"Hello." I said, picking up the call.

"Hey, Iris." Dani's voice flowed through the other side. My voice furrowed when I noticed the urgency in her voice.

"What's up?" I asked, pushing my hair away from my face.

"I need you to come home." She said, sounding like she's running around the apartment.

"Okay, but what happened?" I asked, already thinking of ways to get home. I didn't drive here, so I can't really drive back.

"Riley got a call, and she's been crying ever since. I don't know what happened. She won't tell me." Dani said, worried. "I need you. She needs you."

"Yeah, yeah. Of course. I'm on my way." I said, rubbing my forehead just as the main door of the basketball house opened and the team started piling inside.

"I'll be there soon, okay? Just hang on!" I said, to comfort her. I ended the call as soon as I saw Noah, Gray, and Mason walk through the door. Not caring that I was still in Ethan's t-shirt or that Ethan was likely upstairs waiting for me, I walked over to Gray and grabbed his hand.

"Hi... Iris? What happened?" Gray asked confused as Noah and Mason watched me with narrowed, confused eyes and suddenly, rushed upstairs, likely to Ethan's room.

"I need you to drive me home." I tell him, not giving up too many details, and honestly, I couldn't even if I wanted to. I know nothing.

"Okay, and on the way, you'll tell me why you're wearing Ethan's t-shirt?" He proposed.

"Yeah, fine. Whatever." I agreed, already dragging him towards his car.

"Can you tell me, what happened?" He asked, unlocking the car as I rounded to the other side, barefoot.

"I don't know." I said, honestly.

On the way, I told Gray almost everything. I told him how last night; I did the drunkest thing you could ever do. Knock on your crush's door.

"Wow. You had a fun night." Gray said with an amused smirk.

"You have no idea!" I tell him, shaking my head.

"Anyway, what's next?" He asked, turning to look at me slightly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Well, you guys had a heart to heart about... whatever it is. So, what's next? You guys go back to friends but not friends or you take the next step or do you go back to breaking his heart?" He explained, glancing at me.

"I broke his heart?" I repeated his words with furrowed brows.

"You know you did, Reed." He said in a soft voice and turned his neck a little to look at me with a pitying expression on his face.

"You know it wasn't supposed to happen the way it did." I said.

"I know but it happened the way it did and I know it was hard for you but it was harder on him, Reed." He explained. "He had to let go of you with any answers or explanation."

"I know." I sighed, rubbing my forehead with my fingers.

"I am sure you'll figure it out." He insisted as the car came to a stop outside my apartment building.

"You know, I'll try my best." I said with a small smile. "Thank you, Gray."

I leaned in and placed a small kiss on his cheek. Before I could step out, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. Grabbing my head, he placed a small kiss on my forehead, making me smile.

"You're gonna be just fine." He whispered against my forehead and I nodded my head.

"I'll see you later." I told him before I stepped out of the car and rushed towards the elevator, barefoot. Any other day, I would have been worried about how I look, but unfortunately, that day is not today. Riley is crying, and it's a big deal considering the bad bitch that she is. It must be something big and even if it isn't, I need to be there for her breakdown because she was there for mine. That's what friends do.

Stepping out of the elevator, I knocked on the apartment door because I didn't take the spare key last night. As I waited for Dani to open the door, I anxiously tap my foot against the floor.

The door pulled open, making me look up to see Dani. The anxious look on her face instantly dissolved into one of relief.

"Thank god!" Dani sighed and hugged me.

Hugging her back, I asked. "What happened?"

"I don't know." She said, pulling back. "Before I called you, she got a call, and ever since, she has been crying and pressing all kinds of buttons on her laptop."

"What?" I wondered. "Let's go talk to her."

"Yeah, let's go and once, we get that out of the way, you're gonna tell why are you barefoot and in a guy's t-shirt." She said, making me swear.

I really thought she didn't notice and for once in my life, I got away, but that's kind of impossible.

"Fine." I grumbled and pushed the door of Riley's room open. Instantly, her sobs filled my ears, making me frown. She was sitting on her bed with her laptop in her lap, furiously pressing the keys while tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Riley," I said, softly. Walking further inside, I sat in front of her.

"Hey." I said, grabbing her attention as she looked up.

"What happened?" I asked.

She opened her mouth to say something, but a sob escaped her, breaking my heart. I picked up the laptop and put it aside, much to her dismay.

"It's gonna be fine." I said, wrapping her up in a hug. For a while, her body remained stiff, but then she gave in and hugged me back.

Dani climbed on the bed from the other side and hugged us both.

"Tell us what happened. We wanna help, okay?" I said, pulling back and pushed Riley's hair back because they were sticking to her tears.

"I-I got a call from mom." She started, making me nod to encourage her further.

"She told me that Han-Hanna had an... accident." She told me and a gasp escaped me as my hand came up to cover my mouth in shock.

"What?" Dani whispered.

"Yeah. She has been in surgery for an hour now and it's not looking good." She said, explaining further.

"I've been looking for flight tickets but everything is booked and the latest ticket I can find is for tomorrow morning." She said, frustratingly pushing her hair back.

