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“I’m going to go check on Austin, honey, I’ll be back. Talk to Alex, she can hear you even though she’s not awake,” Mom coaxed, trying to break the tension in the room.
“Okay,” I replied, but stayed put in the doorway.
She left and I just stood there as if I was an outsider looking in and not one of them anymore. I wondered what Dylan had told them, what they knew.
Dylan stood, nodding toward me to come sit. I swallowed hard, my heart beating faster with every step I took. He gestured toward the chair not breaking eye contact with me. He didn’t try to hold me or kiss me, nothing of what I expected him to do.
I sat, looking at the girl who I considered a sister, immediately feeling guilty for alienating her. I had barely spoken to her that whole year. She probably needed me the most this past year since she was just as alone as I was and yet I had shut her out. I had been too lost in my own mind and problems to care about hers. The thought that I might not ever be able to talk to her again, that something could go wrong was too much to take and I broke down. My upper body gave out on me, and falling over to her side.
“I’m so sorry, Alex. I’m so sorry that I haven’t been a better friend to you,” I sobbed, holding her hand tight in my own. “I promise I’ll make it up to you. Please just give me the chance,” I cried so hard into her hand. My body shook with each sob.
It was then that I felt Dylan’s strong hands press against my shoulders, rubbing at the tense muscles. I hadn’t felt his hands on me in such a long time. I couldn’t remember the last time we made love.
“She’s going to be fine, suga’.”
I also couldn’t remember the last time he called me that and it only made me cry harder.
“Promise?” I murmured loud enough for him to hear.
He crouched down beside me, whispering, “Always” in my ear.
I don’t know how long I stayed like that. My arms wrapped around her with his arms wrapped around me. It could have been seconds or hours. Time just seemed to stand still and from that moment on I knew I would hate fucking hospitals. I never wanted to see one again. Nothing good came from them. I had no idea how my mom could do this everyday. How she chose this over her family.
When Alex’s mom walked back into the room, I let her have my chair. I hugged her tight before she sat down to hold her daughter’s hand exactly how Dylan and I had.
“I’m going to take her to see Austin.” Dylan put his hand out waiting for me to follow him toward the door.
They nodded, looking back and forth between us.
“It’s good to see you guys. I miss you,” I said out of nowhere, needing them to hear it.
Jacob pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head, Lucas quickly followed. It felt like old times but under horrible circumstances.
“He’s not as strong as he pretends to be, Aubrey,” Lucas whispered in my ear, catching me off guard. “He needs you now more than ever. Don’t fuck with him if he’s not what you want.”
What was that supposed to mean?
I pulled away as our eyes locked, he smiled and kissed my forehead. Dylan grabbed my hand and I looked down at the ground not being able to face him after what Lucas just said. Dylan took me into Austin’s room and I didn’t have the same breakdown as I did with Alex. His mom was in the room and I wanted to stay strong for her even though I was massively hurting on the inside.
My mom went home to rest up for her next shift. When she returned to work, it was well into the night and she found me in the exact same place, as I was when she left. Sitting in the waiting room for something to change.
Any news.
I felt like I was getting in everyone’s space, the boys, their parents, and the staff. I thought it would be easier if I sat in the waiting room to stay out of the way. Dylan came out a few times to check on me, but never stayed long, not that I expected him to. He had barely said more than a few words to me and as much as I tried not to take it personally, I couldn’t.
Which only made me feel worse. I should have been thinking about my friends, but there I was thinking about my relationship.
Proving that I am selfish.
I really was my mother’s daughter.
DYLAN
We took the first flight out after our parents called. None of us even grabbed clothes. I thought about Aubrey the entire time. I wanted to call her and tell her I needed her, but every time I started to dial her number, I stopped. I knew her mom would take care of it and she would show up eventually. Things were tense between us. I didn’t even know where we stood half the time anymore. All I wanted was for my friends to be okay. I didn’t need any more problems than the ones that were already lying in comas struggling for their lives.
I was so pissed at Austin, I could barely fucking see straight. We all were. All we ever asked him to do was protect Half-Pint.
It was that simple.
