"You don't drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there."

• • •

He pulls into an abandoned parking lot, my hands are still shaking, I can't think straight. The tears stopped a while ago but my face is still wet. What the hell just happened. I know he's talking to me but I can't hear him, it all sounds like muffled sounds. Until he grabs my face and turns it towards his. We're close, too close, but I'm way too out of it to notice.

"I need you to say something." He says slowly like I barely understand English or something. I try to speak but my words get caught in my throat.

"Th-th-they don't n-need to speak to me again, r-right?" I manage to ask in a shaky voice. He shakes his head and removes his hand from my face.

"You don't have to see them ever again." He says and pulls out some napkins from his glove compartment. He sounds sincere, I think he feels bad for me. I wish I believed what he said.

• • •

I couldn't fall asleep that night the screams and gunshots played in my head over and over. I've never experienced anything like that in my life. I don't want to ever again. I get out of bed and meet my mom downstairs.

"Hey girly." She says cheerfully. That makes me feels bit better, I smile at how happy she is. "You gonna come over to Mr. Ricci's with me today?" I think about it but I'm not really ready to see again, I'm still trying to recover from the night before.

" I don't think so, I didn't get much sleep last night." I say sitting on a stool. She makes a pouty face then kisses me on my head and goes to grab her things for work. Once she leaves I stay downstairs for a while walking around, tired but not able to go to sleep. This is hell. Just as I go to walk up the stairs I hear a knock at the door, when I look through the peephole I see Jacob standing there with his hands in his pockets.

I open the door and stare at him for a while. Almost confused as to why he's here. "Can I come in?" He asks as if I'm being rude. He could've gotten me killed last night. I shake the thoughts out of my head and move to the side letting him inside.

"I came to see how you were." He says as I shut the door.

I start to walk up to my room and he follows. "I can't sleep." I say shortly, opening my bed room door.

"Yeah, that's how i was. The sounds wake you up every time huh?" He asks with empathy in his voice.

"Yeah." I want to be mad at him but he kept his promise, he didn't let anything happen to me, if you don't count psychological trauma.

"I brought you these." He pulls a bottle of pills out of his pocket. My face must say a thousand words because he laughs. "They're just sleeping pills, don't worry. You take one of these and you should be good."

"Thank you." I say and grab the pill bottle out of his hands. He takes it upon himself to look around my room. I want to be angry but I'm not, maybe I'm too tired to be. I only read the labels on the pills.

"Also!" He says and grabs my phone. "Unlock it." He says and I look at him questionably before unlocking it. He does something on it before throwing it back on the bed and standing up.

"Just one of these?" I ask as he walks out the room.

"Just one." He smiles and walks down the stairs and out the door. I waste no time popping one of these and fall asleep not far after. Finally.

• • •

Days pass, not many though. It feels like Jacob and I have an understanding now, common ground. He texts me sometimes, not often. Usually just to see how I'm doing, if the pills are working. They are, I've been sleeping good.

Mr . Ricci's having a party today. We're at his house setting up some bouquets on the outdoor tables. We have on nice attire, well at least my mom does. I put no effort into my outfit today, it's too hot. Shorts and a tank top, my mom talked about it the whole ride over here. Mr. Ricci heard us talking about my outfit choices and told my mom that I could stay inside if I'd prefer, she budged.

The guests are starting to arrive. It looks like the same bunch as last time. The living room window gives me a clear view of everyone coming for the party. Wearing designer clothes, driving expensive cars, not a care in the world. My mom comes to find me and tell me that the party was getting started and she was going to the back.

I sit around exploring the downstairs, talking to some of the workers who are coming in for breaks from the hot sun. I look at my phone to see an hour has passed and that my phone is dying. Shit. I'm already bored and forgot to bring my charger.

Sighing I text Jacob. " I wait.

10 more minutes pass and my phone buzzes. " So I'm guessing he is home. I grab my phone and begin to head up the large spiral staircase. I look around, confused until Jacob opens his door which is on the other side of the long hall, I've only been in his room once.

He motions for me to come inside and I do. His room is plain but big and neater than I thought it would be. He notices me looking around and laughs. I walk over to his dresser and pick up a frame with a picture of a young child and his mother. "Is this your mom?" I ask and he nods. He sits on a chair in his room, hair disheveled like he just woke up. "Where is she?" I ask.

"Why'd you text me? You bored down there?" He says slightly amused, completely ignoring my question.

"I need a charger." I say turning towards him, standing in the same spot unsure of what to do with myself.

He motions for me to hand him my phone and I do. He plugs my phone into a charger and sets it up on his nightstand. "Thanks." I say, standing there awkwardly looking around.

"The pills working?" He asks while standing up and heading towards the dresser where I'm standing.

"Yeah, I haven't had any problems since you gave them to me." I say as he continues towards me, like a predator stalking prey. But his words sound sincere. I don't know how to react.

"Good." He says and stops directly in front of me, our faces too close for comfort. He stares me straight in my eyes. Why does he do that?

He reaches behind me almost boxing me in against the drawer. He pulls a bottle of pills from behind me, never breaking eye contact. "Hopefully you won't be needing these anytime soon then." He says and goes back to sit down, sliding the bottle into his nightstand.

"I-uh, yep." I say. What was that?! My mind is in a frenzy, what was that feeling? He laughs at my apparent discomfort and invites me to sit on the bed but I excuse myself to the bathroom. I need a minute to recollect myself.

By the time I get back Jacob's grabbing his things, I guess he has somewhere to go. When I check my phone my mom has texted me that she's ready to go anyways. I'm ready to go too, I think to myself.

• • •