I slump into my chair, placing my backpack on the floor. Thankfully it's the last class of the day, so I don't have to be here too much longer. I smile slightly when I remember that Alec, Elizabeth and Josh are all coming over after school today.

The smile drops when I remember something else. Dad's still acting weird. Ever since I was in the hospital, something has changed. He's gone for most of the day now, and even when he is home, we hardly interact. He's changed suddenly, and I can't help but feel as if it's my fault. Afterall, it only changed after I got in that car wreck, so maybe he's mad at me?

Guilt wells up inside of me as I think of how probable it is that Dad is mad at me. First of all, I didn't come home at all that first night that I met Josh - when I had my first vision. Secondly, I haven't been very talkative to him since I found out about Josh's permanant position in my life. I've been caught up in my own thoughts, too distracted to care about anything else. Then there was the car accident, putting me in the hospital and leaving Dad to pay for the medical bills.

The more and more I think about it, the more reasons I find for him to be mad. The bell rings to start class, but I don't hear it. The teacher starts talking, and although I hear him, I don't pay attention. That is, until he says my name.

"Mia?"

My eyes snap up to him and I smile sheepishly. "Yes?"

He raises his eyebrows, "Are you okay?"

As soon as those words leave his mouth, the whole class turns around to face me. My cheeks burn with embarrasment and I stumble to answer him. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Then can you pay attention, please?"

I nod swiftly, pulling my notebook and a pencil out of my bag. I sit up straight, smiling politely at my teacher as he resumes teaching our class.

•••

I lean up against Josh's car, crossing my arms over my chest as I wait for the others to show up. I rest my head back on the roof of the car and close my eyes. I'm usually a pretty patient person, but not when I'm tired and I just want to go home and relax.

I don't know how long it takes it exactly for someone else to show up, but it feels like hours, though I'm sure it's only been ten minutes at the most.

"Hey, Mia. How are you?"

I lift my head and open my eyes, smiling when I see Josh. "Hey, Josh. I'm doing good, just tired is all. How are you? Ready to party?"

Josh laughs, leaning up against the car as well. "I guess so, but I thought we were just going to hang out. Not party."

I roll my eyes, laughing as well. "I didn't mean that literally, Josh. I was just asking if you're ready to have fun."

"Then yes. Yes I am."

I push myself off the car, staring at him expectantly.

Josh raises his eyebrow, as well as one corner of his mouth. "Yes?"

"Aren't you going to unlock the car?" I question, gesturing to the vehicle he's leaning on.

Realization crosses over his face. "Oh. What, you don't want to stand out here until the others get here?" Josh teases, sticking his hand in his pocket to retrieve his car keys.

"It's not neccessarily the standing thing, I don't mind that. It's that if we wait for Alec to get here, he's going to take shotgun from me," I answer, heading around the car to the passenger side.

Josh laughs again, shaking his head as he unlocks the car and gets in. I follow suit, shutting the door behind me. "How was class?"

I look over at him before responding, "It was fine, I guess." As I say the words, I'm reminded of my guilt, and it soon builds up again. My eyes lock onto the ground. Guilt is something that everyone feels naturally, whenever they do something wrong, and right now, I wish I didn't know this feeling.

"Mia? Are you okay?"

In normal circumstances, I would have found it ironic that he used the exact same wording as my teacher did, but I am most definitely not in the mood. I don't answer him and focus on keeping the tears from falling.

"Hey, Mia," Josh says softly, placing his hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

I pull my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them, still not responding.

"Mia? You're scaring me here. Tell me what's wrong?"

I tuck my face in my knees as a single tear leaks out. I clench my jeans in my hands, wishing I was alone. So I could feel this guilt without any interuptions.

Hands are placed on both of my arms, turning me slightly towards Josh. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's all my fault," I whisper, more to myself then to Josh. "It's all my fault..."

"What's your fault? What happened?" Josh asks, rubbing his thumbs in small circles on her arms.

"It's all my fault," I repeat, not answering his question. I don't want to have to say it out loud. It would make it real.

Josh sighs, "Mia, I'm trying to help here, but I can't until you tell what's going on."

I gulp down the lump in my throat as more tears fall onto my knees. "I-I..." I stutter, hesitant to say anything.

"Come on. Just tell me what's wrong. Please."

As if him saying 'please' was some kind of trigger, the words fall from my mouthbefore I can stop them. Unfortunatrly, so do the tears. "It's all my fault! My dad's mad at me and it's all my fault!" I sob, trying to shrink myself down as small as possible in the chair.

Before I can register anything, I'm lifted in the air shortly before being placed down again. Arms soon come around me and Josh's chin rests on top of my head. "Shh, Mia. It's okay. Calm down, shh," Josh mumbles into my hair, rocking the both of us back and forth.

After a few more minutes, my tears dry up and I press my face into Josh's shirt. I focus on calming down my breathing as Josh rubs my back, still whispering things softly. As my breathing calms down, I lift my face up and rest the side of my head against his chest. My eyes close slowly.

"Are you okay?" Josh finally asks, keeping his arms around me.

I nod, my throat dry and scratchy.

"Can you tell me what's going on, or do you need a minute longer?"

I nod again. "Yeah. I can try," I say before launching into the story of why Dad's mad at me and how it's all my fault. As soon as I finish talking, Josh chuckles.

