Chapter Four

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Donnie and I hung out at the park for around two hours; talking and goofing off. "I'm really glad we started talking," he admitted. I told him I felt the same way as we continued to swing as high as we could go. Here and there, the occasional kid would show up and play for a little while, but would leave soon enough. It was rather peaceful to be honest. Donnie seemed to forget his problems, laughing like his life was depending on it. It was the very beginning of October so the air felt cool.

I glanced at my watch and sighed. "We've been here for two hours," I mumbled, lowering my eyes. "I don't want to go home, but I know I have to get my chores done or else my mom won't stop bugging me about it."

"Your brother could just do your chores for you." Donnie wiggled his eyebrows and nudged me with his elbow. I stared at him blankly. "I'm kidding, I'll walk you home like the gentleman I am." He puffed out his chest, acting tough and proper.

"Thanks," I muttered, getting up from the swing. I kicked sand as we walked hand in hand away from the park. "You're great," I told him cheekily.

"I know," he teased, scrunching up his nose. The walk back to my house was around 20 minutes, almost an exercise in itself. We walked slowly, taking in the chilly air. "I'm excited for Halloween," I broke into the silence. Donnie tensed up beside me, squeezing my hand a little tighter.

"Yea, me too," he strained. He smiled at me, trying to assure me that he was fine. Although I hadn't asked, I was sure he knew my worried face and nature already.

"Fall is such a great month, you know? I love the colors of the leaves changing and carving pumpkins...." I trailed off. "Sorry."

"No, no. Don't apologize. It's fine, I want to hear about what you like and don't like. I like all the colors of the leaves too. It's nice," he babbled. "It's fun to draw them." There was a vacant look in his eyes that told me he was bottling something up. His gaze was lost in the distance and I worried.

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"Hey, Bayley called you," my mother greeted. "That was about 10 minutes ago, maybe you should call her back?" I nodded.

"Of course I'll call her back," I defended, heading over to the phone and pulling the cord up to the counter so I could sit. She picked up after the second ring. "Hi, I just got back from the park, what's up?"

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to take a ride with me to the record store later. I can't drive yet, obviously but my dad needs to go to a meeting around there and I thought maybe you'd like to come. After we look around, we could catch a movie... unless you have other plans."
"Well my mom does want me to do my chores, but what time are you thinking of going?" I asked, waving my mom over.
"Around 4 or 5. I'm not sure how long it'll take," she told me.
I mouthed the information to my mom, who nodded. "My mom's right here nodding, it's fine with her."
"Cool! We'll pick you up then. Better get those chores done," she urged with a chuckle.

Once I hung up, my mom offered to help. "You're quite popular, I wouldn't want to take that away from you," she sneered.
"Oh really?" I drawled. Flicking water at her. She stood up from bending over the tub and flicked some water back.
"Yes really, daughter darling." She approached me with a sudsy hand and smothered it against my neck.
"Thanks a ton," I remarked sarcastically, and in turn I rubbed some on her arm. We both laughed a little before washing of the suds.
"One day, you, me, and Dylan need to do something together," my mom suggested after a short period of silence.
"Like what?" I asked. She shrugged, finishing up the tub.
"Go out to lunch or dinner and hike or go to a movie, I dunno. Whatever you two like."
"That'd be nice. We hardly ever do anything as a family anymore besides eat dinner." That came out a little harsh, but I hadn't meant it to. My mom stared at me for a second, her words faltering.
"I don't know if you've noticed, but this hasn't been much of a family since you were 12," she huffed, referring to when my "dad" left. I didn't care, I hardly saw him as it was. All I cared about was my mom and brother.
"Mom, I-" I began but her expression when she spun around to face me told me not to say anything else.
"I need a nap," she stated, sounding kid-like. She strode past Dylan who gave me a questioning glance.
"What was that all about?" he asked in confusion. I filled him in on the details, although I spared the unimportant. He only looked more concerned. "She's been trying not to take her medicine. She wants to get better on her own."
I threw my hands in the air in defeat. "Hell, I would've liked to know that."
"Now you do, so expect her to be sensitive, bipolar, and more downcast. I tried telling her this wasn't a good idea but she didn't listen. I might call her doctor."

