I sat in classes waiting to be released. I wanted to go back to the hospital to see Luke. I saw Liz this morning at the coffee shop and we talked a little bit. I told her about Luke, she already knew. Stupid gossip. I told her I was spending most of my free time at the hospital with him since I felt guilt. She told me she figured I would and not to feel guilty, I couldn't have known this was going to happen. But maybe I could have stopped it.

My mind floated back to class, it was almost over. When the professor finally let us go, I dashed off to my dorm. Today was my early day for classes so I was done earlier. In my dorm I was changing out of my sweats into something nicer. Jeans and a t-shirt will do.

Luke: Hey I'm getting discharged soon. Can you come get me? No car.

Me: Of course!

Excitedly, I grabbed my keys of the hook on the wall; I was ready to bounce.
"Where are you going?" Ellie sat up in bed.
"Why?"
"Maybe I want to go?" I glanced her over. She looked frumpy. Normally she'd be dressed or at least have her hair brushed our. She didn't. Her hair was in a messy bun with a pair of old sweatpants on.
"Why are you dressed like that?" It was afternoon.
"Because, why try anymore? You got popular looking like that." I tired to not take offense to that. Ellie really didn't have a filter. Whatever she thought, she said. I sighed.
"I just have to pick up someone."
"Oh, I don't want to come." Ellie sounded disappointed in my answer. Was she trying to be friends with me? She laid back down. I felt a pang of guilt in my stomach. I had Luke, Liz and Mason as friends. Real friends. Ellie had all fake friends. I felt guilty because I envied her so much for all she had, but really I showed her the holes in her friends smoke screens. I closed the door behind me and walked across the hall. I knocked. Masons roommate Jared answered the door.
"Hey Miley. I'll grab Mason."
"Thanks Jared." Mason turned the corner in just a pair of sweats. I could see the few tattoos he had.
"Did you ever go to see Ellie?" I pushed past the exchange of hellos. His face went pink.
"No." He spoke sheepishly.
"Why not?"
"I got nervous." I raised my eyebrows in disbelief.
"You are Mason Heckle, why would you be nervous?"
"I know, but I don't do relationships, I do parties and hook ups. I don't even know where to start." I smiled a little. His insecurities were sweet and restored some innocents in him.
"Get a shirt on and go over there and asked her to lunch. The diner at the end of our building is a good place to eat." Mason slowly nodded.
"Why are you helping me?"
"Because you're not helpless. Also she's moping." He laughed.
"Thanks." I nodded and started to leave. "Hey, where are you going?"
"Liz's." I lied. I don't know why I didn't want him to know. I didn't want Mason and/or Ellie to come along. Maybe I just wanted Luke to myself.

I sat in the hospital waiting room. I had texted Luke that I was here but I hadn't got a reply yet. I looked around the room. Some people were sick and some were hurt. Some claimed they were dying, I think they are being dramatic. Hospitals were a scary and sad place. I don't get how people could work here. Maybe I'm just too emotionally invested in everything. Even though that might be true, sometimes I could be the opposite. I looked to my right and watched a mother hold her new born. I assumed it was a girl due to the fact she had a bright pink bow headband on. The mother bounced her arms as she rocked the infant back at forth. She was lightly shushing her but the baby continued to fussed. It was disheartening to see someone so little and innocent so sick. I got lost in the mother's hushing. She was calming my nerves too. My heart hurt a little, she made me miss my own mother.
"Hey." Luke's soft voice came from my left. I turned my head to look at him.
"Hi." I said a little too excitable. I looked over his clothing. It was all torn and distressed looking from the accident. "Interesting fashion choice." I knew it was the only clothing he had but I still tried to make light of it. He laughed weakly. "How are you feeling?" We started to walk out.
"Okay. Hungry though."
"We can get food." He nodded. I unlocked my car. The headlights flashed.
"I don't think I've ever seen your car before." He looked it over.
"It's nothing to write home to your mom about but." I don't know why I said 'but' because that was the end of the sentence. I just shrugged my shoulders hoping that would do.
"I don't write home to my mom, I call her."
"Well it's an," He raised his eyebrows at me. "Shut up." I said quickly. We got in. I guess he was trying to be funny. Something about all of this made me anxious. He was really seeing my side of the world.
"Where Mason?"
"I believe he's with Ellie." Luke looked at me. "They are on a lunch date." I glanced at him quick and smiled.
"Wow, look at him, moving up in the world. A lunch date." I laughed. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him. Sure I spent time with him in the hospital but that's different. I missed him being apart of my every day motions. "We should go supervise."
"Uh, no."
"Why?" He asked suspiciously.
"I told Mason I was going to Liz's." I said slowly.
"Why?"
"Because otherwise he wouldn't have gone out with Ellie and she was all mopy in the dorm." Luke laughed again.
"Is it the diner by your dorm?"
"Maybe."
"Let's go."
"But I lied!" I glanced at Luke again. I wasn't a driver who took their eyes off the road much. Especially now after Luke's accident, I was extremely careful.
"Mason will get over it." I sighed and gave in.

