Lauren's POV

I felt like a feather when I first opened my eyes but soon I realized that I'm in a strange room, I'm in the hospital. I tried to adjust my vision to the lightening and I found Skylar, Calum, Michael and Natalie all sleeping around the room. 

I closed my eyes again and I remembered exactly what happened in the last few hours. My eyes watered but I refuse to cry anymore. I looked around the room then, I decided to get up. I found my pair of converse near a bag of clothes next to my bed. I slipped in the shoes and I put on a random black cardigan. 

"Oh my God, you're awake." Skylar spoke suddenly when I was about to open the door. I flashed a little smile, but mentioned for her to stay quiet. She got up and completely hugged me so tight that I was completely out of breath, but it felt so right. I needed that hug so bad. 

We opened the door letting the others sleep peacefully. We walked silently in the empty hallway and I figured by the clock hang in the wall that it's around 3 in the morning. I didn't know for how long I've been passed out. 

"Are you okay?" 

"I'll be okay." I said quietly, taking interest in the creamy-colored floor. I know that this is all gonna end really soon. Luke is probably meant to quit my life right now, Kenzie probably isn't meant to be my best friend forever, like I always believed. Everything happen for a solid reason anyway. 

"Do you wanna know what happened?" She asked and I feel like she's really afraid of me. I have nothing against her, she just happens to be with them so she have been through everything. "Skylar, I'm not mad at you. Actually, thanks for worrying about me." I lifted my head for the first time and gave her a really warm smile. She looked relieved and we reached the cafeteria. 

"Can we get some coffee?" I politely proposed and she nodded with a smile. I found a seat next to the open window and I looked at the quiet dark scenery. I feel really numb and it's like my heart is completely cold. I'm not feeling anything, just numb but especially empty. 

"Got your usual latte." A voice brought me to reality, "Thanks a lot." 

"You scared us to death. I'm not saying this to blame you, I really understand what you're going through, but you really mean to all of us. I don't want you to feel lonely or left out. You're our friend and people make mistakes, but you matter to them." I felt a lot of regret in her voice, she was slowly articulating her words. I took a sip of my coffee and looked at the open window instead of replying. I have so much to say but I was afraid that I could hurt her or say things I'm not supposed to say. 

"Say something Lauren, please." 

"You're so nice Skylar." I started. "You don't see the worst in people. I used to be like you. I saw only the best in Ashton, Luke and even Kenzie. I only saw what made me happy and I didn't care about what could happen if I dig in deeper, but look at me. I lost all three of them, at the same time. But guess what, in every thing I still search for the best. Like they say, everything happen for a reason and I believe all of this happened for a reason and after all, the only thing I'm fully sure of is that, I wasn't the worst friend. They could never blame me for anything. I'm satisfied with what I did and I don't care about the rest." Skylar looked so concentrated, she was listening to me carefully. "To be honest, I'm thankful for you. You weren't obliged to come all the way here and make sure I'm nice and safe. I'm sure they all did it because they felt obliged to so they can prove to me that they are worth my friendship." 

"It's really the least I can do for you, Lauren. You are one of my best friends and I don't know what I'd do, if something happened to you." She said making me smile for the first time, I took another sip of my coffee, I can feel the caffeine kicking in my system. I felt a little bit better, even though my muscles are still sore but the headache is slowly fading. 

"Where's my phone?" I suddenly remembered that I really need to call my mom, I'm pretty sure she roamed all the city looking for me. "It's Natalie's purse, don't worry about your mom, Natalie called her." 

"Is she okay with me staying here?" 

"Yeah, your mom is pretty chill." I started laughing shaking my head, she really doesn't know when mom likes to become a cop. "You really don't know her. I guess she's occupied with some important thing, that's why she didn't care."

"What are you gonna do now, Lauren?" 

"I told you, I didn't lose anything. Luke lost me, and I still love him. He'll always stay in my heart, I trusted him with my life and I let him be the first one. But, if it's meant to end, then I guess I have nothing to do. I won't beg him to love me, I'm still mad because I had no respect towards myself and I confessed my love and begged him to stay. I can't believe what I did." 

"Lauren, there's nothing wrong with what you did. You love the guy, you weren't ready to see him leave like this without any explanation. I don't know what happened but I know that Ashton has to do with all of this." She explained and I can only agree. I've never wished death for anyone in this world, but I wish it for Ashton, even if it's the last wish I can do. 

"Ashton will pay for everything, sooner or later." 

Luke's POV

"Wake up Collins and turn off your phone." I groaned under my blanket, burying my face deeper in the couch pillows in hope to block the sound. The annoying phone is still going off and she didn't wake up to switch it off. 

"Kenzie." I groaned louder throwing a random pillow at her sleeping body in the other couch. She just groaned turning on her stomach. I cursed reaching for it and I found her brother's name flashed on the screen. I shook her shoulder to wake her up for good. 

"What?" She said, her voice hoarse and muffled. "Your brother is calling you." 

"Tell him to fuck himself or switch it off." I took the second option and I put the device back in its initial place. There was no chance to go back to sleep, since it's nearly midday. Last night, Kenzie stayed in my house since we got home from Anaheim and we didn't want to stay alone. 

"Kenzie, wake up seriously. I don't wanna stay alone." 

She finally woke up after me begging her for more than fifteen minutes, we made coffee and watched two movies. She really made me feel accompanied. I really can imagine myself sitting here alone, crying over Ashton massacring my life. I admire Kenzie for her positive attitude. I know deep down that she's suffering from everything around her. Her parents are so pushy and overprotective, the whole school hates her and takes her for a slut and she lost her only best friend. Despite all of that crazy bubble, she's still laughing and acting like nothing happened. 

"We have school tomorrow." She said before throwing a handful of popcorn in her mouth. I sighed rolling my eyes, school is the last place I'd like to go to. "Keep up with the positive vibes please." She laughed loudly but she starting coughing violently making my eyebrows furrow in confusion. I tapped on her back muffling my laugh. She's so ridiculous. She laughed when her mouth was full of popcorn. 

She nodded, her face bright red and her eyes wet. I giggled reaching for a water bottle on the table. "Here, drink some, you looser." She giggled again taking a gulp. "I didn't know you were using me to spread my fantastic positive vibes." 

"Oh, you got it finally. Bravo!" I laughed cockily giving her a wink, trying so hard to do not burst in laughter. She glared at me and eventually slapped me right in the face with the pillow next to her. I giggled loudly messing up her hair. "Don't touch my hair, you're jealous because it's better than yours."

"We both are blondies, stop being so full of yourself." 

"I'm the better blondie, bear with that bitch." She punched my shoulder flipping her blonde strands behind her shoulder. I messed up her hair again, making her groan and curl into a ball in the corner of the couch. "You touch my hair again, you're dead."

"What's so precious about it? It's just hair." I shook my hair eating some popcorn from the bowl we were sharing. She sat cross-legged smoothing her long hair which is sticking in every corner. "You're gonna make it all greasy and dirty."

"Oh, I'll wash it for you, to take out the blame." I, soon realized, how creepy it did sound. I bit the inside of my cheeks, I don't know what's happening with me. Kenzie was silent, she took interest in the fringes on the blanket. 

"It wasn't creepy, looser. It's okay, what about washing my hair in the sink?" I burst in laughter shaking my head. This girl is really something else, you can never feel uncomfortable with her. 

"You really are something else, thanks for sticking up with me in the tough days." 

"You turned out to be funny and dorky as hell. I can say the same to you, looser."