nyc prep continued

"Oh god," was the gasped reply. "That's, that's horrible." She closed her eyes, that was... So many people. So many of her classmates...

The older man simply nodded his reply. She would hear the rest of the number soon enough...no reason to make it worse now

she leaned her head against the window. Soon enough they were pulling up to her house. "Thank you Lloyd. I really appreciate it."

He nodded, "glad to help miss Brooklyn." He watched. Her go up to the house then pulled away. So many lives changed forever

Brooklynn went inside and allowed herself to be fussed over for about ten minutes before going to bed. She needed sleep.

Sam had spent the past few days with Jeff. She had been to her apartment a few times but not many. She had seen her father a few times, the first was the day after the shooting when he confirmed her fears. It had been the daughter. She hadn't told Jeff, she didn't think she could. So many had died. Sam stood in Jeff's kitchen in shorts and one of his tshirts. She had gotten in the habit of waking up before him and making breakfast. It was easier that way, he wouldn't know that she had been tossing and turning on the couch all night. And even though she had been practically living with him for the past few days she didn't know where they stood. Were they together ? But she wasn't going to ask.



Paige had only left her house to see jarid the past few days and even then her father took her and picked her up .

Brooklynn had been back at the hospital everyday to sit with Carl. Her arm was in a sling to stop her from using it, but other than that, she was fine.

Jarid was having nightmares. It was too much. He couldn't sleep much, but he didn't say a thing to Paige or his dad. They'd both worry too much.

Jaimie didn't get out of bed until this morning. And the only reason she did that was to tell her mother to go back to Paris. The woman wasn't helping, fussing over Jaimie and causing more trouble than helping. She couldn't stand it anymore.

All across the US the News broadcasted every new detail that had came out about the shooting. the mug shot of teh red head was released as well as some facts including the arrest of her step father. Carl clicked the tv off. His mother had gone down for some breakfast but he wasn't hungree. he couldn't eat....not now. nothing really mattered did it? his father hadn't been to see him today at all but that wasn't really a surprise concidering


Jeff rolled out of bed his head spliting in pain. last night he had managed to get piss drunk but this morning he wondered if it was a good idea

There was a soft knock on the door. "Morning genius. How are you?" Brooklynn asked as she entered.

He looked up at her then back to the cieling without a word

She sat next to him. "What's wrong?"

His mother stepped into the room, "oh...Brooklyn..." She said looking to her son then back to the girl
Carl hardly even reacted, "shed been here every day mom." He said bluntly
"i know I just...I...I didn't see her come in."
"clearly."

"I'm sorry, should I leave?" she asked. Why was he acting this way?

Sam flipped the pancakes. "Breakfast is ready," she yelled to him. She knew he had been drinking last night but she didn't care about how much his head must hurt. But if he didn't stop drinking she was leaving.




Paige opened her eyes and slowly got out of bed. She still couldn't believe the Nikki had killed all those people. It seemed imposible.

"do you have to yell?" Jeff asked walking into the kitchen

Sam wanted to snap at him but she forced herself to relax. "Sorry. I wanted to make sure you heard."

"you might want to...I'm not great company." carl said with little emotion
"Carl come on...she's your friend and-"
"And things change mom." he said l;ooking at her, "a lot of things change."


"I think half of brooklyn heard you." he said with a sigh

Jarid forced himself out of bed and into the kitchen. He'd stopped listening to the radio or watching TV, it all seemed to revolve around the shooting. he didn't want to think about it anymore.

Brooklynn stared at him. "Wha-... What's going on, Carl? What happened?" She'd never heard him talk like this.

"Nothing." he said and looked at her for the first time. the light in them was gone. they were sad and almost...empty, "how are you?" he forced the question

"I'm fine." she replied quickly, but she didn't believe him. "You don't look like nothing happened," she said softly.

