Me: Paisley I just saw u at the hospital what's going on??

Paisley: Brother was in a car accident. More details later

Me: What wing r u in?

Paisley: Idk just emergency I guess

Me: K I'm coming

I jumped out of my seat on the couch and announced, "I'm going to go walk around a little my legs are getting sore from sitting for so long." The other girls nodded and I sped away down the hallway I think Paisley walked down.

Me: What room number?

Paisley: 216

Me: Kk

I raced through the hallway checking every room for the number 216 and thinking about Paisley's brother. I know she has an older brother who I think is around twenty-one but I don't know too much else about him. I know he was kind of a class clown and jokester in high school but think he probably grew out of that in college.

"Emilia!" I heard a voice yell from behind me. I turned around and saw Paisley walking behind me. She looked tired but glad to see me anyways.

"Hi," I said, out of breath from running around so quickly.

"How'd you get here so fast?" she asked me.

"Uh long story. Kinsley's a clumsy b*tch basically sums it up."

"Oh," Paisley mumbled. I could tell she felt a little jealous that I had been with my friends that I could actually be seen with in public. If everyone knew about my friendship with Paisley, it would be a huge rebellion and would disrupt everyone. And to say the least Cassie would hate me. Cassie has an awful past with Paisley and despises her but very nicely and politely since that's the Cassie way.

"Hey look it's okay. It's not like anything too exciting was happening. We were literally just waiting for a doctor in the waiting room," I tried to comfort Paisley and side hugged her.

"Yeah," she replied.

"So how's your brother?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Fine. I mean as fine as you can be when you've just been in a car accident."

"Does he have any injuries?"

"Broken wrist and slight concussion. Not too bad considering the circumstances."

"Oh that's ok I guess. I'm sorry for him though. It still sucks."

"Not sure how bad I can feel for him though. He's a dumb*ss."

"What do you mean?"

"He was drinking and driving. At some stupid college party."

"Oh."

"He doesn't even care about anyone except himself. Never has. Never will."

"Paisley don't say that."

"Well it's true. Did you know he tried to drown me when I was little?"

"I'm sure he didn't mean to do that."

"We were swimming in our pool. My mom went inside to get her muffins out of the oven. Then Nick asks if I want to play a game. I said yes being my six year old self and he was nine years old. And he immediately pushes my head under the water and won't let me get up for anything. My mom came out after I had been under for about forty seconds and she told Nick to stop it. He refused to and my mom jumped in and pulled me up. I was unconscious then and they rushed me to the hospital."

"Pais I'm so sorry."

"No don't be sorry," she snapped. "Nick doesn't deserve any sympathy from anyone. I've dealt my whole life dealing with him and his psychotic ways so I'm used to it by now anyway."

"I know I just...feel bad you've had to deal with him being like that. I mean I used to think my brothers were a mess but really they're great." Paisley smiled at that but soon her smile faded. Her mom came out of a room slightly ahead of us and stomped over.

"Nick needs to stay overnight. He doesn't want anyone to stay with him," she announced with her arms crossed.

"Ok what's that supposed to mean?" Paisley asked, crossing her arms herself.

"It means get your crap and leave," she said coldly and impatiently.

"Fine Mother," she said with a sigh as she got up and I rised with her since I had nothing else to do. I started following after her into the room when Paisley's mom grabbed my arm with a hard grip and twisted me around.

"And what do you think you're doing?" she asked me.

"Mom she's just coming to get my stuff with me. Relax," Paisley said.

"How can I relax when you're inviting your friends to the hospital to see your injured brother?! You probably told her the whole story and now she's going to tell everyone that Nick is a drunk driver and terrible person!" she screamed. I shrank back a little and looked down at my dirty converse shoes.

"Emilia isn't like that! She's different than my other friends. And she's coming into the room with me."

"Look I can just wait outside," I piped up.

"No."

"Yes perfect." Paisley and her mom said in unison.

"Mom she's coming into the room for half a second I think it'll be fine!" Paisley shouted and closed her eyes in frustration.

"Fine. But if I hear anything about this ordeal outside of this building I will personally hunt you down and take you to court." I nodded my head and silently followed Paisley into the room. I looked to my left and saw a guy in a hospital bed with dark brown hair flopped over to the side, cuts all over his pale face, and his arm in a black cast.

