"Hey babe, I just got home from my overnight sh*t. I hope the kindergartners aren't being too big of a**holes. I love you so much and I can't wait to see you when you get home. I'm tired, but I might see if Tia wants to go out and celebrate her 5 months of being sober. I can't wait to see you later. I love you, babe. As my phone made the ever familiar "whooo" sound, I slammed my keys into the keyhole on the door, twisting and twisting until I heard the double click and kicked the door open. The fact that the door was locked was a good sign, it meant that Tia was at work and I could set up all of the supplies I had bought. I grinned as I threw the bags inside and watched as a few balloons flew up to the ceiling. "She's going to be so excited. I can't believe it's been five months already." I sighed as I set down my bag from work. As I glanced around the apartment, I noticed that something wasn't right. Not right at all. "T? Are you here? Tia?" My voice echoed loudly through the apartment as I walked towards her bedroom. "TIa?" The only response that I received was my own loud holler echoing back to me. Just as I went to open her bedroom door, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. "Damn it." I grumbled as I let out a mild yawn and accepted the call. "Oh come on, Finnick, Your job isn't that bad." Elliot Bravers chuckled over the phone. "Oh shut it, Bravers. What the hell do you need?" I asked as I pushed open Tias door, it had been left open a crack, which was odd, usually she either kept it open or fully closed. Nothing in between. Her stuff was gone. Every single little thing. gone. "What the fu-" "We got a call that I need you to check out on 24 East Chestnut Ave. I sent Emily and Sam but I'm worried that they won't get there fast enough, and I know it's basically right around the corner from your house. We got a call about a noise complaint from one of the neighbors. And then another one called and said there was a gun pulled-" "Tia!" I dropped my phone, my heart automatically flung into my throat. I felt like I was going to be sick. I need to go. I need to go now. "FUCK." Within a blink of an eye I had gone from the living room in my apartment, to slamming my body against the door of Mikes run down sh*t show of a house. I could hear someone crying on the other side of the door. "God fucking damn it, Mike. Open the god damn door!" One of the hinges broke and the door swung open. "TIA? MIKE?" My voice carried through the wreck of a house - things were broken everywhere, furniture knocked over. Suddenly there was a scream from upstairs. I quickly drew out my gun, pulling it out in front of me and pointing it forwards as I run up the stairs. As I got to the top I saw Mike and Tia, Tia cowering in the corner as Mike held a gun up, pointing it at her. His eyes were bloodshot. He was on some sort of drugs, but who knew what it was with him. "Jesus f***ing christ, Tia. You called your brother? You're so fucking stupid." Suddenly Mike turned and pointed the gun at me. I gasped, but didn't show it. I was scared as fuck, but didn't show that either. My eyes stayed on Mike, as much as I wanted to run over and protect TIa, I knew that that would only hurt the situation. "Put the gun down, Mike. Now." Mike laughed a cruel and demented laugh. "I don't fucking think so, Finn. Your stupid sister here brought this upon herself. Do you know how much she fucking owes me? She's been buying sh*t from me for months and hasn't paid a single cent back to me." I cringed, taking in a deep breath. "Mike. Put the gun down and get away from Tia. I will pay you back, anything and everything that she owes you." I swallowed hard, I glanced over at Tia who was now covering her face, sobbing, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Finn. I'm so sorry." "Shut the hell up, Tia." Mikes gun was now pointed over at her. "HEY! Leave her the fuck alone, Mike!" Suddenly it was pointed back at me, I knew that there wasn't going to be any more words with him, there was only one thing that would end this. My mind and body went numb, I knew what I was doing but Suddenly I wasn't there anymore and all I heard was the sound of someone screaming "NO!", a gun going off and then dropping to the floor, and footsteps hard on the ground. It was me. I had shot the gun. The hard footsteps weren't mine, and they weren't Tias. Mike got away. As my mind focused on what was happening, I saw the trail of blood. I was confused. I shot Mike how could he- The blood wasn't his. My eyes went wide, my body felt weak. "No. No. No. Tia. No." I rushed over to her, my body collapsing next to hers. I shot her. I shot Tia. Her breathing was low, she was gasping as tears run down her face... or maybe they were mine dripping onto her. "Finn." She gasped loudly. "Finn. I'm so sorry. I couldn't let him shoot you." She gasped again, I held her closer, tighter. "I shouldn't have gotten in the way, I-" "Tia stop it, stop." I didn't know what to say, I could barely speak. I kissed the top of her head, holding her close. "I'm so sorry, T. I'm sorry." "I love you, Finny." "I love you T. Just stay calm you're going to be okay, It's going to be okay. I-" I looked down at her, her chest was no longer moving, her eyes were shut. "No. Tia. Tia, please no. I'm so sorry. Stay with me, Tia stay with me! Tia!" The sound of sirens rang around the house, red and blue flashing lights broke through the windows, reflecting on the pool of blood that was splattered on the floor. I heard footsteps, people yelling, running everywhere through the house and then suddenly to us.... to me. It was just me here now, not us. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2016. 8:47 PM. