(FAWN TO THE SIDE-->)

«Flynn's POV»

Around twenty minutes after we finished editing Madeline's video, Gaige and Fawn showed up. They were going to help us make the movie trailer for my project. I know, I'm pretty cool. You don't have to tell me. So, of course, I had the brilliant idea to be super a overachiever and make a movie trailer instead of a boring talk show like everybody else. Fawn was going to film us and Gaige was going to be my partner-in-crime. Just like in real life.

So the plot was that I was a thief and I kidnapped Madeline. We included some of our everyday arguments in there too. We like to keep it real. Then I question her about herself because why not? I don't know...it seemed like a good idea at the time.

We set up the scene and got ready.

"And...action!" Fawn yelled.

We got into our places. Gaige dragged Madeline into the center of the room.

"Hi," I say with a slight smirk that Fawn told me to do. "I'm a thief-"

"And you've come to steal my heart?" Madeline asked, acting bored.

"Wait." I paused and looked confused. "You have one of those?"

She rolled her eyes. "Let's just get this over with."

"Your full name is Madeline Rose Schultz. You were born January 2, 1998. Am I right or am I right?"

She sighed. "You're right."

"Your favorite color is gray, and your lucky number is 21."

"Right again."

"When you grow up, you want to have two kids." I winked.

Madeline looked at me in disgust. "Yes."

"Your favorite book is The Perks of Being a Wallflower and your favorite movie is Divergent. By the way, next year we're TOTALLY going to see Insurgent together."

"No way."

"Yes way."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Guys," Gaige entered the scene. "Chill yourselves. We have to get all the information we can. Listen. Madeline, we're not the bad guys. We're trying to help you. What happens next...is much, much worse."

Then we cut the camera over to the door. Fawn kicked it down, just as we had arranged. There was a fake gun in each hand. "Hands up, losers. I'm taking the girl." She says. The camera shuts off.

"We're totally adding special effects in later." I said, and Gaige grinned.

"Let's make everything blow up." He said.

We all laughed, but the moment ended suddenly when we heard a raw, ear piercing scream followed by a loud crash.

I felt my eyes go wide. "MOM!" I yelled, and stumbled down the stairs. I heard everybody else following suit behind me. I found her on the floor next to the kitchen island, unmoving.

I turned to my friends. "We gotta get her to the hospital!" I said frantically.

"Gaige is already out there starting the car." Fawn explained.

"Help me get her out there. You get the arms. I'll get the legs. Madeline, you support the middle." I ordered as calmly as I possibly could. I picked up her legs with ease, and Fawn hoisted her limp body up by the arms. Madeline positioned herself around the waist. We ran out to the car, too rushed to even stumble. We gently placed her in the middle section of Fawn's family's minivan. The girls climbed into the back and I jumped into the passenger seat next to Gaige. "GOGOGO!" I yelled hysterically, not sure what to do.

The night before, I had heard my mom talking on the phone. I didn't know who she was talking to, but after a few moments of eavesdropping I assumed it was her doctor. She was complaining about severe heart pains, and made an appointment for later today to have him check up on her. I kind of wondered why she didn't go in straightaway. That seemed kind of strange. Maybe the office was busy, I didn't have any idea.

Either way, it had me seriously concerned. I decided to leave it alone though, since we kind of had a falling out. Even though there wasn't much to fall out of. I glanced at the speedometer. We were going 70 on a road where the speed limit was 50. So we were speeding just a little bit. No big deal. The local hospital was about a twenty minute drive, that is, if you were going the speed limit. But we weren't, so we arrived in half the time.

I sprinted into the building. "HELP!" I yelled as loud as I could, drawing all attention to me. "MY MOM'S IN THE CAR AND I THINK SHE HAD A HEART ATTACK!" My voice was raw and throaty; I sounded desperate.

The attendant jumped up and followed me out to the van. Gaige already had her in his arms and was jogging up to the building. "Bring her to room 210 and we'll be with her in a second." The attendant ordered us and we ran to the stairs, not even bothering with the elevator. There was no time to wait, and we knew that.