"Hey, it's gonna fine." I said, rubbing her arm. "Book that ticket and we'll help you pack, okay?"

"Let's get you on the first flight we can find." Dani said, picking up the laptop.

"Book two tickets." Riley informed.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"Mom said she's gonna call Ethan next and I guess, he'll want to come too." She told me, getting up.

Suddenly, I remembered the calls in the morning. Right before I picked up Dani's call, Ethan's phone rang twice. It must be his mom. Then all I could think about was how worried he must be.

"What about the baby?" Dani asked, softly, like even asking that felt wrong to her.

Riley sighed before answering. "It's not looking good for either of them and they're worried they'll have to choose one."

I sighed as tears pricked my eyes.

"It's all going to be fine." I whispered.

"Yes, it will be okay." Dani said, squeezing my shoulder.

For the next one hour, we helped Riley do everything. We packed her bags; we fed her food, and then we tucked her into bed, knowing she probably won't be getting any sleep for the next few days. I even told them all about my embarrassing night and emotional morning just to get her mind off of everything.

"I am scared." I said to Dani as we closed Riley's door behind us.

"I know." She said before plopping down on the couch.

"Before I forget, you need to call my mom. She wants to talk to you." She said, looking at me from over her shoulder.

"Why? Is everything fine?" I asked as I open the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Yeah, all is good. She just wants to talk to you. It's been far too long, she says." She said.

"I'll call her." I said, making a mental note of it.

Around six in the evening, we got a call from Olivia, who informed us about everything happening at the hospital. They delivered the baby and she's completely healthy and fine, but Hanna, on the other hand, was still in danger. The surgery had to be stopped midway because her injuries were too extensive for her body to endure. Now, it all depended on whether her body can take the strain of the accident and the surgery. If it does, then they'll have to go back in again for the follow-up surgery since they had to stop once they delivered the baby. The blood loss was too much.

Riley said little and instead went back to her room, followed by Dani. All I could think of was how unexpected it was. Last night, while on my way to the club, I had liked a photo Hanna posted on her Instagram. It was a picture of Liam kissing her baby bump. The baby gets all the kisses, said the caption.

I could've never guessed that the very next day, she would go into surgery and have her baby delivered, all while she's unconscious. I couldn't even imagine what Liam must be going through right now. He probably couldn't even celebrate the birth of his baby because the life of his love is hanging by a thread.

The mere thought of something like this happening to Ethan makes me tear up, which shocked me. Life is unpredictable and I don't wanna live it with the fear of getting things broken. Even after this, there was a nagging feeling inside my head telling me to protect myself. Telling me that this isn't worth it.

Suddenly, my phone started ringing and pulled me out of my thoughts. I picked up my phone to see Lauren's name flash across the scene.

Clearing my throat, I received the call.

"Hey." I said, trying to sound enthusiastic

"Oh, no." Lauren said from the other end, making me chuckle.

"What?" I asked.

"I know that hey. It's my life is messed up, but I don't want you to worry."

Lauren practically raised me after everything happened, so I'm not surprised that she can figure things out only by my hey.

"Tell me, what's happening?" She said, softly.

I was tired of holding everything in and processing everything on my own. My feelings were exhausting me and that's why I told Lauren everything. Of course, I left the explicit details, but other than that, I told her everything I could think of at that moment.

"Oh, honey. Why didn't you call me sooner?" She said, sighing.

"I just... I didn't know how to explain all... this." I told her and silence stretched between us for a few seconds, where she processed all the information.

"Don't you see, Iris?" She questioned softly.

"See what?" I asked, confused, as my brows furrowed.

"I am sure everyone around you has tried to be subtle. So, I won't be subtle." She said, confusing me further.

"Honey, you did everything to save you a heartbreak, but you've been going through one ever since you pushed him away." She explained, and I felt like someone threw a bucket of cold water all over my face.

"He didn't break your heart, baby, you did." She continued, making tears slide down my cheek.

"In fact, I think he was trying to mend it all along and the moment you realized it, you pushed him away."

When she said that, I realized how right she was. I was so happy when Ethan and I were together, in whatever form. I was happy. That was the happiest I have been in a long, long time and the moment I pushed him away, it's not been the same. In fact, the last three weeks have been nothing but a... heartbreak.

We talked for a while longer as she tried to comfort me and I processed everything. All the moments we spent together and apart flashed in front of my eyes. She hung up the call thirty minutes later, after making me promise to call her soon. Even when the call ended, her words rang in my ear.

"You broke the heart, you were trying so hard to protect."

Her words gave me the clarity I needed. I knew what I had to do.

I knew my destination.

⤎❁⤏

Hey guys! So... what's on your mind after reading this update?

I am not gonna talk much because I might just end up spoiling my own book which would be really embarrassing, honestly.

Just one thing, you can't even imagine what happens in the next chapter. No matter how hard you try, you can't. 

By the way, Good News! My new college/sports romance "Chasing Skye" is up! Check it out if you haven't already!

Don't forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed the update. Follow me on Wattpad and Instagram (spiicychoco) for more.

QOTD: Your favorite scene in the book till now.

Stay Safe, Stay Grateful!