"Really? I thought I was hiding it so well." he said his tone mocking.
"Carl." his mother snapped her brow furrowed in reproach
"What mom?!" his gaze snapped from Brooklyn to his mother, "would you rather I pretend like you and dad seem to know how so well?"
"Enough!" she was getting angry, " Brooklyn Dear, I am really so sorry for the way he is behaving-"
"I'm sitting right here...you don't have to act like I'm not here."
"Maybe if you weren't being such a snot I would acknowledge that you were here but I personally don’t feel like getting my head bit off so until you can figure out how to be civil you aren’t in this conversation.” Her southern accent was in full swing one hand on her hip the other out her finger pointing at him. Rolling his eyes he went back to looking at the ceiling

Brooklynn was really confused now. She looked to Carl's mom. "Is there... Is there anything I can do?" she asked softly.

"Hungry?" Sam asked as she turned the stove off. He'd been acting like this for days and she was tired of it. She knew he had been through something horrible but getting drunk every night was not going to change what happened.


Paige changed and flopped back on her bed. Want some company? She texted to Jarid. She hoped he was awake.

Always Jarid replied.

Sunlight_Streaming wrote:

Brooklynn was really confused now. She looked to Carl's mom. "Is there... Is there anything I can do?" she asked softly.

"I...don't think so."
"Brooklyn just go." Carls voice was softer than before his gaze still up

Paige smiled. Be there soon. "Dad, I'm going to Jarid's," she said as she walked into her fathers study.
"I'll take you, give me a minute to finish this up," he said looking up from a file he was reading.
"Dad, I can drive myself. I'll be fine." Paige insisted.
"Fine, but you call when you get there," he insisted. "You've been spending a lot of time with Jarid. Is something going on between you two?"
Paige rolled her eyes, "really dad? We're friends, that's all." She grabbed her keys. "I'll let you know when I get there." She promised then left.

oxford girl wrote:

"Hungry?" Sam asked as she turned the stove off. He'd been acting like this for days and she was tired of it. She knew he had been through something horrible but getting drunk every night was not going to change what happened.

He nodded slowly, " It smells great sam."

Sam put a few pancakes on a plate and handed it to him. "The syrup and butter is on the table." He looked almost as exhausted as she felt.

He hesitated for a moment, "uhm...did you by any chance make coffee?"

"Yeah, I'll get you a cup." She turned and got a cup out and filled it, refilling hers also. "Here," she said handing it to him.

Jeff took the cup and half smiled as he headed to the table

Sam closed her eyes as she sipped her coffee. It was her third cup and it wasn't even nine thirty. She stood still for a moment before getting a few pancakes and going to the table. "How's your head?" She asked Jeff as she sat.

~MJ~ wrote:

"I...don't think so."
"Brooklyn just go." Carls voice was softer than before his gaze still up

She looked at him for a moment. There was a lump in her throat. He never spoke to her like that. She put her hand on top of his and squeezed briefly. "Okay," she agreed. "If that's... if that's what you want."

Jarid made himself some cereal and sat at the table, waiting. His dad had left the paper out and he pushed it off the table. He didn't want to hear anything about what had ahppened.

"its telling me I'm an idiot." He said dumbing on some syrup, "how did you sleep."

Carl swallowed hard feeling tears in his eyes. A few seconds he waited before pulling his hand from yours, "ibthink its best."

"I-" Brooklynn began, but her voice cracked. The lump in her throat made it hard to speak. "Yeah, okay. Okay sure," she nodded before quickly walking out of the room. She made it to the waiting room before she had to wipe her eyes. He never treated her like that. Why would he? What did she do?

Paige texted her dad to let him know she arrived as she knocked on Jarid's door.


"Fine," she said. She slept as she good as she could with taking sleeping pills, but she had them at her apartment so they were always and option. "Want some aspirin?"

Jarid opened the door. "Hey," he smiled, though the bags under his eyes were huge. "Thanks for coming over. I'm going insane here."

"You haven't been sleeping," it wasn't a question, she could tell. "Why didn't you call me?"

"So we could both not sleep? That's be dumb," he replied, going back into the kitchen.

Paige followed him. "Nightmares?" She asked. She'd had them after her brother tried to kill himself, she could only imagine how bad Jarid's would be.