"We are so sorry. Reed is in a coma," The doctor delivers the news when we enter the hospital. I sit down with my back to the wall with tears streaming down my face. I am to blame for this.

I should have chased him, explained everything. He is my first love. I should have done everything in my power to tell him how much I love him. He must have been heartbroken. He must have thought that I betrayed him.

He must have thought that I did the same thing April did and that everything I told him was a lie. What have I done?

"You should be thankful that he was wearing a helmet because the truck hit him at full speed, or else he would have died," The doctor informs us.

"I am sorry," I apologise to Blake and Raven. Their son could have died today, and it would have been my fault. Ryder could have lost his big brother. I look at him, and he is on Andrew's lap, and Andrew is trying to calm him down.

"It's not your fault, honey," Raven reassures me. They know that Reed and I confessed. We got a stern talking about everything, and I mean everything. They were not surprised because they knew Reed liked me.

"No, I should have run after him and told him it was a misunderstanding. He must have thought that I let him down and that I was lying about everything," I was screaming at this point. Raven pulls me into a hug trying to calm me down. She hugs me tight to stop my trembling.

After some time, I notice all my friends approaching us.

"I called them here," Andrew states. Ava and Kate both hug me, trying to calm my shaking. Luke and Noah take Ryder and go to the cafeteria to buy some water bottles and food.

"You may go see him," The doctor informs us after an hour. We all go in. The colour drains from my face at the sight of his battered and bruised body in a hospital bed. He is breathing with the help of the oxygen mask, and he looks very pale. There is a huge bloodstain on the bandage that is covering his head.

"His head took most of the impact from his fall. He fractured his left arm and has bruises all over his body other than his body does not have any major casualties," The doctor explains.

"Doctor, do you have any idea when he will wake up" Raven inquires.

"It might take a year or a month or a week. We are not sure,"

I leave the family and come outside to see Ryder fast asleep on Andrew's lap with his head on his neck.

"This is all my fault," I say to no one in particular.

"Kiara, look at me. None of this is your fault, ok," Luke says, holding my face. I nod, and he wipes my tears with his thumb.

I sit down on the chair beside Andrew and lay my head on his shoulder, and he places a kiss on my head. Soon Raven and Blake come outside.

"Kids go home, you all have school tomorrow," Raven thanks my friends for coming, and they leave after saying their goodbyes, promising me that everything is going to be ok.

"Kiara, Blake will take you all home. I will stay with Reed," I open my mouth to protest, but she stops me.

"No, you are not staying here. I will take care of Reed. You can visit him after school tomorrow. It is final," Raven tells me sternly.

I say goodbye to Reed and go home with Blake. Andrew puts Ryder to bed. I facetime Keith and he paled when I gave him the news.

My parents also died due to an accident. I saw their bodies lying idly on the hospital beds. Keith didn't allow me to see their faces saying it would traumatise me. I will never recover if I lose Reed too.

He murmured soothing words until I stopped crying. I tried to go to sleep, but I just couldn't. Your brain is terrible during this time. Your anxiety and overthinking brain will bring up all the worst scenarios. I went to Andrew's room, hoping to get some sleep. I halt in my track when I see him curled up in his bed, crying.

Once he sees me, he wipes his tears and motions me to his bed. He lost his dad in an accident too. Witnessing Reed like that would have triggered his memories just like it did mine. He hugs me tight and starts sniffling. I look up to the sky and count backwards to stop myself from breaking down.

Once he calms down, he pulls me to his chest and murmurs soothing words lulling me to sleep. The next day in school was terrible. I had no awareness of my surroundings, my thoughts consumed by Reed. My friends tried to cheer me up but gave up when I showed no emotion.

I am in pain, but I can't cry. There are no more tears left. I rush to the hospital once I finish school, hoping to hear some good news.

"Sorry, Kiara. He has shown no improvement," Raven informs me. I go to his room and sit on the stool beside his bed. I take his hand in mine and start stroking it, hoping it gives him some warmth.

"I saw this same view three years ago. But It was my parents," I speak, hoping he would be able to hear me.

"When I was a kid, I thought my life was a fairy tale. I had the best parents, an amazing but annoying older brother who loved me. I always got what I wanted. I got the treatment of a queen. I thought my parents would always be there for me. To scold me when I did something wrong, to kiss my wounds when I got hurt or shoot any guys who come near me with my dad's invisible gun," I chuckle, remembering the memories.

My dad always used to say that if a boy ever came near me, he would shoot him with the invisible fancy gun that only he could see. Then he would point the gun at me and start tickling me until I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

"I dreamed that I would bump into a guy on the first day of high school, he would act like a complete jerk, and we would hate each other. But then, after getting to know him, we will slowly become friends and then lovers. He would be every girl's dream boy. I would save him from my father's wrath when I introduce him to my family as the love of my life. Then my dad would threaten to shoot him with the invisible gun if he ever broke my heart," I smile, remembering the fantasies I used to have as a kid.

"We will continue loving each other, and then he would take me to the Eiffel tower and propose to me in the city of love. We will have a wedding in a mansion with me wearing a beautiful gown just like a princess, and my dad would have tears in his eyes when he walks me down the aisle,"

"My parents would be so proud of me that I have come this far in life. My husband and I will settle down in a beautiful house with a swimming pool and a huge backyard. Exactly one year after marriage, I would give birth to twins and, two years later, another child. We will be a happy family," I take a deep breath, knowing that now none of those fantasies will come true.

"All these dreams burned down when I heard my parents died in a car crash. I learnt the hard way that the perfect world I imagined was just a fantasy. The reality is worse. It is cruel, it is bitter, and it shows no mercy to people. The good people get taken very soon but, the bad people live a happy life. I was thrown into reality very harshly," I stop, my heart hurting remembering those memories.

"But you know, the reality is not so unbearable. I still have my brother and best friends, and two years later, I got a new family. I found the love of my life. I got more best friends and two more brothers. I thought maybe just maybe my fantasy might come true, and now this happens," I say, trying not to cry.

"I am sorry, Reed. What you saw was a misunderstanding. I didn't lie when I said I love you. People don't hurt the ones they love, and yet I did. I hurt you just like April did," a sob leaves my throat.

"Come back to me, Reed. I will remind you every day how much I love you and how I cannot live without you. I will prove my love to you every day. Just come back to me," I say, sobbing harder.

Somebody makes m turn around and pull me to their chest. I weep from regret and guilt.

"Shh...shhh. Everything will be ok," Andrew mutters, holding me tight. I cry until I feel a little better. I thank Andrew, and he smiles, placing a kiss on my forehead.

I exit the room and look back at Reed. I whisper,

I am sorry. I love you.

                                                             __________

Hello. What do you think of this chapter? Let me know. Remember Jesus loves you.

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