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My cell ringing cuts through the music blasting in my ears. Ripping my eyes from my English Lit assignment, I turn to look.

My brows pinch when I see Remi’s smiling face looking back at me.

“What’s up, Princess?” I ask the second the call connects.

“Conner,” she says in a rush, panic filling her voice. I sit forward, sliding my laptop from my legs, ready for what she’s about to say. I already know it’s nothing good.

“What’s wrong?”

“A-are you at home?”

“Yeah, why?” I swing my legs from the bed, ready to run to the pool house for whatever has that fear in her voice.

“I-It’s Cole.”

“What?”

“Something’s happened with Hadley. Please can you go and check on him.”

“Yeah, I’m going now.” I keep my cell to my ear as I race for the door. I want to say everything is fine, but since the second I heard Remi’s voice, dread settled in the pit of my stomach, telling me there’s something very wrong with this situation.

“Cole?” I shout, my fist raining down on his bedroom door. “Cole? You in there?”

No answer.

“I’m coming in,” I warn, although I already know it’s not necessary. I’m not about to catch him doing something he wouldn’t want me to see.

Twisting the handle, I push the door open. My heart hammers in my chest as an empty discarded bottle of vodka comes into view, quickly followed by another.

Lifting my eyes, I find his hand hanging limply over the side of the bed. “Fuck. Cole,” I cry, flying into the room.

My cell slides from my hand, but I don’t feel or or hear it as it hits the floor. Remi is still on the line and I know she’s going to be saying something, but I don’t hear anything but the blood rushing past my ears as sheer panic and fear engulfs me.

“Cole, COLE!” I scream, dropping to my knees beside him.

He’s white as a sheet, but when I touch him, his skin is still warm.

“What the fuck have you done?” I bark at him, although I already know I’m not going to get a response.

Glancing around the bed, I find more empty bottles before my eyes land on a baggie. My teeth grind.

He promised. He fucking promised me that he was done with this shit.

In the bottom are two little pills, but I fear there were a hell of a lot more when he got his hands on it.

“Cole, wake up. Please, just fucking WAKE UP!” I shake him, hoping this is a really bad nightmare and he’s just wasted. But I know he’s not. I feel it in my gut.

“HELP,” I bellow into the silent house. “Help me.” I’ve no idea if anyone is in or if anyone can hear. Pressing my fingers to his neck, I try to find a pulse.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I chant when I don’t find one straight away, but after taking a calming breath and trying again, I find a faint trace of one.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? You selfish fucking cunt.”

“Conner, Conner, Conner?” Remi’s voice finally breaks through my haze.

To start with, I look around, thinking that she’s here, but then I remember my headphones.

“He’s… he’s taken something. He’s out cold. I need… I need to call…”