It was Monday, September 8, and week 2 of school was now beginning. We had survived week one, somehow. The same girl we had seen from week 1 informed us that yet again there was an assembly.
We walked into the auditorium and sat down. It wasn't as loud as expected. The principle stepped onto the stage, and everyone knew that was the signal to be quiet.
"Good morning, students although I don't know how good it will be after the news I'm about to deliver." He paused and then cleared his throat; "I regret to inform you that one of our students, Enya O'Leary, has died. Although not many of you knew her, as there are quite a large number of students at this school, you might know her cousin, Shannon O'Hara. Perhaps it's better this way. Enya was beautiful but in too much pain. Last night, she took her own life." He paused. "That is all. Classes are…….."
Has died has died has died. The last time I heard those words was the morning of august 31, when my mother told me the news of my father. Has died has died has died. They kept echoing and re-echoing in my head. I ran out of the auditorium and a few heads turned as my feet pounded up the aisle and out one of the many doors. Kate was calling after me but I was too far away to hear her and didn't bother stopping to listen to most of what she said.
"Lizzie…..wait……where are you going……classes are cancelled for the day and half of back"
I ran all the way to my house. When I got there no one was home. No one's ever home. I closed and locked the front door then ran upstairs and closed and locked the door of my room. It was now 8:00 and I slept until 12, lunchtime. That was when a pounding on the door awakened me.
"Lizzie, open up, it's Kate, I have food and Starbucks, cmon I know you're in there!" she yelled.
I made no move to open the door.
"Lizzie I forgot my key now open up!" more yelling more pounding.
A few minutes later my cell rang. Then, the home phone. I ignored them both. A text message appeared on my cell phone screen: LIZZIE ITS KATE PLEASE OPEN UP.
I went downstairs in my pajamas and robe. Blood from my cutting spree earlier that morning was what stuck my robesleeves to my skin but I didn't care. I opened the door. And there was Kate, standing on the doorstep holding a tray of Starbucks but not all of the beverages were from starbucks; a couple was from JavaCreek.
"Thank you," was the first thing she said to me.
We had been friends for so long that she didn't need to be told to come in.
"Hi," I said glumly.
She came in, set the drink tray down on the table and hugged me.
"Hey hun."
"Thanks for bringing my stuff over," I told her, in an effort to be polite. I had left my bag in the auditorium and I guess she had noticed and decided to bring it over.
"And for the drinks. You wanna come upstairs?" I asked her.
"Yeah ok."
As angry, depressed, cold, silent and distant as I was feeling, Kate still was my best friend.
We walked into the kitchen before going upstairs. Kate put 2 of the Starbucks drinks and the JavaCreek drinks in the microwave and the other Starbucks drinks, the ones that came in the clear plastic cups, in the fridge. I reached up into a cabinet and grabbed an Oreo Pop Tart out of the box. When I reached up the sleeves of my robe didn't expose my arm because the now dried blood was sticking the sleeve to my arm. Kate grabbed one too. Pop Tarts aren't the most healthy thing in the world for you but at that moment I didn't give a fuk.
I sat down at a high black bar stool while Kate chose a low wooden chair.
"So," I said after awhile, "how are you?"
I nibbled on my Pop Tart.
"Idinno Lizzie. I'm…….idinno."
She nibbled on hers and the microwave beeped. She opened the microwave door and pulled out the 2 beverages from JaveCreek, one for me and one for her.
"Here," she said, handing me mine; "drink this. It'll help."
I took a sip of mine. It was chai tea, one of my favourites; "thanks."
"You're welcome. Shall we go?" she asked, indicating the upstairs. I nodded, still sipping my drink.
The house was empty, quiet. Cold. It semed large, massive, vast, opulent.
Kate grabbed 2 boxes of Oreo Pop Tarts, 2 of Mrs. Fields cookees and 2 of Oreos and we headed upstairs.
We walked into my room, which had bloody tissues strewn about and razorblades, single and double edged, on the bed.
"Oh Lizzie," Kate said, as we sat down on the floor.
"Yeah, as you can see, I did quite a number on myself."
"Yes, you did."
We were quiet and sipped more of our beverages. I opened another package of Oreos.
Kate looked around. The room was almost too quiet.
"Well looks like you haven't destroyed anything else," she remarked.
I sighed; "yeah. Just my arms."
More silence. But Kate was fine with that, with waiting for me to talk.
"So what have you been doing?" she asked after awhile.
"Sleeping, since I got home."
"Damn you run quickly."
"Thanks. Jus tryin to run away I guess."
Pause.
"Kate, there's something you need to know about earlier this year."
She looked at me, her large blue eyes, the ones that were the same colour as mine, wide.
"On the night of August 31, at 8 p.m., my father was killed by a drunk driver."
Kate set her drink down; "oh Lizzie."
"And, the fact that that girl killed herself was……"
'"Just too much for you to bear."
"Yeah. I couldn't take it."
"I understand."
There was a pause as we sipped more of our drinks. We still hadn't touched the food.
"I mean, I didn't know her but she sounds like a really wonderful, beautiful person," I said.
"She was, Lizzie. She was. Everyone loved her."
"And then….she died."
"Yes. She did. She died," Kate confirmed.
"just………. Just, like, my dad."
Kate looked at me sympathetically; "oh Lizzie. Honey." She paused; "what a way to start the year."
"Yeah I know. First my father and now this."
Pause.
"You……….haven't touched your food," Kate observed.
"I'm, not very hungry. I guess."
"That can happen."
Pause. Kate shifted.
"I met Enya, recently," Kate told me.
"When?"
"Within the last year, or so."
"What was she like?"
"One of the nicest people I have ever come across. And Shannon, her cousin, is also really nice."