Hate Me Today (Save Me #3) by Katheryn Kiden

Jason Jackson?” The voice on the other end of the line is low and timid as she asks the dumbest question in the world right now. Who else would be answering my phone?
    “It’s three thirty in the goddamn morning . I’ll be Ron-fuckin’-Jeremy if you just tell me what you want and leave me the hell alone!”
    “I’m sorry , Mr. Jackson.” Mr. Jackson? Really? When did I become my father?
    “Who is this and what do you want?” I bite out.
    “Mr. Jackson, my name is Amelia Maxus. I’m a nurse at Nashville General.” She pauses to take a deep breath and the only thing I can think is that something happened to Abby or Tuesday again. My mind comes to a halt when she speaks again. “Is your brother Carter Jackson?”
    I shoot straight up, forgetting that I’m in the small bunk and smack my head off the bed above me. I groan and press my hand against my head. “Yes…”
    “Mr. Jackson, I’m afraid there has been an accident.” I start to freak out. I haven’t felt this helpless, well… ever. All the worst possibilities run through my head before she even has a chance to tell me what happened.
    “Wh-” I can’t even finish choking up what I was trying to say as I bite the inside of my cheek. Thankfully she gets what I need and tells me.
    “Your brother attempted to commit suicide a few hours ago.”
    The bottom drops out of my world, sending my mind spiraling and it feels like my heart is going to explode out through my ribs. What the hell happened? Why didn’t he call me? I can’t even string two words together let alone catch my breath but she continues anyway. One word catches my attention and grounds me, even if it’s only a bit. Attempted. Attempted means he didn’t succeed.
    “We had to pump his stomach. He overdosed on Xanax and you were listed as his only emergency contact. Is there any way you can get here?” Her nervous voice has disappeared and before I even know what I am doing I’m up and throwing shit in a duffle bag.
    “I , uh…” I clear my throat and try to keep myself from throwing up so I can speak. “I’ll be there as soon as I can but I’m not in town so I’m not sure how long it will take me.” I know we aren’t far off of home but even knowing we are headed back isn’t good enough for me. I need to be there now.
    She gives me the number for the hospital and tells me she will call me back with any updates before I get there and to call if I needed anything. I pace the short hall in the bus as quietly as I can as I try to figure out what the hell I’m going to do.
    I come to a standstill with my hand on the send button for Abby when I notice Vanessa at the table in the dark. Her legs are pulled up into her chest, arms wrapped around them and her head resting on her knees as she stares blankly out the window at the passing headlights.
    As soon as she realizes she isn’t alone anymore she stares at me, her eyes assessing everything from the duffle bag by my feet to the scared shitless face I’m probably wearing right now.
    “What’s wrong?” She whispers and I don’t hear any of the usual sarcastic tone she usually uses with me. In fact she sounds… worried? No fucking way.
    I don’t even know how to answer her. My responses to her are usually some sort of insult even though we’ve been in sort of a truce until the end of the tour, but just the look on her face and the pounding in my chest tells me that this isn’t the time for my usual bullshit. Not like my mind could even come up with an insult right now towards her anyway.
    “Carter,” I choke out.
    She shakes her head, her eyes narrowing in confusion. Of course she doesn’t know what you’re talking about, you asshole. I never talk to her about anything important and Carter is one of the most important things in my life.
    I take a deep breath and look down at my hands which are shaking worse than I have ever seen before and look back to her. She follows my gaze and her eyebrows draw together as she climbs