episode 2, part 2
reality

ISHANA HAD SPENT the whole week since the incident huddled up in her mattress, blaming herself for the death of Callum Deprelli. She had cried so much, the tears no longer came, even when she beckoned them. She didn't know Callum as well as many other students, but the tragedy had cast a shadow over the school, and his memorial assembly the day before had Ishy's chest straining to heave a breath, weighed down by her guilt.

After spending twenty minutes watching yet another Netflix series she hadn't been able to pay attention to, Atlanta's slick black Toyota Aygo pulled outside Ishy's semi-detached house. Despite seeing the redhead merely hours earlier, Ishana had already missed her company.

Ishana stood up, letting her best friend into the house and pulling her into a hug. The girl pulled her close, suddenly shaking from the thoughts rattling through her brain. Ishy knew she had to tell Atlanta what had been on her mind for the whole week, but she couldn't bring herself to. The sheer thought shook her to the core, her veins turning glacial and threatening to shatter.

"Hi," Ishy whispered, smiling as the pair fell away from each other. The brunette swiftly locked the door before leading Tally into the kitchen and grabbing a tube of unopened Pringles. "These ok?"

"They'll be gone in five minutes," Atlanta laughed, attempting to lighten the dull mood that had settled upon them. Alike Ishana, the woman had not yet overcome the death of her classmate and ongoing crush. Albiet, Atlanta had never spoken to Callum properly, but with his warm smile missing from the school corridors, the world felt a lot gloomier.

Ishana laughed, sitting down on the sofa in front of Netflix that was already open on an episode of The Vampire Diaries. She cast her eyes away as the scene changed, turning down the volume until it acted at background noise.

The pair didn't need to speak; body language told the other enough, and after seven years, Ishy had mastered what Atlanta was thinking the moment she scratched her thumbnail against her lip, or when she trailed her fingers the thin white scar on her elbow from a cycling accident when she was five. So when Tally slunk in her chair, Ishy pulled her into a hug trying to stop the tears from pooling in her eyes.

"Thank you for coming," was all the brunette could say, biting her tongue. Every possible conversation about Callum's death had been uttered between the pair. Everything except this. Ishana unwound her arms from Atlanta after a minute, admiring the thick ginger pigmented tresses that ran smoothly against her hand. Ishy had always loved the girl's hair. The fiery strands made Atlanta stand out effortlessly in a crowd, matched by her warm personality and immaculate fashion sense. Tally's soft navy sweatshirt and pyjama bottoms were far from her normal high-waisted mum jeans and vintage band shirt.

"It's ok," Tally stated with a strained smile, her body conflicting between being happy and letting out a steady stream of tears. Luckily, she had managed to bring about the former.

"I'd literally die for you and face hell if it came to it, you know that right?" Ishana muttered quietly, somewhat afraid that Atlanta would hear the words.

Tally's smile grew for a second before disappearing altogether. "I know, Ish. And I would do the same a thousand times over."

Ishana remained silent, thinking to herself what she had done to deserve such a supportive person at her side. Her list of achievements was short, with the first being her getting into the regional squad for South East Hockey. Other achievements included eating an entire tub of Ben and Jerry's in nine minutes, and winning the egg and spoon race at sports day in year nine. Ishana was an average student, who focused on socialising much more than school work, and she knew that. Her constant B grades no longer bothered her as long as she was happy, and she had Atlanta to enforce that.

"I fucking love you," Ishana spoke again quietly, holding eye contact with her best friend. Perhaps she was being so shy - which, for Ishy, was merely a first - because she knew that what she was going to say next would ruin the moment; smash it to pieces like china clattering to the floor. "But it's all my fault, Tal. I could've-"

The redhead waved a decisive hand, cutting off Ishana's immediately. "Ishana we've had this conversation before. It was not your fault. It was an accident, and there was nothing you could've done to stop that," Atlanta uttered sternly. Gazing into her intense stare, Ishy exhaled audibly and caved in.

"I still feel like shit. I mean, I was right there."

"Everyone does, and we're all here for each other, remember that Ish," Atlanta replied. She rubbed her hand up and down Ishana's arm in a bid to attempt her.

"I know." Ishana had now resorted to whispering, too afraid to voice her theory. "But that's not the only thing, Tal. My Backbone - it said I would lose a friend," She stated. When Ishy received no response from her confused best friend, she continued. "I know it didn't say how or when, and that it's just an app, but it freaked me the fuck out."

"That is weird," Atlanta agreed. She sat forwards, resting her elbows on her thighs as her brain configured multiple different explanations. "But Backbone is an app, Ishy. And as for Callum, that was all an accident. The fact that your Backbone said that and Callum," The woman paused, choking on the word, "died is just a coincidence."

Ishana nodded. She grabbed the blanket beside her and chucked it over their legs. Without realising, she moved closer to Tally until her warmth was Ishy's. It sparked hope within her, and for the first time in a week, Ishana allowed herself to feel happiness.

"I hope so," Ishy muttered, before turning up the volume of the TV and drowning out her sorrows with yet another episode.