Chapter 4

Depression

When Hopper had gotten the text from Briar, he considered actually inviting Ginger over. But then his mind clicked to his buddies and how Briar had ranted at how he didn't pay attention to anyone he loved, so he decided to call Daring, Dexter, and Hunter up and head to a small bar up the street. All three had agreed. Hopper put on a clean red shirt and black shorts, and headed out the door.

—

Hunter sighed. The second Ashlynn had come home from the hospital, she had gathered all of the toys, books, and decorations intended for Harmony, sat them on the coffee table, and stared at them, like if she stared long enough her baby would return. He often found her rearranging them in order from smallest to largest, or setting them up in her own unknown way, or playing with the rattles and stroking the blankets and flipping through the books.

He felt so miserable seeing her like this. Her eyes were hollow and sad. She went to bed early and mostly ignored the alarm. Once Hunter found her with a pillow stuffed up her shirt as she stroked it, pretending her baby was okay. When they went shopping she lingered in the baby area, staring at the nappies and little clothes. Every night before she slept she coated her hands in baby oil and held them up to her face. Last night, he woke up in the middle of the night and was unable to find his wife. He eventually spotted her in Harmony's room, rocking her crib back and forth and humming a lullaby, like their baby was there. Today morning, he had found her curled up against the cot.

She had gotten a little better after her biweekly counselling sessions with Cedar Wood. She smiled a little more, but the emptiness was still there. She relied heavily on Hunter, who was anxious to help. But he knew that Ashlynn never, never wanted to get pregnant again. After a few weeks, she threw all the toys, clothes and books in a large bag and stuffed it in the attic along with all the old furniture. She disassembled the cot and put the wooden pieces in the cupboard. It was like Harmony never existed.

Hunter stared at the picture on his iPhone. Ashlynn, a beautiful and healthy looking girl, her stomach swollen. Her smile was radiant. If only she continued being like that. He jumped when his phone rang and quickly answered it.

"Hey, Hunter? It's Hopper."

"Hey there Hopper. You alright?"

"Yeah, just wondering if you wanted to get a drink and catch up on some stuff?" Hopper asked.

"There is a lot of stuff to catch up on," Hunter answered grimly.

"Oh, yeah. Um, you know who Harmony is? Coz Briar was saying that she passed away. She was really sad about it. Was she a friend or something?"

Hunter froze. He gulped.

"Hunter?"

"Look, I'm not really familiar with Harmony, and neither was Briar, but she was always part of the family, you know?"

"Yeah, man. Look, I'm sorry. I know what it feels like to lose someone. How did she, uh, pass away?"

"Um, car crash."

"Oh. That sucks."

Pause.

"Well, tell Ash I said hi, okay? There's a bar I wanna head to, it's just near this counselling office. You need the address?"

"Nah, I'm alright." He knew very well where that counselling office was. "Will seven be okay?"

"Yep, I'm headed out now, actually."

"Okay, see you."

"Bye Hunter."

Hopper hung up. Hunter paused and thought. Ashlynn was at her counselling session, and it ended at nine. That gave him two hours to spend with his mates. He would pick up Ashlynn on the way back. Maybe they could spin to the cafe and get something to eat. That seemed like a good plan.

He threw on a brown hoodie and headed out. He stared at his Jeep. It was pretty battered. Shrugging, he hopped in and headed towards the bar.

The building was brightly lit. He stepped inside and spotted Hopper at a table with two glasses of beer. Dexter and Daring were also there with their own drinks. He smiled at Hopper, but was unsure what to think of the Charming brothers.

"Here's your beer," Hopper said. Hunter took it. He was pretty happy that Hopper had remembered what he liked best.

"Haven't seen you ages, Hunter!" Daring yelled, slinging an arm around Hunter's shoulder. The brunette flinched but said nothing. Dex nodded his greeting as he sipped at his wine.

"You know, I proposed to Cerise at last!" he shouted, and then came a jolly but dreadfully boring and conceited recount of the proposal. Hunter wondered how Cerise could stand the man.