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"You don't seem thrilled to see me," Bayley remarked. "Everything alright?"
"Just some arguments here and there with my mom, but on the brightside... I got my chores done." Loud enough for Dylan and my mom to hear, I announced Bayley was her to pick me up.
"You don't have to talk about it, but if you need to you can." She offered a weak smile and I thanked her. We climbed into her dad's truck, welcomed by some cranked up Van Halen.
"Hi April, how are you?" her dad asked.
"Pretty good," I lied with a smile. "How are you?"
"Just dandy," he chuckled before driving away from my house.

The record store had all the Beatles albums I still had yet to collect. Bayley and I rummaged through, thrilled at the selection. "I've got some money. Pick a record."
"I can't do that, I'm gonna have to pay you back," I countered. She shrugged and picked up the record I had been eyeing.
After she paid and handed me the bag containing the record, I thanked her profusely. "Ok, ok," she barked. "I get it." She half-hugged me and laughed.
We then stood in front of the movies, waiting to see what was playing next. "We should totally go see that movie about the kid with multiple personalities," Bayley piped up. I was interested in it but also didn't feel like arguing so that's what we went to see.
The film was fiction but based strictly on facts. It was a 'fun documentary' as Bayley had put it. The kid from the movie, Austin, would black out during stress and his alternate personality Henry would show up. Austin had a passive nature while Henry handled things more assertively. One minute he would be timid, the next he was pushing down bullies.
"That interests me a lot," Bayley said as we left the theater. She glanced down at her watch. "My dad should be out in half an hour, wanna grab a bite to eat?"
We were seated quickly at a Denny's, still on the topic of the film. "I wonder what it would be like to know someone like that," Bayley said after the waitress placed our order.
I began to think about it. It must be hard to tell that person anything because they might not remember half of what you've said. The abrupt changes in mood must be difficult, too. That suddenly set my mind on Donnie. What if that's what was always troubling him but he didn't tell me? It couldn't be, he didn't go through drastic mood changes or forget easily. Maybe I was just being paranoid.
"It would be like being friends with two different people, but in one body," I stated, sipping my water.
Bayley insisted on paying for dinner, also. She must've borrowed some of her dad's money. I felt guilty having her pay for everything.
Upon leaving the restaurant, I thanked her several times. She again glanced at her watch. "He should be meeting us here any second," she stated. It didn't sound directly to me, mostly to herself.
"It's too bad we're not neighbors," I said. "Then we could just ride our bikes over to each other's house."
"I'm going to the dmv soon, but I still won't have my own car. I'm nervous." I circled around a light pole, listening as I did so.
"If you've practiced driving enough, then surely you'll get your license," I assured her. "I don't have time to drive much yet, I still have to work on a project for film class and you know how stressful that is."
"Maybe I could help!" she suggested with excitement. "Have you come up with a concept yet." I shook my head.
"Alright, my meeting's done." Her dad's voice nearly made us jump out of our skin. We followed him to the car.

