Drew

Ding!

The elevator door slid open before me allowing the crowd of people gathered inside to spill out. After I exited the elevator, I turned a corner and began for a familiar hallway.

The walls--coated in a lively paint--and doors on either side of me merged into a distorted image as I hurried for Samantha's room.

I stopped when I saw the numbers posted on the door and pushed open the door.

Inside, the room was quiet. My breath came out in ragged patterns as my eyes searched the room wildly.

I pushed it open wider and, with my hand still supporting the door, said, "Mom...Dad?"

The bed was perfectly made, tucked in at the corners and flattened down.

"Mom?" I said with worry etching my voice. "Da-"

"Drew?" I heard a small voice say. I wouldn't have heard it if it was anybody else's. This voice had power even though it was weak. It carried through the room and made me turn around.

Standing with a walker to support her was Samantha, a feeble smile playing on her lips.

"Where were you? I missed you," she said.

She stared up at me with her large blue eyes and I smiled at her incredulously.

"Don't ever leave me, Drew," she said. "I missed you."

My mouth was slowly parted in awe at her bold presence. Before I could speak, two figures joined her side.  They had been running.

"Oh, Samantha," my mom said brushing a hair behind her ear. "You can't leave without telling us."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's okay," my mom and dad said in sync.

"I know you're excited to see your brother," dad said. "I know he hasn't been here lately."

"And I know I can speak for myself," I said harsher than intended. He always did this- critiqued my actions subtly. "I missed you, Sam."

Her thin smile stretched and she passed me and led me inside the room. "You missed a lot while you were gone," she said. "I have lots to tell you. Lots."

My parents followed in behind me and my mom aided Samantha on her bed.

"While you were gone," she began, "I got married."

I sat down on the bed next to her and said, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she said said dreamily. "He's amazing to me. He treats me well like a guy always should-- that's what you told me."

"Yes it is," I said nodding slightly.

Though her pallor was still flushed with a pale white, she beamed excitedly when she said, "And he likes soccer. Just like you, Drew. He cooks and cleans and..."

"He seems like the perfect man," my mom said from the corner which made us all laugh.

"And he was here," Samantha said. "You weren't though." Her face fell in grief and she sadly asked, "Where'd you go, Drew?"

It was then I realized that she thought that I had gone away. She thought that while she was in bed, marrying her dream man, I abandoned her. You were gone, I thought morbidly.

"I..." I trailed. "I was here though you may not have seen me, I was here."

She sighed and smiled slightly. The top of her head gleamed brilliantly as she rested on my shoulders. "I'm glad you didn't leave me alone."

I wrapped my arms around her petite frame and pulled her in close. "Me too."

Lauren

"Are you hungry?" my mom said with her back to me. She opened the fridge and examined the inside. "I was just about to fix myself a sandwich."

Because I had put my head down, the room seemed tilted. I sat around the kitchen island with my feet dangling off the sides of the stool and responded. "No."

"Well, do you want something to drink?" she asked turning to me. "I could brew some tea. You used to love when I added ice and lemons- just a dash of cinnamon. What happened to those times?"

"That was three years ago, mom," I mumbled.

"I'm sure you'll still like it," she persisted. "You would've drank a whole gallon of the stuff if I had let you."

"Would've, mom," I said. "Past tense. I don't like the potion that I drank like alcohol back then."

It was quiet for a long while then she approached me slowly. I heard her settle into the seat next to me then she said, "Talk to me. I know I never listened before but I want to now. Please."

"Please," I said softly, "stop trying to make things like they were before. Please."

She sighed and said, "okay."

"And..." I said. "Be our mom. I don't want you gone for days at a time. More than ever, I want you here and I want to tell you that..."

I paused and thought about what exactly I was going to say. There was a glass wall formed around me. Everywhere I went, I only observed, listened, but never let anyone in after she had left along with Trey and Cat.

I want to tell you that I love you and that Cat isn't getting better. She's just as much of a liar, a vile persona that made me question everything I had once done for her. But mom, I stole someone from her. Someone important. I need help. I need you...

"I'd like that sandwich," I murmured. She heard me however and I could tell that she, too, was expecting different to come out of my mouth.

