When I woke up, I was in a room with Hazel, Will, Loe Ellen, and Cecil. Cecil was staring at the ground, Hazel was crying, Lou Ellen was comforting her, and Will was sitting next to me, holding my hand.

Had I dreamt everything that just happened?

No. I was in a hospital. Which means I passed out. Which means Bianca is dead.

Hazel looked up at me.

"How did she die?" I asked.

"She-she was worried about you. We told her not to go; that you were probably fine, but she didn't listen! She drove away and she never came back."

Hazel blew into a tissue.

I felt like passing out all over again.

It was my fault that Bianca was dead? I should have known.

"It...it was my fault...."

"No! No, it wasn't your fault!" Will said, seeing Hazel was crying too hard to talk.

He pulled me into a hug.

"If I would have stood up against my dad, she would still be alive!"

"It's not your fault. It's your dad's."

"But-"

"No."

"Will-"

"Stop blaming yourself, Nico!"

His burst of anger startled me. He saw he scared me and instantly apologized.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad. I-I just hate it when you blame yourself for this kind of thing." He said.

"It's fine."

"Will is right, though. It wasn't your fault. You didn't know what would happen." said Lou Ellen.

Honestly, I don't know what came over me. I guess I just needed time to myself.

But I got out of the bed and ran.

I didn't run that far; they probably could have caught me. They were probably in shock.

But I ran and hid behind a vending machine.

I heard Will run out soon after, frantically calling my name. I didn't answer.
Fortunately, he ran the other way.

Then the rest of them came out, and they split up. Hazel and Cecil went the opposite direction and Lou Ellen went my way.

She didn't see me though. She walked right past.

It is my fault. So why do they deny it? It's obvious.

But why would Will lie to me?

He probably just wants to make me feel better. He knows I don't want anyone hurt.

But it doesn't seem like him to lie to me.

But (rudely interrupting my thoughts) Will came running through.

He collapsed on the ground from despair. He was sobbing.

...and now look what you've done! You've hurt him! You ruin everything!

Slowly, I stepped out.

I'm only doing this to make Will feel better.

Will didn't see me at first, so I tapped his shoulder.

He looked up and relief flooded into his eyes.

He stood up and hugged me.

"I'm so, so sorry, Nico. I shouldn't have gotten mad. I am so, so sorry!"

He was still crying and I realized how badly I had hurt him.

I pulled away.

Then things went downhill again.

The vending machine behind me crashed to the ground.

I'm terrified of loud noises. Absolutely terrified. (I'll explain this more later)

So when It crashed to the ground, I screamed, shaking. I took a couple short steps backwards, but I tripped over a wire from the vending machine and fell.

I braced myself for the impact with the floor.

But I felt strong arms wrap around me, keeping me from hitting the floor.

I was still trembling.

"Shhh, Nico it's okay. You're okay." Will kept saying things like this, making me slowly calm down.

He pulled me into a hug and I cried into his shoulder.

"Shhhh, it's okay, Nico. You're okay. I love you."

I whimpered, "sorry-loud-scared-"

I couldn't make a sentence.

"Hey, look at me. It's okay, Nico. I understand."

I nodded, but the tears didn't stop.

I remember Lou Ellen turn the corner and see us. Then her eyes moved to the vending machine, and then back to us.

She must have guessed what happened. (Although I don't know how she could've. I guess she's just amazing that way.)

"I'll go get Hazel and Cecil." She said, then ran to go find him.

"Nico, it's okay. You'll be okay. Look, Nico. It was just the vending machine."

I nodded and slowly the tears turned to heavy breathing and whimpering.

"You're okay, Nico." Will whispered.

Cecil, Lou, and Hazel ran around the corner.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" I said, now that I was able to talk.

"Nico, it's okay. It's not your fault. Look at me, Nico."

I looked up at him.

"Why would I lie to you?"

"You're just trying to make me feel better."

"Nico, listen to Will. He wouldn't lie to you."

I stayed silent. I couldn't tell if they were telling the truth or not.

Will took my hand and slowly led me back to my hospital room.

Honestly, I was exhausted. I don't remember much, and I what I do remember is blurry and seems more like a dream.

I remember Will helping me into bed. I remember everyone except Will leaving.

I remember Will singing to me. I remember him kissing my forehead and saying, "Sweet dreams, Nico. I love you."

Then I fell asleep.

-------time skip because I'm lazy-------

When I woke up, I was sweating. None of my friends were in sight. I imagined the doctors had seen (or heard) me having a nightmare and assumed my friends needed to leave.

I wondered if they had put up a fight to go. I sighed, bored. Then I heard Will say something from outside the room.

"I need to help him!" He said.

"I assure you, the doctor will be here soon to help him through his nightmare."

"No! It's about his dad!"

"Why would he be having a nightmare about his dad?"

"His dad was abusive and he has nightmares about him!"

"I'm sure you're just overthinking everything. His dad probably is a very nice man."

"No! You don't understand!"

"I don't think you could help much anyway. Maybe you could come in if you were calmer."

"I would have been calm if you didn't make me leave!"

I saw Will burst in and a frustrated nurse come in behind him.

Will saw I was already awake, "I am so sorry Nico," he glared at the nurse, "I would have been here sooner but someone made me leave."

"It's fine, Will. I'm okay."

"See? Like I said, he's fine. Which means he can also go home today."

"Really?!" Will said, excited.

The nurse nodded. "But."

Uh oh.

"But he has to go home to his own house. Not to a friends." She obviously meant that I could not stay with Will.

I started shaking with fear.

"No. No he can not. That will not work." Will said, panicking the more he spoke.

"I'm afraid it must work."

The nurse left and Will looked at me. "I'm not letting you stay there. I-I'll call my mom! Yeah...yeah that'll work....then you can stay with me. Yes, I think I'll do that."

Relief flooded through me.

"Thank you so much, Will!" I said.

"You're welcome." Will hugged me.

I don't deserve Will.

Will spoke what I was thinking, "I don't deserve you, Nico."

I was taken aback. "W-what do you mean? You deserve so much better than me..."

"Nico, tell me one thing that's bad about you."

"I'm ugly."

"No Nico, you're beautiful."

"I-I'm not. I don't know what you see in me."

"How do I get you to understand? How do I get you to understand how beautiful you are and how much I love you?"

I looked at my feet. "You can't. I would know if you're lying. And I don't see how you could be telling the truth."

I looked back up at him. He looked crestfallen.

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