The Heartbroken - S01 E53

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The Heartbroken - S01 E53

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 53

“Are you kidding? I’d

give anything—anything

at all—if she could just

be here, biting the shit

out of everyone’s

arms.”

I couldn’t imagine Seth

as a skinny third-grader,

being bullied and

protected. To think that

there was a time he

wasn’t so cocky and

arrogant.

“It’s hard,” I said.

“Having someone taken

away like that.”

“Must be harder having

to watch someone die

without being able to do

anything,” he said.

“Maybe it’s all the

same.” I stifled a yawn,

the rough night finally

getting to me.

“Permanently losing

someone, be it instantly

or slowly—it’s all the

same. They’re just

gone. An accident or

cancer—either way,

having someone you

love taken away from

you hurts like a b---h.”

“Maybe.”

I could feel my eyes

closing now, my eyelids

getting heavier. I loved

being able to sleep like

this—when you can’t

help but sleep, when

you don’t have to lie in

bed awake, thinking of

all the things that make

us human, trying to

sleep but not quite

being able to, forcing

your consciousness to

shut down even when

it doesn’t want to.

I liked falling asleep this

way—when your

consciousness shuts

down by itself.

“Seth?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” I said, my

eyes shutting close

almost involuntarily.

I heard him say

“anytime” as the

sounds around me

dulled, freeing myself

from thoughts of being

human along with every

other thing that came

with it, falling asleep in

that way that only

nights like this could

ever bring.

—

“So let me get this

straight”—he shoved

another forkful of

scrambled eggs into his

mouth—“you still

haven’t returned any of

your mother’s calls?”

I looked away. My

phone had been turned

off since yesterday, but

I knew my mother and

I knew she’d been

trying to call me ever

since I stormed off last

night.

He sighed. “If you don’t

want to call her, then I

will.”

“Don’t,” I said quickly.

“Kyla,” he said, pointing

his fork at me, “letting

her know you’re safe

doesn’t mean that

you’re ready to make it

up to her. I’ll talk to her.

It’s just… better than

her thinking that you’re

laying on a ditch at

some deserted

highway.”

I grumbled under my

breath as I sipped on

my juice, not exactly

agreeing nor disagreeing

to his idea. I knew,

grudgingly, that he was

right about this and

arguing with him would

only be useless, but

some childish part of

me wants to stop him

from calling up my

mother. Establishing

communication with her

would only make her

feel like I’m fine with

the way things are.

Letting her know that I

was safe and sound

would only make it

seem as if I still care

about being tethered to

her.

“Relax,” he said,

standing up from the

table and actually

abandoning his food for

a while, which was a

miracle in itself,

considering the way he

had been eating since a

half-hour ago.

He took the seat beside

me as he used his own

cell phone to dial my

mother’s.

I pushed the food

around my plate as I

waited for the call to

connect, watching Seth

pressing the phone

against his ear in my

peripheral vision.

Moments later, he said,

“Hi, good morning.”

He paused, listening to

the next line.

“This is Seth. Seth

Everett?” Placing a hand

on top of my head, he

sent me a look that

said It’ll be fine. “Yeah,

that’s me. Yes, Ma’am…

Uh-huh… As a matter of

fact”—he met my

gaze, as if to make

sure I was all right with

this, so I gave him a

little half-hearted nod

—“yes, Kyla’s with me

at the moment. She

contacted me last night

and she stayed the

night over.”