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Sunday was mostly spent in isolation. I began brainstorming for a short film concept. With my brother at his friends' house and my mom off at her much needed doctor appointment, I spoke my ideas aloud.
First, I thought about something with animals but that would require some type of training. Then, I thought of some sci-fi thing. Where would I get the effects? I turned the tv on for ideas.
The news was the first thing on so I left it there for a minute. "Two bank robbers are on the loose and fully armed," the storyline said. The map showed a town right near Middlesex, making my heart beat rapidly. I couldn't recall if that was where Dylan or my mom could be.
After five rings, no one picked up at the doctor's office. Panic rose in my chest, choking me. I was being paranoid but with two armed men on the loose, I wasn't ruling anything out.
I called Dylan's friends' house. "Hello?" a woman answered.
"Hi," I quivered. "I'm April, Dylan's sister. Is everything alright over there?"
"Yes, why?" she asked, sounding concerned. She had every right to be.
"I saw the news... two men robbed a bank and got away with it, they're fully armed and I don't know... I guess there's a car chase all around. I don't know if they're shooting people or not. My mom won't answer."
"We'll try her, too. I'll bring them inside so they'll be safe. Thank you." She hung up, leaving me to feel even more alone. My hands were shaking vigorously and the room felt like it was spinning.
I didn't know what to do, so I called Donnie. "Darko residence."
"It's April," I told him, barely able to stabilize my voice.
"Hey... are you alright?" he asked, sounding slightly frantic.
"The two bank robbers.. near my mom's doctor. She won't pick up," I filled him in.
"Hang on tight, I'm riding my bike over there." I didn't want him to hang up.
"You're not going out there when they could possibly be coming through here," I protested. "We're not too far from where they are."
"I'll see you soon, ok?" he told me soothingly before the phone clicked. I tried my mom again... nothing. No doctor picked up. They couldn't have gone in there and killed her, right? Maybe it was just hectic. Maybe other people were worried too and decided to call in, making the lines busy.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when there was a knock on the door. Taking precautions, I looked through the peephole. Donnie stood there, his face rigid with worry.
I let him in and he engulfed me in a hug. "I'm staying with you until this all blows over," he whispered in my ear. I locked the door behind him and headed back to the tv.
"Dylan's friend's mom is trying to reach my mom, too," I told him. I gripped my knees to keep my hands from shaking.
"The bank's alarm system was disabled and they're not quite sure how. It is believed that there is a third person involved in this," I heard the reporter say. "They've taken $300,000, but that's all we accounted for so far. There could be more."
"I'm scared to death," I admitted. "Normally I feel so safe, you know? Everyone knows each other and the only problem really is the stress from school. To have a problem like this and have someone you love out there, it's scary." Tears brimmed my eyes and ran down my face as soon as I blinked. My shaking didn't let up and I began to see black spots. I felt like I was being choked.
Donnie noticed my labored breathing and tears so he placed a hand on my back. "April, breathe slowly. In through your nose, out through your mouth." His gentle hand guided my face in his direction, making eye contact between us. "Everything will be alright."
He pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around me. I could hear his heartbeat and I laid there next to him. "I didn't know why my mom would do that," I said out of the blue. "She wanted to get better on her own, not by medication."
"Is your mom alright?" Donnie asked. I shook my head.
"You see, my dad left when I was 12 and my mom has been struggled ever since then. Recently, she decided to come off her antidepressants and get better on her own. My brother and I weren't to happy about that so we called her doctor."
"I didn't know any offices were open on a Sunday."
"This is a... special doctor. The lady's more like a therapist I guess."
"It wouldn't happen to be doctor Thurman, would it?" I shook my head.
"No, I believe this one is called doctor Fara. She's pretty nice." I began to calm down more; I could breathe a little better and the black spots were gone.
"I had no idea your mom was on medication," he conveyed with a sad look in his eyes. "With some people, I guess it's just hard to tell."
"Do you have to take medication?" I reputed, slightly afraid of the answer. Donnie nodded solemnly. "Why?" I pressed with a gentle tone.
"I told you, I see shit," he disclosed. "All kinds of messed up shit."
"I know, you've told me but that could mean other things."
"I hate saying it." He scrunched his eyes like the question was a scary monster that would go away. He sighed. "My therapist believes I'm on the borderline if schizophrenia." There was a long silence.
"I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry. Has she told your parents?"
"Oh they know. I just don't think they care," he huffed, resting his head on top of mine.
"If it's any constellation, I care," I piped up, kissing his cheek softly. "I'm here for you." He hugged me tightly, closing any space between us. He ran a hand through my hair; my very weakness, and I dozed off.