"Who's this chick?" he asked harshly.

"Emilia. My friend. Not that you'd care," Paisley snapped. She picked up her light pink cross body and pulled the strap over her head and onto her shoulder. She leaned closer to the bed and picked up a napkin that had fallen on the floor and handed it to Nick.

"Paisley I care about you," he said as he grabbed her wrist. Paisley ripped her arm away and glared at him.

"No you don't. So stop pretending like you do," she coldly said and then rushed out the door. I quickly followed after her and looked back at Nick one last time. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back and rubbed his face with his hands. I looked away and ran after Paisley who was heading toward the waiting room entrance. Paisley unclipped her visitor's pass and threw it on the receptionist's desk before running out the door. I quickly smiled and waved goodbye to the cranky receptionist and then sprinted to catch up to Paisley.

"Pais you okay?" I asked in the chilly air outside. She didn't respond to me and just kept running with her head down. "Pais!" I yelled and grabbed her forearm and turned her toward me. "Tell me what's going on. I know it's not just your brother."

"It's nothing Em," she mumbled before trying to squirm out of my grip.

"Paisley you can trust me. I helped you out with Liam and I'll help you out now."

"I know I can trust you. I just... I can't stand not being allowed to be friends with you in public. We have so much fun when we're alone at someone's house or out in a different city but at school you just ignore me. And I know you have to do that. I just want a friend I can rely on at all times no matter the circumstance."

"Pais you know I wish we could be friends in public too. I love hanging out with you and being your friend but it's just hard with the girls. You know how Cassie feels about you and when one girl doesn't like someone it's code for all of the other girls to hate them too."

"But you're not like that. You're friends with me and broke the girl code or whatever. Can't you just get them to understand?"

"If it makes you happy, I'll try introducing them to the concept. But I can't promise anything Paisley," I concluded. I spread my arms out waiting for Paisley to hug me and felt her wrap her arms around me tightly.

"I can't lose you too," she whispered so softly in my ear. I hugged her tighter and we stayed there in the cold parking lot at two in the morning for a while.

"Let's get you home," I whispered and guided her to her car. She handed me her keys and I started it up and drove to her house. We drove the whole way in silence and I heard my phone buzz a few times but ignored it. I knew it was just one of the girls wondering where I was. Well they could hold on for a minute. Paisley needed me right now. I walked inside Paisley's huge house and led her up to her room. She walked into her bathroom and shut the door on me. I sat on her bed while waiting for her and checked my phone messages.

Autumn: Long story short Kinsley didn't get admitted to the hospital so all of us except Kinsley are at Cassie's house. Come if you want we're still up.

Madi: Where are u?? Autumn said she texted you but u didn't respond

Autumn: I guess you aren't coming. Just let us know you're okay. We have no idea where u r.

I turned off my phone and flopped on my back on the bed. This whole night was just a disaster. I sat up and walked over to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

"Pais do you want me to stay with you?" I asked. No answer. I knocked again and heard a slight cry. I opened the door slightly and saw Paisley sitting up against the sink cabinet and crying softly. I walked inside and sat down next to her. Paisley leaned her head on my shoulder and I stroked her hair.

"Do you think things would be different if Liam had never broken up with me?" she croaked.

"I think it would," I answered softly as I started braiding mini braids in her milky brown hair.

"Would it be better or worse?" she asked me. I stopped the braid I was working on and sat there for a moment in thought.

"I don't know. All I can say is that everything happens for a reason. You probably wouldn't have met me otherwise and that would be sad," I said with a smile.

"But then you wouldn't be put in the position of choosing me over your friends." I sighed and stretched my legs out from the squished position they were in before.

"That's not how it is Paisley. It'll work out. Everything will." Paisley snuggled deeper in my lap and I slouched down too. And that's how we fell asleep. On the bathroom floor in Paisley's house. Still in our clothes. But with each other. And that's all that mattered for now.

Author's Note: Sorry for the shorter chapter today, but I just wanted to get something up and get back on track with updating every week. So hope you liked it and know that things should go back to normal with the updates soon! Have a lovely day, afternoon, or night wherever you are!