THE SCENT OF bleach and washing detergent enveloped Summer and me as we waited in Ryan's hospital room. After Summer had donated way too much blood to save her ex-boyfriend's life, he was finally in a stable condition and we—actually just Summer—were waiting for him to wake up from the medically-induced coma. The machine beside Ryan beeped every few seconds, indicating that the bastard was still breathing, still alive. Granted, I feel sorry that the poor chap landed in the hospital after the beating Wesley gave him, but I wouldn't have taken anything back.

He deserved it.

He called me a whore.

Well then, perhaps you should go back to draw more dicks on his not-so-perfect blue wall, my conscience told me.

Summer sat on a chair beside Ryan's bed, holding his hand as she slept, waiting for him to wake up. My phone had died about two hours ago, and to say that I was absolutely bored out of my mind would be the biggest understatement of the year. I didn't exactly enjoy wasting my time waiting for someone I absolutely dislike to wake up from a medically-induced coma or just simply some beauty sleep.

"I'm going to go get coffee," I mumbled to myself, stood up, and slowly shuffled out of the room and down the hall to the vending machine.

For a hospital, the hallways were pretty deserted, and there were barely any nurses or doctors around. I dropped the coins into the vending machine and waited for my drink. When it was ready, I took a delightful sip of the aromatic coffee.

Immediately, I felt the caffeine seep into my bloodstream, and my body was filled with a small wave of energy. At a desperate moment like this, I would take what I could get. Though the small cup of piping hot drink was not comparable to a good homebrew, it was enough to keep me awake for the next few hours at least.

On my way back to Ryan's hospital ward, I accidentally knocked into someone, and my drink fell out of my hands and toppled to the ground, spilling some of the coffee on the person's shirt. Cursing, I bent down and grabbed the cup, apologizing profusely. However, I took my apology back when I looked up and saw who it was, my face darkened to a scowl.

"You know what? I take it back. I am not sorry." I scowled, steering myself away from a stunned Blake. Dumping the cup into the trash bin, I trudged back toward Ryan's room. Blake, however, was following closely behind me. Frowning, I quickened my pace and burst into the ward, but I stopped in my tracks when I noticed Summer in Ryan's arms, bawling her eyes out.

Awkwardly, I shuffled back to my original seat and plopped myself down, which unfortunately gained Summer's attention.

"Ave." Summer sniffed and wiped her cheeks while Ryan slowly stroked her back. "You're back."

"Yeah." I coughed softly and rubbed my arm. "I went to get coffee." Then heaven decided to play a cruel joke on me, and a furious Blake Ryder burst through the ward door. The coffee stain was still quite clear on the front of his shirt, and his anger deepened when he noticed Summer and me. Fortunately, he ignored us and directly made his way toward Ryan.

"Hey, man. How are you feeling?"

"Could be better." Ryan's voice was hoarse, so Summer immediately poured him a cup of water and carefully brought it up to his mouth. Ryan smiled gratefully, took the cup, and slowly sipped from it.

"You could have been better if that douche didn't punch you in the jaw." Blake glared me, and I rolled my eyes.

"He actually used a beer bottle, but 'punch' is fine too." Ryan laughed as Blake's eyes darkened. Let's just say I wasn't exactly happy as well.

"Listen here, pal. If you hadn't opened your mouth, you wouldn't be here in the first place." I stood up and made my way to Ryan, shoving a finger against his bandaged forehead.

"Avery." Summer shook her head, and I turned reluctantly back to my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Maybe if you weren't such a bitch, Ryan wouldn't have anything to say about," Blake shot at me as my temper flared.

"You—"

"Enough!" Summer yelled at the both of us, causing me to snap my neck in her direction, glaring at her. "This is a hospital. If you guys need to fight or whatever, go to the damn arena. Now get out if you aren't here because of Ryan!"

I scoffed and stood up. "Gladly."

I stomped out of the hospital, revved the engine of my Harley Davidson, and sped my way back home. I hadn't even noticed Blake reluctantly leaving the hospital behind me; I was too filled with anger that Summer would choose to stand up for a guy who cheated on her instead of her best friend. My head ached the entire trip home, causing me to see red as I sped through the highway. I was eager to return to the company of my true friends. Yet I knew that they wouldn't understand me as well as a bottle of vodka would.

***

"Stop drinking, Ava." He took the shot glass away from my hands and placed it on the table. I groaned, grabbed the glass, and downed it before Wesley could take it out of my reach again.

"I was there for her. She chose them, those...those assholes over me!" I laughed to myself, pouring another shot of vodka, but when I filled the glass halfway up, Wesley snatched the bottle away and placed it at the other end of the table, away from me and out of my reach.

After downing the shot, I placed the glass back on the table and tucked my chin behind the giant pillow I was hugging. I tried to hold back my sobs. "I thought she was my best friend. What happened to bros before hoes?"

"Actually, it doesn't exactly apply in your situation since she's a gi—"

"She's such a bitch! I never want to see her again!"

"Ava...You don't mean that."

I sniffled and moved into Wesley's outstretched arms. Shifting into a comfortable position, I finally let myself drift off to sleep. Before I completely gave in to my tired self, though, one good thing managed to weasel its way into my mind, causing just the smallest smile to slip onto my lips.

Wesley didn't kill me for leaving him at the police station. It was a simple realization but it still made my heart bubble in warmth all the same.

Cover by: @ashtonlirwin.