When we got to the restaurant I opened the door for Luke.
"You don't have to open every door for me." I looked at him.
"I know, I just-"
"Luke?!" Mason shouted. We both looked at him. He was standing at the table. Ellie was still sitting but she had turned in her chair to look at us.
"Hey!" Luke laughed a little. We walked up to the table.
"You said you were going to pick up someone." Ellie hissed.
"You told me you were going to Liz's." They both looked at me. I guess seeing Luke already wore off.
"I did. Luke, from the hospital." I looked at Mason. "Yeah, I just lied."
"I would have gone with you." He said in a sad manner.
"Yeah, but," I paused. "If you would have come with me, you wouldn't have been able to ask Ellie out to lunch." I made hard eye contact with him hoping he'd get the hint.
"Yeah." He swallowed hard. Ellie's attention changed from me to him. "You're right." He sat back down. Mason looked over Luke's outfit. "Bro, your clothes are jacked." Luke rolled his eyes and sat down.
"I know." I sat down next to Ellie. Apparently it was the four of us now. The waitress came back over.
"Anything to drink for you two?"
"Two chocolate milk shakes." He looked at her.
"Was the food really that bad you need two?" Luke looked at me.
"I was assuming you wanted one." I nodded sheepishly.
"Oh, yeah." He smirked a little and continued talking to Mason.
"You're ruining my date." Ellie hissed just loud enough for me to hear. I looked at her.
"Get used to it. Mason and Luke are good friends. They're each other's boyfriends. You come second. Always."
"Not true." Mason looked at me. Surprised they heard us, I looked back at him.
"Name one time I came first for either of you."
"You picked him up from the hospital." Mason whined. I scrunched my face.
"That's like saying I got to pick out his casket outfit." Luke giggled. "Not really a girls number one shot."
"Party." Luke chimed in.
"You forced me to go because you think I spend too much time in my room and you took Mason home because he was making out with a mirror."
"What?!" Mason blurted out. We all looked at him. "I was making out with a mirror?!" Luke laughed. I heard Ellie snicker next to me.
"Yeah, Miley got you to make out with your reflection." Luke said between laughs. A smile spread on Masons face.
"That was the cute blonde?" I nodded and laughed. "That was good."
"Alright, so far you're proving my point." I looked between Luke and Mason.
"Taking you to the liquor store." Mason pointed at me.
"You asked to give me a ride to get to know me and the scoop on what happened."
"I brought you the sports drink when you were hung over!" Luke jumped with excitement.
"Okay, that you did do." The waitress slid our milkshakes in front of Luke and I.
"Are we ready to order?"
"I'll have a chicken sandwich."
"Burger." Luke ordered after me.
"I'll have a burger as well." Mason ordered.
"House salad, please." Said Ellie, sweetly. The waitress nodded and walked away. I looked back at the guys.
"So out of the four things you mentioned I came first on one." I looked at Ellie. "So apparently one in every four you come first." She smiled.
"As long as it's not one every five because that's where I draw the line." We all laughed. I hadn't ever just laughed with Ellie. She was funny.

The night went smoothly. I'll be honest, I'm surprised Ellie was so nice to me. We were walking towards our dorm since Luke was the only who didn't live near us. Ellie and Mason were walking ahead of Luke and I. Their hands brushed each other's but never clasped together.
"I think you successfully set them up." He said in a low voice so they wouldn't hear us.
"I guess, I just did it do Ellie would stop mopping and so Mason wouldn't come."
"Why didn't you want him to come, by the way?" My cheeks felt warm.
"Because I thought it would be unfair. You were in the accident and I can't help but blame myself a little." He opened his mouth to talk. "I know, I know. Everyone says it's not but my guilt doesn't know that. But also I was the one at the hospital for you, he wasn't. He shouldn't get the highs if he didn't help with the lows." Luke smiled. He looked better than yesterday, his smile helped too.
"Well, thanks for coming to get me." He bumped me playfully.
"Doesn't that hurt?"
"Only a little. Some pain is worth feeling though." He looked away from me, I swear I saw him blush.
"I'm glad we're friends again." My voice was soft in admitting my wrong.
"Yeah, me too Miles." He squeezed me in a one arm hug. I laughed. I was lucky for Luke Sands and maybe even Mason Heckle too.