Hailey decided to visit the Fords once she got home. She knew she was withdrawn and almost unknown but Ellie was isolated. She didn't know what happened but she wished to know and help out.
*****
Laura heard a light tap on her door and wondered who it could be.
"oh, Hailey. How are you kid?"
"I'm fine ma'am." she said as she motioned for her to come in.
"Did your mother send you? Does she have any message..." she stopped when she noticed her expressions. "Forgive me, I was just expecting something from your mother."
"No, it's fine. I came to see Ellie."
Now it was Laura's turn to be surprised and she didn't know what to say but have to ask a simple question though.
"Are you friends with her?" she asked with eyes that yearned for a positive answer.
Hailey was afraid to shatter her hopes but she knew they weren't friends. "No, I just came to check if she's okay because she wasn't in school." she said and saw Laura's eye fall.
"I see, you know I've always wanted to see her with a friend again...but I don't think she's making any progress. She's just like this for more than a year now."
"I heard from a classmate about your daughter, my condolences." she said and Laura nodded.
"I'm not sure what's wrong but Ellie is not over her death yet, I mean none of us are but she's kind of dying inside and I don't know how to help."
"Maybe you could've arranged a therapist." Ellie said giving a slight shrug.
"Well, she always says she's fine and you know...I can't force her. And I thought giving her time will help but it just got worse you know." Laura said with a hint of sadness.
"Do you think I could see her?"
"She's in her room, but she never talks to anyone and nobody visits." Laura said plainly.
Hailey could remember the day burglars attacked them, and Ellie never said a word to her. Instead of giving up, she decided to find out and help Ellie though she wasn't sure how that would happen.
She knocked lightly on the door that was ajar and peeped in. "Ellie?" She didn't get any response so she came in on her own accord.
"What are you doing here?"Ellie asked and turned to face her.
"Umm, I didn't see you in school so I..I thought you were sick."
"Why are you concerned? Because you're a classmate and lives across doesn't mean you can check on me. You can save yourself the stress." she said and laid down again facing the wall. She expected to hear descending footsteps but she didn't hear a single sound. "Was she still standing there?" she thought to herself.
Hailey took her time to recollect and process her response, but she wasn't angry, she felt more concerned instead. She knew what Ellie was doing, she was creating a wall, but she thought of how sad Laura has been seeing her remaining only daughter this way. She has seen her mum that way and she hated it, that deep feeling of sadness and hopelessness.
"Is this what you do to anybody that reaches out to you? Are you going to be like this forever? Do you even know what your mum is passing through to see you like this?" Hailey asked all series of questions calmly and paused to see her reaction. If nobody wants to talk sense into her then she will.
Ellie stiffened, for some reason something strangely felt familiar. It was Hailey's tone, that was how her late sister used to correct her, by asking her series of questions that always make her reflect on her actions. Then she remembered that evening she last heard her sister correct her.
***** "Do you think he loves you?"
"He wouldn't invite you to that party knowing you have low tolerance for alcohol."
"You can't take such risks Ellie, I'm just worried" *****
Tears streamed down her face as she remembered Mandy's words. She remembered telling her she's grown and asked her to leave her room.
"I'm so so sorry Mandyy, I am so sorry.."Ellie sobbed uncontrollably.
Hailey went closer to her bed and sat down,Ellie turned to her and she patted her comfortably as she cried on her laps. For more than thirty minutes that felt like hours, Ellie finally calmed down and silence filled the room.
"I hate myself Hailey." she whispered and continued, "I had a boyfriend I really loved, he loved me too or so I thought. Then there was this party he wanted me to come...." she paused.
"Which party was that?" Hailey asked feeling there was more to the party.
"The vodka party.... it's a party usually held to celebrate the new year further where everyone gets wasted."
"You can decide not to get wasted, can't you?"
"You can't escape taking shots, to enter the venue you even have to take two shots and I have low tolerance for alcohol. Larry knew that too....my boyfriend."
"Your sister, how did she get into all this?" Hailey asked calmly as she was being careful.
"My sister was concerned I will end up wasted and used. Anything might result which will be used to harm me, but I believed Larry will take care of me." she paused as tears rolled down her cheeks but continued.
"She told me Larry won't take me to such parties if he really cared but I got irritated instead and told her to leave my room...and that was the last I saw her."
"But you didn't kill her Ellie." she said as calm as she could.
"I know." she paused and sniffled. "It turns out she was right. I missed the party when we heard about the accident and I ended up seeing videos of the party and I just can't forgive myself."
"It's okay Ellie, then you should ask her for forgiveness." she said and Ellie looked up her unable to comprehend what she said.