"You know, last time I saw Ash moping about town," Dexter said seriously when Daring ended. "Are you treating her like a proper husband should?"

"Of course!" Hunter responded, offended. "If you should know, she's traumatised by the death of someone who was close to her and I."

"Harmony," Hopper nodded, drinking a mouthful of his own beer.

"Well, then you should be consoling her, not here with us," Dexter answered quietly. "That's not very good of you."

"She's at her counselling sessions," Hunter flared up.

"Counselling? Harmony must've been really close!" Hopper gaped.

"And if anyone should be a better husband, it might as well be you!" his brown-hoodied friend cried, thumping down his glass. "I see Raven crying in an alleyway, and she says it's because of you!"

"It can't!" Dexter answered, although he looked quite nervous. "I'm a perfectly good husband! It was definetely someone - or something else!"

"Really? Then tell me - who is abandoning their wife for a pretty pink-haired girl, and having dinner and a movie with them?" Hunter shouted back. Hopper instantly paled. His freckles almost disappeared.

"What, you too?" Hunter said. "Really, you should at least be faithful!"

"I didn't know," Hopper answered. "I don't really like Ginger, I swear. I love Briar. I always have. I just don't know anymore."

Daring barked out a laugh. "You two are simply horrible!" he proclaimed. "Doing this mean business to your ladies!"

"And you!" Hunter hissed, turning to the blonde. "You may be the worst of all. Tell me, was it you who was making out with a stripper, right in front of the girl who had supported you through everything, even your own idiocy? Because she was curvier and bustier? Was it you who made Cerise run away?"

Daring froze. "I did no such thing!" he lied, as Dexter and Hopper gawped.

"Then Cerise is a liar, and good at fake crying," Hunter answered. "And I don't think she is. All three of you, you should be ashamed of yourselves! Have you left your ladies at home to come here and get drunk?"

"Don't preach," Daring groaned. "I did no such thing. Cerise is having a girl's night out with her besties foresties."

"As is Raven."

"And Briar."

"I thought I had found some worthy friends. I thought Briar looked like she had been crying when she came to our house," Hunter glared.

"Briar never cries!" Dexter shouted.

"Would you cry if you found out Raven was falling for another man, and ignoring you?" Hunter answered solemnly. Dexter and Hopper squirmed.

"I can explain!" Daring shouted. "And I will!" He jumped up and ran towards the entrance of the building. Dexter and Hopper started to follow, but Hunter stopped them.

"Now, tell me the truth," he said seriously. "Do you love your wives?"

"Yes!" Hopper shouted immediately. "I don't know what came over me. Briar is all I wanted and more. I'm not throwing that away." He looked so determined that Hunter knew he was being sincere. They both looked at the bespectacled brunette.

"I don't know," Dexter whispered finally.

"Wrong answer. Let's go!"

—

Later

"I can explain!" Daring shouted as he clasped Cerise's hand.

"Then please do," Cerise deadpanned, snatching her hand out of his. She chugged down her drink. "Go on, I'm ready."

"Lioness told me that she loved me, and desperately wanted to hurt you, my little wolf cub. I promised that I would pretend to be her lover in exchange that she didn't lay a hand on you," Daring explained.

"So, you basically cheated on me so some jealous stripper wouldn't trash talk my face? Gee thanks, Daring," Cerise answered sarcastically.

Suddenly, Briar stood up and thumped a hand on the table. "He's lying! Trust me, I know a lie when I see one."

Cerise looked Daring in the eye. "Daring," she sighed. "You're lying. And…I don't love you anymore. Go find another girl. I'm just not the one."

"Aren't you going to dramatically fling your engagement ring back at him?" Maddie suggested. Her entire small body was stretched out on the table like it was all hers.

"He didn't give me one," Cerise answered.

Maddie fainted.

Raven stumbled towards Dexter in her heels. She lightly shook him. "Dexie? Dexie, you alive?" she asked softly.

"C-Cupid?" Dexter mumbled. That did it.

Raven had no idea what came over her, but she slapped him. Hard.

