Chapter Nineteen

A look inside Leah's life after Bree left with hardly a word.

Useless.

Incapable.

A liar.

Insults and other forms of mental abuse flew through her head.

She couldn't save her.

She broke her promise.

Leah sat on the floor hunched over one of the many pictures that were scattered around her room.

As she stared at the group shot of them together. They were at a nearby amusement park for Bree's fifth birthday. Not really knowing any better, the little girl had jumped on a man in a cotton candy costume. She was laughing as Bree struggled to stay on top of the poor, underpaid worker, while their parents smiled in the background.

She'd missed Mom and Dad when they...Left. But Bree going was just painful.

It was their last wish. For her to make sure Bree was safe.

And she failed.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she choked on a sob.

It wasn't fair. She'd gotten everything taken away from her. And there was no way to get it back.

"Leah! You in your room?"

Heh. She'd forgotten about her friends. What was the date? She'd forgotten how long it's been since she's went outside.

Her door creaked open, and she looked up to see Penelope, Davis, Logan, and Megan.

"Aw, honey..."

Megan sat down next to the distressed girl, careful to avoid the scattered pictures.

"It's...It's not fair," Leah managed to mumble while being nearly hugged to death.

"I know sweetie, I know."

"It hurts...Why couldn't have it happened to me instead?"

"We'll get her back..."

"How?"

"We filed for a lost child while you've been locked up in the house," Davis said, holding up a bunch of fliers.

"We can put them up around the neighborhood," Penelope said, trying to cheer her up.

"Thanks guys," Leah sighed.

"It's okay, Leah. We're all friends. We're going to help you," Logan assured her. "We miss Bree almost as much as you do. She was always fun to hang out with. When she decided to grace us with her presence."

Leah had to roll her eyes and give them a small smile at that.

"I love you guys, ya know that?"

"You better love us," Davis laughed.

"...Feel like going out for...Uh...What time is it?"

"Four thirty," Megan said, standing up.

"An early dinner then. I need to get out of the house."

"Sure," the other girls said, guiding her out of the room, the guys trailing behind.

"Ananchel?" Leah called, stepping into the hallway.

"Mrow!"

The small kitty appeared by her feet, waiting to be picked up.

"Let's go, little girl. Leah needs to have some fun."

Leah picked up the cat and walked down the steps, ready to get out of the house.

"Where should we go?" Davis asked.

"Something local. I don't feel like driving far," Penelope complained.

"How about The Night Tree? Haven't gone there in awhile," Logan suggested.

"That's a club, and you know it," Leah accused.

"Then put on your clubbing shoes, girl!" Penelope laughed, shimmying her hips a little.

"...Only if you help me pick out an outfit," Leah resigned.

"To el closeto de Leah!" Megan cheered, pulling the girl up the steps.

Her family may be gone, but Bree could still have been okay. She also had her friends. And her friends might as well have been her family. Because they were the only things she knew she had left.

Author's Note

Just so you know, I didn't go into detail with the other four people because they aren't important. At all. Just sayin'. ...I don't even know if they even have a purpose other then making Leah less depressed.

Reviews

[halflives]

POORLEAHI'MDEPRESSEDNOW.

Yays! The Christmas music stopped so now I can properly review again.

I'm depressed 'cause this was sad. And I feel for Leah, though did she do anything to try and find her? 'Cause I probably would have, and then collapsed on the floor and died.

...which was pretty much what she did.

s**t.

I LOVED IT. I can't wait to read MOOOOOAR.

[r]

OHMYGOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!? THIS WAS SO SAD. And you wrote the whole -sad-and-being-comforte thing very very well, a lot better than i write it. xD I LOVED THIS. IT WAS SO SAD AND I JUST...I JUST LOVE IT. SO MUCH. GAH DGFHKJGHDKGHDFG. ♥♥♥ I feel sorry for Leah. D: I'm glad ze people are making her less depressed though... I JUST ENJOY THE WAY THEY SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER.

[master squiggles]

D****T.

I'M MORE DEPRESSED THAN I ALREADY WAS.

....that was depressing. >.<

THAT WAS SO SAD AND MADE ME FEEL SAD. BLEH. I FEELS BAD FOR LEAH, KINDA, SORTA, NOT REALLY. .__________________________. why didn't i read this sooner....?! POST THE NEXT CHAPTER. NOW.