I jolted awake to the sound of a phone ringing. Donnie got up first, running to the phone. "Hello? Yes, Mrs. Hepler, it's me.....I came became because she called that she was worrying about you. I'll put her on."
"Mom?" My heart was pounding loudly in my chest and I could hear it in my ears. "Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine. The town went on lockdown and we couldn't call anyone. I'm not sure yet if the police have caught them or if they've figured out who disabled the alarm."
"You coming home?" I asked, feeling a great weight lifted.
"I'm not done with my appointment yet but I'll be home within the hour. Traffic is looking a little hectic."
"Stay safe," I warned. "I love you and I'm glad you're ok."
"I love you too." We hung up simultaneously. I turned to Donnie and hugged him, beginning to cry with relief. He held me and rubbed my back.
"Thank you," I mumbled. He picked me up in his arms, rocking back and forth slowly.
"I'm here, it's ok. Your mom is safe. Everything's going to be alright," he coaxed, planting kisses on my cheek.
"I'm so lucky to have you," I stated. He laid me down on the coach; my head resting on his thigh.
"You really care about your mom, don't you?" he asked. I nodded against his thigh.
"Of course I do. I love her no matter what happens, same with my brother. I can't lose anyone else in my life. My dad wasn't around a whole lot, so his leaving didn't hurt too bad, but I like to keep my loved ones extra close now because of that."
"I'm sorry, I'll-"
"Donnie, it's fine," I cut him off. "You asked so I'm answering. I get very attached to people and it's a vulnerable thing. It's like being mentally naked in front of someone and now I kinda am by telling all this."
"You can tell me stuff, it's ok. I just don't know what it's like to be super close to my mom. I mean I guess she cares a little but I feel like she likes my sisters better. My dad sides with me on stuff mostly while my mom seems to be always against me. I dunno, it just seems like that."
"I'm sure she does care. She's your mother, of course she would." Donnie gave me a funny look. "If she didn't, she wouldn't still be there and you know that." His eyebrows unknitted and his eyes relaxed.
"I'm sorry about your dad," he apologized curtly. "If I were him, I wouldn't have left you. As me, I won't leave you." He began fumbling over his own words. I reached a dainty hand up to his plump lips and covered them. I sat up and kissed him slowly at first. His hands held my sides as he kissed me a little faster. We broke away, smiling.
"I need your help with something," I randomly spoke as we remained in each other's gaze. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "My semester film project."
"You need an idea? Is that what you're trying to ask? Well it depends on your audience," he advised. "Which is a classroom so nothing vulgar." He paused to think. "I had a dream a few nights ago, you know... before all the weird shit. It was about this kid who lived in a close-knit town where everyone knew each other. He was really involved in the town. He'd volunteer and all that. Once someone died, a piece of him would die and in the end of my dream, he died with the other people."
"I like where you're getting at," I chimed. "He could start as a kid and he ages each time someone dies, which he'll eventually die with the town."
"We make a great team." I couldn't argue with that. We spent a while talking of childhood stories and growing even closer, giving us the lovely illusion that we'd known each other for years.

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When my mom came home, now with my brother; Donnie left. I thanked him with a hug and a peck on the cheek.
"I'm back on my medication but the doctor gave me a higher dose," my mom told my brother and I. "I'm sorry." We hugged her and spent the rest of the evening close together and following the news.
We stayed up until 11 to see the men were convicted and apparently didn't have a third member that disarmed the system. We all slept peacefully knowing they were caught.
Monday was a drag but there was time in film class to work on the script. It was a calming day that balanced out the pretty hectic weekend, which was just what I needed to get through school. After studying with Bayley, Tuesday came around quickly.
It was the same or just about. After school, both Bayley and Donnie came over. They pitched in ideas and other aspects for the script. Half the movie was mapped out, all that was needed for planning was the dialogue. Costume, sets, and actions would come after.
"I think my teacher is lending us cameras when we're ready to film," I said. "I hope they're not shit quality. I wouldn't think it would be since it's film class, but you can never be too sure."
"So we're your crew?" Bayley joked. I nodded seriously; she seemed slightly taken aback. "Really, we are? That's so cool."
"We need a name for this," Donnie pointed out. There were several long intervals of thinking and brainstorming.
"We want it to capture the essence of it; the dedication this boy has for his town," I pitched. "So what would it be?"
"Town Helper? Kind of like a play on words of the town cryer," Bayley explained. "Or... uh... Town Aide?"
"I'm for it," I declared and Donnie nodded. "Ok team Town Aide, let's do this."

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I don't always have wifi so it's hard to update long chapters and be frequent about it. Finished this after watching Donnie Darko for the 10th time. Gosh I love that film so much.

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