Page 96 of Every Broken Promise
“Drink. Drink. Drink!”
My classmates were gathered in a circle, chanting at the person taking a beer bong hit.
Everyone was cheering and clapping, acting like swallowing too much beer down was a huge accomplishment. I was about to keep walking when I noticed the guy who had been drinking began to cough.
No one seemed to care since they began to chant for the next person. I made my way over to the guy and instantly recognized him. Collin. One of the shy kids who, despite all the years of being in this town, never formed a strong group of friends.
I mentally cringed at the thought since I was on the edge of losing my only friend as well.
“Hey, are you okay?” I leaned down to help him.
As soon as I got a good look at his face, I knew he was most certainlynotokay. His face was red and splotchy, his eyes a bit swollen. Collin was hyperventilating as he held his throat.
“Hey, can you breathe?”
My question fell on deaf ears as he sat on the ground, trying and failing miserably to take a proper breath.
I began to panic. I looked around the field, but no one seemed to be paying attention to us.
What do I do? What do I do?I did another scan to see if I could find Tyler. He would probably know what steps to take, but no luck on that front either.
“Hey, can someone help us?” I yelled just as another chant began.
Collin didn’t look so good.
What if he had taken something? If it was an overdose, would he be foaming at the mouth? Would his eyes be rolling back?
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Fuck.
I pulled out my phone, and when the operator answered, I began to ask for help.
The 911 dispatcher had just ended the call when Sam screeched.
“Did you just call the cops?”
The chants immediately ceased at the mention of someone calling the cops. People began to look around the field before their eyes landed on me.
I ignored Sam and instead rubbed Collin’s back, praying he would get the help he needed.
“She called the cops!” Sam screeched this time, pointing at me.
The crowd that had been cheering began booing and hurling insults at me. Other people began to run away, alerting everyone else that the cops would be coming.
My lips trembled, and my eyes watered at the hate everyone was throwing my way.
“All he needed was some water,” someone else stated, throwing a water bottle toward me.
Sam began to spew more hate at me, and I did my best to block it all out. Instead, I focused on helping Collin take a sip of the water. Only when it seemed to be working did I let myself believe all would be okay.
“I-I-I’m fine,” Collin wheezed out, sounding anything but fine. “You didn’t h-have to be a m-m-meddlesome bitch.”
I flinched.