"Oh," she said. She smiled brightly, "Coming right up!"

She left the table swiftly and returned to the fridge when I heard my phone vibrate in my pocket.

"Hello," I said when I answered it.

"Hey."

I recognized the voice as Drew's and said, "Hi."

"I was wondering if you can meet me today," he said. "There's someone I want you to meet."

I glanced at my mom who had just taken out a loaf of bread and said, "I..."

"It's okay if you're busy," he said.

"No," I said quickly, "I want to see you. It's been what...several hours?"

He chuckled and said, "Great. I'll pick you up."

"You know," I said thinking about what Will had told me earlier. "I'll meet you just tell me where."

"Okay," he said. "I'll text you the address. I can't wait to see you."

I smiled and said, "I'll see you in a few. Bye."

"Who was that?" my mom asked as soon as I hung up.

"Uh," I said, "a friend. I've got to go."

"But, I just made your sandwich," she said holding the plate with two hands.

"I...I'll eat it first then," I said accepting the dish awkwardly.

She smiled and said, "I'll brew the tea."

I returned the smile and as I began to eat the loaded turkey sandwich, I heard someone at the door. Soon, a figure appeared at the door entrance.

"Hey," I heard a voice say.

Both my mom and I turned to see Will with his dark hair disheveled and smile crooked. He glanced at me but said nothing.

"Hey, honey," my mom said. "I was just making something to eat. I could make you a sandwich if you'd like."

"Uh, sure," he said sitting by me. I stared at the back of his head nervously before he turned to me.

"What'd you do today?" he asked. "I know I...left you earlier."

"Well, I had some company..." I said thinking back to Trey's presence in the living room.

"Cool," he said. "I stopped by Starbucks and got you something."

I furrowed my eyes in confusion and noticed for the first time a small cup of iced coffee in his hands.

"I couldn't return without getting you it," he said smirking. "You'd kill me."

I accepted it wearily and said, "Well, I don't know if I'd kill you. They don't give prisoners coffee, I don't think."

He chuckled and said, "Is that what you're worried about? Spit on my grave, why don't ya? You're harsh."

"Sorry," I said. "I still love you, though."

He grinned widely and said, "Of course you do."

We both laughed and in that moment I forgot about his warning. It didn't mean anything. He had just been...upset. It didn't mean anything...

My mom slid him a plate and after I finished my sandwich, I put on my coat and waved to my mom.

"Tell Hanna I said 'hi'," my mom said.

I paused momentarily confused then said, "Okay." I glanced at Will who watched me leave, his expression unreadable. I closed the door before I could try and decipher what he was thinking.

After entering the car, I peered down and saw the address Drew had texted me. It was the hospital's.

I maneuvered around the medical center until I pulled up to the brooding, modern building.

I stared at the edifice and walked up to the entrance. There was a shopping center nearby. Maybe I misread the address...

I entered the hospital with my head down, busy dialing Drew's number. It began ringing in ear but after a seconds, it stopped.

I sighed and dialed again.

"Lauren," I heard. I turned around mid-dial and saw Drew with a small smile on his face. "You're here. I thought you wouldn't show."

"Um," I said sliding my phone into my back pocket, "I got caught up. I'm a little...confused. Did you mean to give me the address to the shopping center...?"

"No," he said without hesitation. "I'd like you to meet someone important to me. She awake now and I'm excited for you to meet her."

"Oh," I said smiling up at him. "Okay." He grinned and took my hand. His were warm, and slightly calloused. They wrapped around mine tightly which brought on a sense of security. "I'm excited, too."

Drew's face lit up and he led me toward the elevators. Once we ascended and began down a hall, I noticed that the walls were painted a bland white. The door, white as well, had a thin slit for a window aligning it's top as if to make observations easier and quicker.

I wondered who exactly I was seeing but smiled when Drew glanced at me beaming. He knocked on the door then, without waiting for the response, opened it.

I followed him into the room but ran into him when he stopped abruptly. I peered around and gasped when I saw what was in front of me.

With her long blonde hair flowing down her back, Alison stood near the hospital bed with her hands tight around Trey's neck and her lips pressed on his.