm, Randy's words echoed in my head. Laddie greeted me from my bed and I stopped to pet him. Then I opened my drawer and took out both my knife and the sleeping tablets. I looked at them both, knowing that it was finally time to make a decision. If I took all the sleeping tablets, it would be too late by the time anyone found me. I could be sure of dying. On the other hand, did I really want to die and leave Billee, Boromir and Jaime? Not to mention Laddie. I knew that they would blame themselves and I didn't want to do that to them.

With a sigh, I slipped one packet of sleeping pills back into my drawer. Then I knelt down and hugged Laddie.

"If anything happens to me," I whispered. "Billee will look after you. But…I have to do this Laddie. Just to stop the memories. It's…it's the only way" He licked my face and I knew that he understood. He's a clever dog, is my Laddie.

I went into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I didn't think that anyone would come after me, but I couldn't risk it. Firstly I pulled up my sleeve and made three deep cuts across my already scarred arm and one across my wrist. Then I looked in the mirror.

"Pretty half-elf" I heard Gimli say. Slowly I brought my knife up and slashed my cheek. As the blood dripped into the sink, I gave a sigh of relief. Now I wasn't a 'pretty half-elf' any more. I was beginning to feel a bit better. But I still hadn't finished.

I emptied the twenty-eight pills into the palm of my hand and stood there looking at them for a moment or two. I figured that with the amount of blood coming from my wrist, I wouldn't actually need many. By the time anyone found me, the blood loss would be taking effect. But I decided to take some anyway, just to be on the safe side. In totally, I think I took about fifteen before I began to feel sleepy. In that instant I regretted taking the tablets.

"Laddie" I called weakly. I heard him scratching at the door. Then he jumped up at the handle, but since it was locked, he couldn't open it. He barked and ran off, no doubt to find Billee. I tried to stay awake, but it was impossible. The remaining tablets fell from my hand as I slumped against the wall, unconscious.

(Billee's POV)

Me, Legolas and Colan went into the dining hall and sat down at our usual table. Jaime, Frodo, Boromir, Jake and Baz were already there, but Emma wasn't.

"Where's Emma?" Jaime asked, looking over to the door. "Wasn't she with us a minute ago?"

"Yeah, she was" I agreed, attempting to get Colan to sit in his own seat and not on my lap. "She's probably gone to the toilet or something. Or maybe she just wants to be alone for a while. You know what Emma can be like"

"Here let me take him" Legolas held out his arms and I handed Colan to him gratefully. My little brother looked up at Legolas trustingly and slowly reached up to touch a strand of his hair.

"You have pretty hair," he said with a smile. "It nice colour. I like"

"Thank you" Legolas smiled back at him. "Now are you going to eat something for uncle Legolas"

I was taking a drink when he said that. I laughed and it all came shooting out of my nose. Baz handed me a tissue, trying not to laugh.

"Uncle Legolas" I said with a snigger. "What a name"

"Well it works" my friend said with a shrug. He put some food on a spoon and held it out to Colan. "Eat this for Legolas" he said softly. Colan did as he was told, keeping hold of Legolas's hair all the time. He seemed fascinated with it. I could tell that Legolas didn't mind so I just let the two of them get on with it and turned to talk to Baz.

We were having an interesting discussion about basketball when I felt something pulling on my trouser leg. When I looked down I saw that it was Laddie. He had come in so quietly that none of us had noticed him. I moved my arm to pet him and his jaw closed around my wrist. His grip, although firm, wasn't hard enough to hurt, but I understood that he wanted me to go with him.

"All right Laddie, I'm coming" Although I couldn't explain it, I had this horrible feeling that it was something to do with Emma. I stood up and went after him quickly. Legolas, Frodo, Jaime and Boromir followed me. Laddie took us to the girl's bathroom and scratched at the door whining. I tried the door and found that it was locked. Boromir, Jaime and Frodo looked rather alarmed.

Trying to keep calm, I knocked on the door.

"Emma" I called. "Are you all right?" There was no reply. Laddie threw himself at the door, barking. I knew then that something was really wrong.

"Boromir, help me with this door" I said quickly. "Frodo, get Elrond. Go"

As Frodo ran off in the direction of the dining hall, Legolas put his free arm around Jaime's shoulders. The poor girl looked really worried. Boromir and I ran at the door and hit it with our shoulders. It flew open and we all gasped at the sight, which greeted us. The sink and the floor were covered in blood. Slumped in a corner was Emma and she didn't look like she was breathing. As I ran over to her, I trod on something small and white. I looked round and my eyes met Jaime's. Silently, I held up the sleeping tablet.

A/N: All right, a very depressing chapter. Hey, I have just found out my exam results. I'm not in the mood to write happy things.