Chapter 3

The next morning, I didn't even bother getting up to go to school. I knew I'd be staying home that day. Sure enough, my father soon came in to tell me I was staying home to look after Falconor. My parents couldn't do it because they were going to talk to a doctor about treatment options. Falconor and I were only going with them for an hour and then walking back home. I then had to watch him the rest of the day. Daren would be going to school.

I got up to fulfill my daily duty of getting my brothers out of bed. A little frightened to see Falconor right now, I went to wake Daren first. Sliding through the half-open door, I sat on the bed and shook his shoulder gently. He merely groaned and burrowed more deeply into his pillow. Typical.

''Bunny, it's school time.'' I said sweetly, lifting the curtain of jet-black hair to reveal dark, sleepy eyes.

''Noooooo!'' he moaned. ''Won't!''

''Will.'' I said, ripping the covers off him. As my sulky baby brother dragged his butt out of bed, I began the long and loathsome trek down the hall to Falconor's room.

Opening the door gently, I felt like I was entering the room of a dying person. I touched his shoulder very slightly, not wanting to bring him too roughly into wakefulness. He hadn’t been sleeping. He sat bolt upright, his pale, gaunt face wet with tears, his eyes bloodshot and tired.

As soon as he realized who it was, he jerked his face away, embarrassed. “You didn’t get any sleep last night, did ya hon?” I reached out to touch his cheek.

“Tia, will you please leave me alone?” Falconor said as he buried his face in the pillow. His voice was hoarse and cracking.

I sat down on the bed beside him and started to rub his back soothingly. “I know you’re not feeling very well right now, but we’re going to the doctor’s today. You have to get up.”

“Go away.” Came Falconor’s voice from the pillow, thick with tears.

“C’mon sweetheart.” I grabbed his arm above the elbow and tugged gently. “You have to get up now.”

“Leave. Me. ALONE.” He wrenched his arm back.

“Please baby!”

“Your excessive use of pet names is very, VERY irritating!” Falconor snarled.

“I’m just trying to help!”

“Well don’t!”

Just then dad came in and motioned for me to leave. I complied, going instead to get properly dressed. Picking out a nice pleated denim skirt and a flirty, feminine tank top, I accessorized with a pink ribbon belt, a few bangle bracelets and a pair of pink chandelier style earrings. I didn’t care where I was going; I had to look good going there. Adding a bit of light makeup, I was ready.

When I re-emerged into the hall, my father was there. He sighed and ran a hand through his slightly grey blonde hair. Suddenly an idea struck me. “Dad, should I call Falconor’s friends and tell them?”

He sighed again. “Yes, I think that’d be for the best.” He looked at me seriously. “A few things: Firstly, I want to remind you that your brother is very fragile today, you have to be extremely careful around him. Secondly, maybe it would be a good idea to get Lance over here, if he can come. I think Falconor will be a lot more open with him than with you or me. Thirdly,” He paused. “I don’t have a thirdly.” He smiled briefly. “Just be careful.” And then he hurried downstairs.

I walked over to the phone and picked it up. Who to call first? Then I nearly laughed aloud at my indecision. Lance, of course! Silly me. Dialling the number that I knew better than my own, I waited for someone to pick up the phone.

“Hello?” Said a cute, timid voice at the other end. Lance’s shy, little fourteen-year-old brother, Kio.

“Hi hon. Is Lance there?”

Pause. “Yup.” Pause.

“Hey Tia.” That’d be Lance. Drool.

“Hi.”

“What’s up?”

“Umm… it’s about Falconor.”

I think he sensed the worry in my voice. “What! What’s wrong?”

“He uhh… well there is really no nice way to say this… he tried to kill himself last night. And he’s anorexic, cuts himself, and is on just about every kind of drug I can think of.”

Silence. “Oh. My. God.” Longer silence. Then he choked out, “Y-You’re joking, right?”

“No, Lance. I’m sorry.” I tried to be as gentle as I could.

A few deep breaths. I think he was trying to contain himself. “This is all my fault.” He sounded like he was trying not to cry and it really wasn’t working so well.

“It is not your fault. It’s ok baby.”

“I’m fine. Just… give me a minute.” I put the phone down and stared at the digital clock until the number changed.

“You better now?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Can you come over here later and help me look after Falconor? I think he’ll feel a bit more open around you.”

“Sure. Anything to help out my bro.” He did sound a bit calmer now.

“I gotta go call Meechie now, okay? See you soon.”

“Buh-bye. Love you Ti.”

“Love you to babe.”

I hung up the phone, and dialled another number. I still had to call Falc’s other friend, Dimitri (Meechie). “Hello?” Wow. He had actually picked up the phone. Coolness.

“It’s Tia.”

“Wassup, sista-gurl?” This was his normal greeting.

“It’s about Falconor actually.”

“Is something wrong?”

“I’ll just say it. He tried to kill himself last night, and we’ve found things in his room that show he’s been cutting and is anorexic. Every drug I’ve ever heard of was there too.” He didn’t really say anything. He just made a kind of squeak that would have been quite funny if the circumstances had been different. Then I think he dropped the phone.

“You alright hon?”

“Yeah. I… gotta go now.”

“Ok. Bye.”

“Goodbye.”

I hung up. At that moment, Falconor walked in. He was wearing his hoodie, and it took me a few moments to figure out it was so he could use the hood to hide his face. He was walking hunched over with his arms wrapped around himself, and all I could see of his face was his mouth. He was chewing his lip nervously.

“Hey.” I said softly. “You alright?”

He flopped down on the couch. He was all scrunched up, like he was trying to curl into himself and be as small as possible. He didn’t answer me. Daren came down, ready to go to school. He looked at me and narrowed his eyes. “Why do you guys get to stay home?” He spat. Then he saw Falconor. “Are you okay?” He said, rushing over.

Falconor shook his head. “I’m not feeling so good today Daren.”

“Don’t be sick, Falconor! I don’t want you to be sick. Get better!” Daren reached down and gave the slumped form of his brother a big hug. He can be such a sweetie sometimes.

“Thanks. I’ll try and get better, but it’s not exactly that simple.” Falconor smiled a bit, hugging him back weakly.

My parents came down the stairs. “Come on now, Falconor, Tia. Get in the car. Daren, go to school.” My father said softly, helping Falconor off the couch. We got into the car, my dad driving, my mom sitting shotgun, and Falconor and I in the back. He had returned to his stooped position. I reached out and took his shaking hand in mine, trying to calm him.

I gave him a reassuring smile, and he did not pull his hand away.