My mother was in the room within a minute. Gaige was sitting in one of the bland grey chairs beside the bed. I was pacing impatiently out in the hallway. A war of emotions were raging inside of me. I didn't know what to do. I was mad. I wanted to punch the wall, or better yet--someone. Someone had to be the cause of this. What even caused heart pains?

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, it finally hit me. This BETTER NOT be a fucking heart attack. You can fucking die from those! Fuck!

My whole head was in a mental battle, ready to wage war. Part of me just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry endlessly. But was that the manly thing to do? No, I think not. I just wanted my mom to be okay, I finally decided after a few more paces across the white tiled floor. She is not going to die, she is not going to die, she is NOT going to die, I repeated over and over in my head like a battle cry. There was NO way she was going to pass. She can't! Not now! Not after the worst argument of my life!

I could already feel the guilt penetrating my consciousness. This was going to be so hard to get through. A few doctors rushed past me and into my mother's room. Finally, I thought. Took them long enough. Not wanting to see, I put my back to the wall and slowly slid to the cold floor.

With my head placed in between my knees, and my hands covering my head, I started to cry. My whole body racked with sobs, I couldn't hold it back much longer. I collapsed and the war had been won. I curled into a ball, and just let myself shake and tears just kept pouring out. I didn't even care about how low my manliness level had sunk; I just wanted my mom.

The caring mom that tied my shoes before I went to school. The kind mom that tucked me in to bed with a night-time story. The attentive mom that always kissed my cuts or bruises before patching them up. The mom that I knew was still there under all the stress of work and the world. The mom that I loved with all of my heart. My mom. I missed her so much. She could NOT die. I needed her, I'll admit it. I needed my mommy. I wanted her by my side right now so much that it hurt.

Gaige came out and sat beside me. "Want to talk about it?"

"The fact that I just had a total mental-breakdown?" I asked. "No thanks."

He put an arm around me. "I'll be here for you, if you need to talk about anything."

"I know, just not right now." I informed him, lifting my head up from the ground and staring at the patterning on the ceiling.

"They're doing everything that they can in there, you know that right?"

"Yeah," I sniffled. "I know. But what if she doesn't make it?"

"Hey, don't think like that." Gaige ordered. "Positive thoughts, man. It's all in the positive thoughts."

"That sounds to typical hipster. Positive vibes, bro." I did my best impression of what I thought was 'hipster'.

"You killed it." Gaige laughed.

"Sorry for killing your positive vibes, bro." I told him, rolling around on the floor in laughter.

"You're a disaster."

"I know."

"If you were a girl, and if this were a typical chick flick written on Wattpad or whatever that website is that Fawn rambles on and on about, this would be the part where I say, 'But you're my disaster.'"

"What the hell?" I asked.

"I honestly don't know. Being around Fawn is making me weird, man."

"You were already weird before, just saying."

"I know, but-"

"You like her, I know you do." I looked at him, and he blushed. "WHOA YOU ACTUALLY BLUSHED!" I yelled. "YOU GOT IT BAD!"

"Shut up," Gaige moaned. "Announce it to the whole world, why don't you?"

"Okay," I agreed, and before he could stop me, I got to my feet and yelled, "My buddy Gaige Turner likes Fawn Brooklyn!"

He slapped his forehead. "She could've heard, dumbass!"

"That was the point." I grinned.

A doctor stepped out of the room with a grave look on his face. "Shit." I muttered. That's never a good face to see.

"Are you Flynn Chaste?" He asked.

"Y-yes." I stuttered.

"Your mother passed away from a heart attack about ten minutes ago. She was just pronounced brain-dead." He told me.

"NO!" I screamed, rearing back and punching the glass window next to me. It shattered and glass flew everywhere. I grasped my head and squatted down, unable to stand up straight. I could feel blood gushing out of my hand, but I ignored it. My mom couldn't be dead. I didn't even get to say goodbye. I thought there were no tears left a few minutes ago, but I guess there were a few hidden gallons somewhere in my tear ducts, because they would not stop flowing.

At some point, I passed out from all the stress and strain. I was in a state of oblivion. Yet, I didn't fear it.

A/N: I'll admit, I cried while writing this.