Chapter 8: Tracy's Downward Spiral

Tracy's life had been spiraling out of control for weeks, and it seemed like she was powerless to stop it. She was skipping class, neglecting her schoolwork, and spending more and more time with Evie and Astrid. Her mother, Melanie, was at her wit's end, trying to intervene but getting pushed away by Tracy at every turn. As the days went by, Tracy's behavior became more and more erratic. She started to cut herself, a habit she had picked up from Evie, and experiment with harder substances. Her grades were slipping, and she was distant and cold towards Melanie. Ariah, who had been watching from the sidelines, felt a pang of sympathy for Tracy. She knew that Tracy was in trouble, and she didn't know how to help her. She tried to talk to Evie and Astrid, but they just laughed it off, telling her that Tracy was fine. But Ariah knew that Tracy wasn't fine. She could see the pain in her eyes, the desperation. And she knew that she had to do something. One day, Ariah decided to go to Tracy's house with Evie and Astrid. They spent the afternoon lounging around, smoking pot and listening to music. Tracy seemed distant, lost in her own world. As they sat on the couch, Ariah noticed that Tracy was cutting herself again. She felt a surge of anger towards Evie and Astrid, who seemed to be encouraging this behavior. But she also felt a sense of sadness, knowing that Tracy was hurting herself like this. "Ariah, can I talk to you for a minute?" Tracy asked, getting up and walking out of the room. Ariah followed her, feeling a sense of concern. "What's up, Tracy?" she asked, sitting down next to her. Tracy looked at her, her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know what's happening to me, Ariah," she said, her voice shaking. "I feel like I'm losing control, like I'm disappearing." Ariah took her hand, feeling a sense of empathy. "You're not alone, Tracy," she said. "I'm here for you. But you have to want to help yourself." Tracy looked at her, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. For a moment, Ariah thought she saw a spark of the old Tracy, the girl who had been her friend before she got mixed up with Evie. But as they went back to the living room, Ariah knew that it was going to be a long and hard road to get Tracy back on track. Evie and Astrid were still there, still influencing Tracy with their destructive behavior. And Ariah knew that she had to do something, not just for Tracy's sake, but for her own. She couldn't watch her friend spiral out of control like this, not when she knew that she could help. As the afternoon wore on, Ariah made a decision. She would talk to Mason, Tracy's brother, and see if he could help them get Tracy back on track. It was a risk, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She excused herself, pulling out her phone to send Mason a text. She knew that he would listen, that he would help. And as she waited for his response, Ariah felt a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could save Tracy from herself.