Page 57 of Behind the Bars

I stumbled to my feet and rushed over to Katie. Her breaths were swallow and her eyes widened,panicked.

“Eli,” she murmured, and I wrapped my arms aroundher.

“It’s okay,” I told her, panicking when I noticed the blood on my fingers from where I’d touched the back of her head. “You’re okay, you’reokay.”

She started to shut her eyes, and I shookher.

No…

“St-stay here, Katie. Stay h-here.” I reached into her purse and searched for her cell phone, but then remembered Todd had taken it. My eyes darted around, and I found my cell phone on the ground where the guys had tossed it. I hurried over and dialed 9-1-1, and then I was back to Katie. I held her in my lap, and I didn’t let go of her again. She stayed still as her breaths grew lighter and lighter, and my panic grew louder andlouder.

I didn’t remember what I said to thedispatcher.

The person on the phone asked me questions, and I didn’t remember responding. I didn’t remember anything. Every inch of me was numb. Every part of me dying from thepain.

“No,” I begged, holding her, pulling her motionless body close to mine. “No, no, no, pl-please. Katie, please,” I cried into her as the dispatcher told me they were sending someone our way. An ambulance was on the way.An ambulance… An ambulance is on theway…

I began to sob into my sister, because I knew she wasn’t going to make it. I knew when the ambulance pulled around the block, they’d be too late tohelp.

I held my sister as she took her last breaths in myarms.

“Katie, no,” I yelled as I sobbeduncontrollably.

When they arrived, they pushed me to the side, tried CPR, and then loaded her onto a stretcher. They took me in the truck with them. As they pulled away, they pronounced herdead.

Every part of me died right there beside her—my sister, my family, my very bestfriend.

I was forever ruined when Todd Clause stole the life of the best human I’d everknown.

And nothing would ever be the sameagain.

Subject: Making her proud

Eli,

I feel like I haven’t been myself in so long. Whenever I sing soul music, it’s at night, and it’s almost a whisper so Trevor and my mom won’t hear me. I’m sorry I haven’t emailed you much. Mom has been yelling at me to stay off my cell phone. I hate that you’re so far away. I hate that I can’t seeyou.

There’s this superstar producer I’m supposed to meet with. He’s known for making megastars for pop music. I’d gone over and over about how I could tell everyone no. I’d thought about how I could run away and just not comeback.

Run back to you. To us. To soul. But then, I think about my mother. This might be the what I’ve been looking for this whole time. Maybe if I do this, maybe if I have a pop career, then she’ll be proud of me. That’s all Iwant.

That’s all I ever wanted. Sometimes she smiles now, ya know. When I sing what she wants me to sing, shesmiles.

Don’t worry. I’m still singing soul music. It’s just a little quieter thanbefore.

How areyou?

-Jazz

Also, still loveyou.

Chapter Fifteen

Elliott

Istumbledto my feet and rushed over to Katie. Her breaths were low, and her eyes widened, panicked. “Eli,” she murmured, and I wrapped my arms aroundher.

“It’s okay,” I told her, panicked when I noticed the blood on my fingers as I touched the back of her head. “You’re okay, you’reokay.”

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