MIGUEL HAD woken up. He'd been awake for a while actually, but when Thalia went to see him, things just didn't play out in the way she wanted.

When she first heard that Miguel had woken up, she heard it from Hawk. She didn't question how he'd gotten her number, she questioned which card was fitting for the situation.

None of them would suffice, but nonetheless, she grabbed one with a bandaid on the front, quickly wrote a note on the inside, and signed it.

She drove to the hospital alone, Tory not ready to see him, and made her way inside.

She held the card in her hand and felt like sweating. She didn't know why she was so nervous to see him now that he was awake, but maybe it was because she knew they would have to talk about the incident and what Thalia saw at the party.

Thalia didn't know what or how the fight started at school, but she knew it was because of the kiss that Tory ended up seeing.

Regardless, Thalia continued down the hall but paused when she saw Sam and Miguel in the room.

Thalia sighed, biting her lips as she looked down at the card.

She blew out a small breath before turning, her head colliding with a broader chest as she moved.

She looked up, quickly apologizing, and stepping back to look up at the person she bumped into.

It was Hawk.

He smiled. "Have you seen him?"

"Uh, no. No, I haven't." She chuckled, running her hands through her hair. "I gotta go, but can you give this to him?"

Thalia didn't wait for an answer as she shoved the card into his chest before leaving the hospital.

Hawk furrowed his brows but got the idea of what was wrong when he stepped foot into Miguel's hospital room.

He did give Miguel the card and he did mention that Thalia had been there, but that was the end of it.

Thalia hadn't seen Miguel until now that is.

Thalia had been out, getting food for herself, her mother, and Brandon as she dropped Tory off at work.

She held the bag of food in her hands, not recognizing Johnny Lawrence who held the door open for her as she stepped outside.

She thanked the man, giving him a small smile.

"Thalia?"

She turned at the sound of her name, the small smile on her face dropping slightly as she saw Miguel sitting there in a wheelchair.

She used her finger to brush her hair from her face and quickly fixed her face. She smiled, stepping forward and sitting in the seat that Johnny had previously been in.

"I'm... glad you're out of the hospital." Thalia sighed. "You look way better than before. I- I visited you and I would've shown up to see you when you woke up, but—"

"Hawk gave me your card." Miguel said. "Thank you."

Thalia nodded. "Um, Tory's really sorry. I- I don't know if she's seen you or anything, but um, she's sorry... for everything." She paused, looking at him. "I am too. I- I- I didn't know she was going to do any of that and if I did would've done something about it."

"It's not your fault." Miguel said. "I... should apologize because I really did care about us and-"

"Did you?" Thalia asked. "Because I saw you and Sam at the party. I was so worried that you were only going out with me to make her jealous or to... parade me to get her attention. I questioned everything until the end of our date. I mean, I know weren't dating or anything, but- I really did like you Miguel."

Miguel sighed. "Is that really what you think?"

"How could I not?" Thalia argued, but her voice was barely above a whisper. "You don't get and I don't think you ever will. I don't have many friends here. I'm not as outgoing as Tory, but when I saw you at the park that night I was just... I don't know."

She scoffed aloud. She felt stupid, sitting here with him was solving anything. She knew what she wanted to say but couldn't conjure the strength to say it. She already felt stupid... she didn't want to dig herself deeper into that.

Thalia sighed, licking her lips as she looked at Miguel.

"I just wish you were honest with me from the start and maybe you and I was too naïve to see it."

Thalia stood to her feet, grabbing the plastic bag that held her family's lunch and presumably dinner for tonight.

"I'm glad to see that you're better, Miguel." Thalia said. "And I'm sorry that it all happened."

With that, Thalia left, leaving Miguel in his seat— wheelchair and all he could do was sit there and watch her walk off, rounding the corner.

Miguel sighed, he never, ever intended to hurt Thalia. Though he could see how she had that thought process from the jump.

He kissed her, asked her out, and when he saw the opportunity he kissed Sam... but did that kiss mean anything?

Was the kiss worth losing his friendship and potential relationship with Thalia... and possibly his legs?

No, it wasn't, but Thalia wouldn't believe that would she, not after everything.

Or everything that would come.

— lucy has something to say !!

let's not talk about the short chapters guys im begging the next one is longer i swear

bye :))))