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The apartment was empty. Beer cans and bottles scattered around the apartment everywhere you look. Cigarette cartons scattered almost on every counter. Multi-colored balloons with strings attached deflated around the living room. A 'congratulations' banner that had been repetitively ripped thrown across the back of the couch. I was sitting up, my back sitting up straight, really straight, for what felt like the first time in ages. I wasn't slouching. I wasn't laying down. I was sitting up. As I went to reach for the remote for the television (god only knows how that was still on, I don't remember paying any bills) there was a knock on the door. I grunted. The door handle twisted open and Elliot strutted in with two bags in his hand. One bag contained an order of Chinese food, this I knew because he did it weekly whether I responded about it or not. He knew it was my favorite. I never ate it. How could I? I shouldn't allow myself to enjoy something, to be happy, even. But, the second bag was a mystery... hopefully it was a case of beer, I was getting low. "Hey, man." I nodded, my eyes still glued to the second bag. Elliot sighed, taking the food into the kitchen. He did a couple of things in there, I didn't really care to take notice of what he was doing. I huffed and went back on my mission to finding the remote. But, as I went to reach for it, Elliot grabbed it first, setting it on top of the t.v. where I couldn't reach it. "What the fuck, man?" I grumbled at him, sitting back on the couch. He looked like he was in shock, as if I hadn't actually spoken to him in months... maybe I hadn't? After his moment of shock, Elliot sighed and straightened his back, twisting the bag in his hand. "I-uhm." He stopped and cleared his throat and shook his head - his eyes were shut, he was struggling with something. I became nervous, although I had basically become a vegetable at this point, I still cared, he was still my best friend. What was going on with him? I raised my eyebrows to tell him I was interested in what he wanted to tell me, however my eyes also flickered over to the tv remote... I was interested in that, too. "I found her phone, Finn. I thought you would want it, we don't need it anymore so I thought... I don't know. You should have it, or something." What the fuck was he talking about? I stood up, walking over to the counter and grabbing my pack of cigarettes, placing one between my lips. I searched around for my lighter in the couch cushions. "What the hell are you talking about, man? Who's phone? If it's Hadleys then just go fucking take it to her, I'm sure you guys have been talking anyway. So just deal with it yourse-" I found the lighter. I stood up and faced Elliot to shoo him out of my apartment when I saw it in his hand. Tia's phone. I dropped the lighter and the cigarette. I was speechless. I couldn't breathe. "Take it, Finn." I shook my head. My heart was racing, I could feel my eyes burning but I held the tears back. "I-I don't want that, man. Don't. I don't want it. Okay? Just-just keep it." I couldn't move. I couldn't even move my eyes away from the phone. Her bright purple case shining around the edges. It looked as if it was in perfect condition - like she had just cleaned it. Elliot sighed, setting it down on the coffee table; He walked towards the door. "I'll see you later, man. I gotta get back to work. I have an overnight shift tonight. I just wanted to bring you that." And with that he was gone. It was just me again. Me, my cigarettes, and my dead sisters phone. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2016. 9:15 PM. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I wanted to get rid of it, I wanted it out of my sight. I didn't want it anywhere near me. How could I even THINK about touching her stuff? I had caused enough damage... but... I took in a deep breath, clicking the home button and watching as the phone lit up. Someone had charged it, probably Elliot. I sighed staring at her background picture - It was a picture from Hadleys last birthday. We had a surprise party for her and invited her entire family, all of her friends, it was that night that Tia told me she wanted to move in with us, try to go sober. The tears pooled out of my eyes, I couldn't hold it back anymore. I clicked on messages. The first message was from Mike. I felt my blood boiling as I clicked on his name. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TIAS TEXTS WITH MIKE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mike: Tia, I miss you. I want you back. I'm so sorry for everything. I want to change. I want to be with you. Tia: What? Mike, I love you too, but we just aren't good for each other, you know that. Mike: I don't care what we discussed in the past. I just want you, here with me, hitting this joint next to me. I want you. We can forget about everything, the money, the drugs, the past. All of it. Just come back. I'll help you move back in. Tia: I don't know Mike. I like living with Finn, he makes me think I can actually be okay without the drugs, without any of it. He really believes in me. I love you, but I think I should stay here with my brother and Hadley. They're so good to me Mike... I love you, but I don't think I should move in just yet... maybe we can work on things first... Mike: If you really love me, like you say you do, then you'll come live with me. No questions about it. You do love me, don't you? Tia: Of course I do. Mike:I'll be there in 5, pack your shit. You're coming back home, baby. My breathing was heavy, my mind was going crazy. I felt dizzy. I was sobbing at this point, to the point of wheezing. I didn't know what to do, but my heart did. I pulled my phone off it's charger and my fingers dialed a number. Before I knew it, there was a sweet, calming, beautiful voice on the other end, and there I was, sobbing and wheezing into the phone. "How could I of been so fucking stupid, Haddie? How did I not know? How didn't I figure out that she was on drugs the whole time? She was never clean. I was so stupid. Something struck in me. I felt... normal, almost. However, it was weird actually speaking to someone. I was lost in my own head for months. I was lost without the love of my life for months... "Can you come here, Hadley? Please... I felt like I was begging, but I needed to see her. I needed to hug her, to just be with her. For the first time in a very long time, I was ready for her. I need her. I guess, since she left it never really felt real. I always kept the door unlocked and her key where she left it, just in case she wanted to come back. She never did. "I need you, Haddie." My voice cracked, tears streaming down my face.