"It's most likely not your fault, Mia. It might be something completely different. Maybe he's going through something rough at work. Maybe he's just worried about you. Maybe you should talk to him about it," Josh suggests, as if I could easily walk up to my father and ask why he's mad at me.

I open my mouth ro respond, but before I can, the passenger door opens and Alec climbs in. I stare at him as he shuts the door, looking over at us and grinning. Like expected, his grins falls, when he notices my red, puffy eyes, and Josh's arms around me.

"Mia... What's wrong?" Alec asks, his eyes filled with concern.

I shake my head, placing my face into Josh's chest again, not wanting to explain it all again.

Josh strokes my hair, turning his head to Alec. "I don't think she's in the mood to explain. But don't worry, it's nothing life-threatening."

We fall into silence, waiting for Elizabeth to show up. Josh keeps one hand around me and one constantly stroking my hair. My face stays hidden and my feet stay curled up by my side. Occasionally, I hear some taping from where Alec is sitting, so I can only assume he's texting someone. And I sure hope it's Elizabeth.

Thankfully, it only takes Elizabeth a few more moments to arrive. She doesn't make any sound, but I assume she's noticed the situation. I take in another deep breath, pulling away from Josh and looking at him. He smiles softly at me, reaching his hands up and placing them on either side of my head. His thumbs run across my cheeks and under my eyes, most likely wiping away whatever makeup spilled.

Without another word, Alec climbs in the backseat and I take his old place, once again pulling my feet up and hugging them tightly.

The drive to my house is completely silent, not even the radio playing. Josh shuts off his car and Alec and Elizabeth get out without questioning anything.

"Are you sure you want to be around people right now? We can always leave..."

I shake my head, claring my throat before speaking, "No. Stay. I need something to distract myself."

Josh nods, placing his hand on the door handle, preparing to get out.

"Just," I say, gaining his attention again. "Just don't bring it up with the others. Please."

Josh nods again, pushing his door open and stepping out. Just as I place my hand on the door handle, it opens and Josh holds his hand down to me.

I smile up at him weakly, putting my hand in his. He hoists me up and out of the car. I shut the door softly behind me and start walking towards the front door. Josh soon catches up to me, swinging his arm across my shoulder, walking into the house with me.

•••

I burst out laughing as I look at the picture Josh drew. "Well, Josh. We can't all be artists," I tease, looking at the drawing again. It honestly looks more like eggs in water than baked beans.

Josh shrugs, then holds up a different Telestrations booklet. "Yeah, but at least I can draw a doll."

I cringe, looking at the picture I drew of a doll. It didn't work like it was supposed to, and the first doll I drew looked like Frankenstein, so I added a small stick figure in his hands.

Most definitely not one of my best.

Childishly, I stuck my tounge out at him.

The front door slams shut and I look over, already knowing who it is. Dad rounds the corner and I turn back to the booklet in front of me, erasing Josh's picture.

"Hey, kids."

"Hey," everyone else chorused, while I flipped the page to erase the words written there.

"What are you all up to?"

Out of the corner of my eyes, I notice Josh glance at me quickly before answering, "Just playing Telestrations."

I flip to the next page.

"Oh, that's a good one. Well, I have to get out of this clothes. I'll be back down in a minute," Dad says. I hear the stairs creak as I flip another page, erasing some more.

Josh sighs, reaching over and grabbing the eraser and booklet out of my hands.

I frown, looking up at him. "Hey-"

"Mia, look, I understand what your thought proccess is right now, I really do. But you can't just ignore your dad like that."

The guilt grows inside me again and I sigh. "I know," I whisper, twisting my fingers together.

Josh smiles softly and I try to smile in return, but I'm not entirely sure if it looks like one.

"Um, yeah. So, we have no clue what you two are talking about..." Alec says. My eyes snap to him and find his looking at me. A dizzy feeling swells in me and I black out.

I open my eyes to find myself looking at some old man lying in a hospital bed. His eyes open and I'm hit with shock.

Alec.

I'm going to see my best friend die.

He looks over to my right, where some woman is standing, her hair as gray as his. He grasps her hand before looking to my left, where another woman, her hair more white than gray, is sitting. He holds her hand as well.

"You guys have been the best friends I could ever ask for. Especially after Penny died. Thank you both."

Old Alec locks his eyes with one woman, speaking, "Elizabeth, thank you for flying out here just to see me before I go. Thank you for sacrificing time with your family." Old Alec turns to the other woman. "And Mia-"

My heart stops.

"Thank you for watching over me and visiting me here almost everyday."

I want to cry. But I can't help but feel obligated to remember that.

"Thank you, thank you, thank y-"

And just like that, his eyes slide shut and his arms fall limp. Tears stir in my eyes and I hear one of the women crying.

The scene soon fades, the sounds of sniffling carries on slightly. I open my eyes, looking up to see Josh gazing down at me worriedly.

"Hey," he greets, placing his hand on the side of my face. "What happened?"

Pictures from what I just saw come floating back in and I'm on my feet and halfway up the stairs before Josh can react. I run into my bedroom, slaming the door shut and locking it.

I lay down on my bed and my tears consume me.

Ahhh! Alec!!! :( it's so sad but so good! :)

Was anyone expecting that? ;)

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