Maybe it was because she was drunk. Or, more likely, that was the last straw.

"What! Raven!" Dexter shouted, sitting up and rubbing his cheek. Raven's cheeks were wet with angry tears. "You slapped me!"

"You hurt me!" Raven answered, wiping her tears. But new ones only replaced them. These were mournful tears now. "Do you know how much this hurts? Dexter, do you know how much it hurts to see the love of your life going to date another girl? Am I not good enough for you anymore? Dexter, I actually…my heart actually…I love you! Okay? I love you so hard! Why is it so hard to love me back?"

"Raven…"

"I get it! I get it! I'm pathetic! I'm not good enough! This is not good enough!" she shouted, pointing at her face, pulling at her hair, gesturing towards her entire body.

She gave another strangled sob. "Fine! Go to Cupid, okay? Leave me alone to who I'm supposed to be! A dirty criminal like my mother."

"What the flip?! You are nothing like your mother!" Briar shouted, but Raven didn't listen. In her eyes, Dexter was her whole world. She left the room crying, and mess of tears and fury.

"Raven!" Cerise cried. She growled and poked Daring hard in the chest. "We're through." She ran after her friend, calling her name. Daring just blinked and stared. Briar looked like she was ready to kick him hard in the guts.

"What kind of person do you call yourself?" Reece scowled, glaring at the stupid blonde. He took off after Cerise.

Briar stormed up to Dexter. "Just who do you think you are? You think I should deserve better cousins? Because trust me, I do! You go to your Cupid, alright?"

Dexter obeyed and fled, leaving Briar and Maddie with Daring and Hopper.

Briar took a deep breath and sat back down. Hopper walked up to her. "Briar?" he asked carefully, the creature finally off his head.

Briar squinted. "Who's this?"

"Are you drunk?" Hopper asked.

"Nope," Briar answered, although she clearly was. She eyed Hopper up and down. "You sure look handsome, mister. Do you wanna come back to my place?"

"Don't you have a husband?" Hopper asked nervously, playing along.

"He loves someone else, so oughtn't I do the same?" Briar replied.

"I have a wife, and I think she needs me right now," Hopper said quickly, before leaving.

"Let's go," Maddie said, threading her arm through Briar's.

—

"Raven! Raven!" Cerise called, but she couldn't find her friend anywhere. The streets were dark and she was panicking. Last time, Raven tried to overdose on medicine in a feeble attempt of suicide. Now she was drunk, broken, and depressed.

Cerise frantically searched for violet hair but found none.

"Cerise?"

She jumped as a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Cerise, are you looking for Raven?"

"Reece, I have to find her! She's going to try and hurt herself!" Cerise said. Reece did nothing else but grab her hand and run.

"From what I heard, Raven likes dark places. Let's check the alleyways."

Cerise was a dutiful runner. She sprinted like the wind. Reece quickly followed. They spotted a figure in the alleyway, slouched and slender.

"Raven?"

The figure turned, a skinny boy with a spray can.

"Wrong person. Never mind."

They ran everywhere, looking and yelling and screaming. Cerise couldn't think straight. They ran to the highway, where the bright lights and loud beeping did little else than confuse Cerise even more. She suddenly spotted her friend, on the skybridge, looking over the fast moving cars below.

"RAVEN!" Cerise shouted. She ran towards her friend, dragging Reece with her. She hadn't really noticed their hands had been linked this entire time except for now. They advanced towards the skybridge, swerving out of the way of bikers and skateboarders. Raven was staring cryptically at the rushing vehicles and tottered to the edge, leaning over.

"RAVEN!" Cerise cried again, starting to cry in fear. The two ran as fast as they could towards the purple-haired girl as she slowly bent herself forward, her feet starting to slip.

"RAVEN! NO!" Cerise screamed, thrusting out an arm - but it was too late.

Raven had plummeted into the speeding cars below.

Okay, that was intense. But fear not! The next chapter will be pretty fluffy and safe. Just curious, who do you feel most sorry for?

- Reade