Tide

Chapter 39

A/N: Thinking of adding a cast, please let me know if you have any ideas:)

Plot twist for this chapter:

ISAAC'S POV (because why not)

My intention was that once I'd get home I'd feel better, but I was proved wrong.

Home had family pictures placed perfectly along the walls, Harper's dolls scattered on every floor, and the scent of my mother's previously cooked meals. Home was nicely furnished, where I grew up and where my family was. It was the place where I felt the most comfortable. It was the place I looked forward to going to after school.

Here, there were no family pictures, the wallpaper was tacky and curled, tempting me to peel it all off. Harper's dolls were hidden inside of her closet since my aunt was strict about cleaning up. The furniture was timeworn, I didn't grow up here, and the house felt empty without my parents. I hated it. This wasn't home.

It felt as if every ten seconds I was asked a new question. Everyone worried about me and how I was coping. It was unbearable. I didn't want to talk about it. 

Most nights I couldn't sleep, and when I could I had nightmares. I had my first panic attack one day in the middle of class. I hadn't been feeling well that day - I'd felt oddly anxious and was especially quiet, because my thoughts and memories had been spiralling out of control for hours. Suddenly I couldn't breathe.

That was when my aunt and uncle really began to worry. They bombarded me with questions and tried to force answers out of me, but I still was in no mood to talk. Whenever I did, it was just an awful reminder that my parents were gone, my home was gone, and my old life was gone. I was stuck living in a life I didn't want to live. I missed the old me. I missed everything. 

Harper suffered from a few incidents at school where she was reminded of the tsunami and completely lost it. My aunt began to worry and got her some help. Harper took it with no hesitation.

One day I sat on the couch, watching some television while Harper sat in front of me, a paper flattened against the coffee table as she drew. My cell phone sat next to her, ringing loudly. Harper took it, looked over her shoulder at me and waited. I shrugged and didn't bother picking it up.

Harper frowned. "Aren't you going to answer it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

She let out a grumble and then pressed the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

I could briefly hear the person on the other end of the line. "Hi," said the voice. My blood froze. It didn't take me long to recognize it.

"Who is this?" Harper asked. Suddenly my heart was pounding, anxiety pulsing through my veins.

"Um, Ava. Do you remember me?" Shit.

"Ava?" she repeated.

"Yeah, hi."

"Ava! Hi!"

"...Is Isaac home?" Ava asked.

Harper glanced at me. I shook my head. A smirk spread across her lips. "Yeah."

"Can I speak to him, please?"

"Okay! Hold on a minute."

"Tell her I'm not home." I whispered.

"She can hear you, idiot." Harper whispered back.

I let out a sigh before bringing device to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hi..." Ava muttered. I wasn't going to lie; I had missed hearing her voice. But for the past few months, no matter how many letters or phone calls I had tried sending her, she never answered, and that was when I had needed her the most. I figured she just didn't care as much as I did, and so I tried to move on. 

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I um, I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm okay."

"Oh, okay. Good. Um, thanks for the bracelet by the way."

"You're welcome."

"So..." Pause. "How's life?"

Pause. "Why are you calling, Ava?"

"I just want to talk--"

"Bullshit." 

Harper looked over her shoulder and stared at me with wide eyes. Suddenly anger rushed through me, burning and consuming me, and I spilled whatever burst of fury that came to mind, without really thinking.

"You swore!" Harper gasped.

I ignored her and repeated my question. "Why are you calling?"

"Isaac--"

"I'm not stupid, Ava. We haven't spoken in months."

"I'm sorry, Isaac. Really. It's just that my therapist told me that I had to forget the tsunami, and everyone involved... just erase all of 2004... She said it was the only way I could--"

"Erase all of 2004? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"I know, but please, you have to listen--"

I didn't want to listen. I hung up.

And I regretted it.