Page 47 of Under the Influence

Was I so blinded by Cori’s presence that I dropped the ball?

Oh my God, I was. What is wrong with me?

The yellow lines on the road blur as I race to Avery’s house. I punch the gate code into the stone pillar, and the black iron gate swings open. She lives on the beach, not even in the zone for Legacy. Her dad pays to send her there. Money can get you whatever you want in Legacy Bay. I guess any town, really.

Her Mercedes is in the driveway, so I walk up the front steps, pushing the door open.

“Avie, you here?” I call, my voice echoing in the foyer. When I turn the corner into the kitchen, I realize something is off. Everything is too quiet. Worry starts to creep into my throat as I walk a little faster to find her.

Rounding the top of the staircase, glass crunches loudly beneath my shoes. Every single picture frame that once graced the walls is shattered on the ground, and Avery’s small body is sprawled out between her balcony and the foot of her bed. The glass beneath her has caused some cuts to her skin.

“Avie?” I call, shaking her and rolling her over.

Her mascara is smudged, her eyes covered in black flakes.

Her body is limp in my arms and panic starts to creep into my brain, sending me into fight or flight mode.

“Avery!” I yell again, brushing her hair away from her face.

I feel her wrist for a pulse, and I’m relieved when I find one, but her breathing is too shallow. I’m not sure what’s wrong or what she did to herself.

I pull out my phone, panicking, but luckily it only rings once before my mom’s voice fills the line. “Mom, I need your help. I came over here to check on Avie, and something is wrong. She’s,” I pause, looking down at her, tears threatening my eyes. “She’s alive, I think, but she’s not answering me.”

“Carson, don’t panic. Listen to me. Did she take anything? Is she physically hurt?”

I glance at her body. “There’s glass, but I don’t see any real cuts, I… Mom,” I cry.

She raises her voice to snap me out of it, “Honey, is she drunk? Look around the room, look for anything out of place.”

I look around, but I don’t see anything.

“I don’t see anything. Mom…” My voice cracks, “What if, what if she dies?”

“Keep trying to wake her, roll her to her side, and hang up right now, Carson. Call 911. I’m on my way.”

I mash the red icon as fast as possible, quickly dialing 911.

As soon as the operator assures me that help is on the way, I drop my phone against the floor.

That’s when I notice the orange pill bottle peeking from under the nightstand. I scoop it into my hand, and the next hour is a blur.

They transport Avery to the hospital, and my mom ushers me into her car, following behind the ambulance.

“Carson!” Her voice snaps me out of it.

“Yeah?”

“Did you call her dad?”

I just stare at her, my brain unable to relay the message to my voice box.

“I’ll call,” she sighs. “You need to tell me what happened. The police are going to want to know.”

I fidget my hands nervously in my lap, fear still at the forefront of my mind.

“She didn’t come to school today. She didn’t answer my calls or texts. I don’t know how long she was like that. I should’ve come sooner,” I ramble. “Mom… I went to baseball. What if I had come sooner? I should’ve⁠—”

“Honey,” she grabs my hand. “Please calm down. You did what you could.”