Chapter 5

Timmy took the next few days off school. He felt too sick to face anyone. His parents were pushing him to talk about it, but he refused. That Wednesday night they were going out, which meant that Vicky was going to babysit. He wanted to see her, check out how she was feeling and how her parents reacted to the whole mess.

Five thirty came and the doorbell rang. Timmy answered it, revealing Vicky with bandages up to her elbows and no trace of a smile on her face. Timmy's parents left and Vicky went straight to the backyard. Timmy followed her cautiously, wondering what was happening. Cosmo and Wanda appeared beside him. "How is she doing?" Wanda asked, looking at the broken down girl.

Timmy stared at her, leaning against the wall and pulling out a cigarette. "I don't know."

"Well, on the plus side, your free from doing any chores." Cosmo said in an attempt to lighten up the situation. "Why is she smoking, doesn't she know that will kill her."

Wanda was about to say something, but then looked at Timmy and decided to be quiet. "We'll be right here if you need us sport, okay."

Timmy nodded in reply and walked out to the backyard. He stood next to Vicky and leaned against the wall. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. What's the point of doing anything?" Vicky asked, blowing smoke into the air. "Truth is, I don't even know if I'm going to be here next week."

Timmy gulped. "You're not going to try and do it again are you. Please don't."

Vicky shook her head. "No. My parents are thinking of putting me in a hospital. So they can figure out what my problem is and stuff like that. They say it's because they care and they don't want to expose Tootie and other children to all this." She sat down on the ground and began to cry. "I guess it's bad enough I did it in front of you."

"However bad it was, it made me realise that I can't give up. Besides, you didn't die." Timmy took her hand, smiling.

"Whoever thought we'd ever get along." Vicky laughed, putting out the cigarette. "Has anyone ever told you that you're mature for your age. I wish I had your optimism."

"So what happened when you checked out of the hospital? If you don't mind me asking." Timmy asked.

"It's been weird. Tootie has been taking extra care of me, bringing me stuff. She says it's because she doesn't want to be selfish or something." Vicky explained. "My parents are sort of in denial. I guess they care, but they don't understand. It took this to make them see that their lack of attention towards me really hurt."

"I know how that feels." Timmy said. "Do you think they'd really send you away. They can't do that. We've just started to work everything out."

Vicky just stared into space, thinking about it. "I don't know Timmy. I just don't know."

-------The next day Timmy finally went back to school. He wasn't paying much attention in class and barely noticed when the lunch bell rang. He went to the cafeteria and sat with Chester, AJ and Chesters clingy annoying bimbo of a girlfriend, Michelle.

"Why haven't you been at school the past few days anyway? I guess you didn't miss much though, but we do have a test on Friday." AJ was explaining. Timmy just picked at his food.

"AJ, be quiet. Didn't you hear what happened on the weekend?" Michelle said, fluttering her eyelashes. "Chester, you should tell your friends to get with the gossip more often."

Timmy glared at her. "Something serious happened and all you think about is that it's a piece of gossip?"

Michelle put a hand to her mouth. "I was just trying to tell AJ to lay low on the news. Besides, she's a bitch. I live next door to her and her parents are always yelling at her."

Timmy stood up, slamming his hands on the table. "You want to talk about bitches, look in the mirror."

Chester stood up and met Timmy's eyes. "Don't talk to my girlfriend that way. If you can't be nice to her, then you can't be friends with me." He grabbed Michelles arm, walking off to another table.

"Bit harsh Timmy, but no big loss, she was bugging me anyway." AJ said, spooning at the brown lumps that were Thursday special. "It is surprising that you start standing up for Vicky now though."

Timmy looked down at the green and pink knife and fork smiling at him. "I wish I could just eat my lunch in peace."

-------Walking home from school, Timmy took the long way. He needed some fresh air. Even after he apologised to Chester, something was still making him depressed. He could just feel that something was wrong.
Sure enough he went home, his parents were sitting at the kitchen table with looks of concern on their face. Timmy grabbed a soda from the fridge.

"Timmy would you sit down for a minute." Mrs Turner asked him, clasping her hands tightly together. "There's something important we need to discuss with you."

"Yes. It appears you need a new baby sitter. Vicky has moved to a...posh boarding school for gifted youngsters...far away in Switzerland." Mr Turner said, rather nervously. He hoped Timmy would buy his excuse.

"I wish you'd tell me the truth." Timmy asked, clutching his Cosmo backpack and Wanda textbook.

Mrs Turner sighed. "The truth is Timmy. Vicky suceeded in what she tried to do on the weekend." She didn't want to bring up the words death or suicide, and was finding it very awkward.

Timmy sat in shock. "How did she do it?" When his parents didn't reply, he snapped. "How did she do it mom?"

Mr Turner found an excuse to run out the kitchen. He didn't want to be a part of the conversation anymore. Mrs Turner sat, gritting her teeth to prevent her from saying anything.

Timmy glared at his mom, wanting some answers. "How? Why? When? Tell me. I have to know."

Since she was still under the truth spell, Mrs Turner had to answer. "This afternoon, they didn't tell us how. Poor girl, she always seemed so happy. Always remember that we love you Timmy, people care about you, never forget that."

Timmy began to cry. He didn't understand. Sure, Vicky may have been upset, but she had promised Timmy she wouldn't try anything again. Timmy finally spoke the words he had been dreading to say since her first attempt. "Vicky's gone. Vicky is dead...."

----Thanks for the reviews. Its cool that I have heaps of people reading this. Sorry it took so long to update. MGP