~~
I hated hospitals.
The smell of bleach filled my nose and I wrinkled it, not liking the smell even a bit. The corridors seemed stuffy as families huddled in corners weeping and hugging each other. The walls so empty and plain reflected the lives of many people present here. The floor shined brightly, way too brightly as the workers kept wiping it even though it was more than clean. Nurses moved swiftly, only stopping to give sympathetic smiles. Doctors rushed all over the place, their faces twisted with tension.
My blank eyes drank in the scene without any emotion. I felt hollow and extremely guilty. My back pressed against the wall and my hands buried in my pockets, I knew I never wanted to come back to hospitals again.
"No! Please try. He can't die yet. Just try one more time. I beg you, please."
I blinked at the commotion. A young lady with a small boy in her hands wept uncontrollably as she begged an old doctor to save someone dear to her, probably her husband. The small boy sensing his mother's distress, warped his hands around his mother's neck and kissed her cheek lovingly in a way of comfort but that only resulted in the mother crying harder and hugging her son back tightly.
"I am sorry." The doctor said in a low tone giving them a pitiful look. "We tried but it was impossible he had lost a lot of blood already."
The mother shook her head. "No! What are we going to do now?" and she crumbled on the floor with her son.
Instantly two nurses helped her, saying soothing things. One tried to take the boy from her but the mother latched on him as if it was her only life line. "No no, don't take him away too." She cried, shooing the nurse away.
A younger lady joined them and lifted her off the ground. "It's okay Cara, it will all be okay. Hush now." She cooed and guided them out of the corridor.
I stared at them my own mind filling with memories of Kian. The way I had crumbled on the ground when I came to know of his death, the way I blamed the doctor because he couldn't save my twin, the way I later understood it was my own fault and not the doctors, how Connor had consoled me and promised to quit smoking the very next day, the way Alicia kept blaming me and how I missed him every single second and wished he was with me instead of being several lives away.
Some people come in our life and leave but the memories stay forever.
We loved them a lot but I guess God loved them more.
"Joanna." I blinked, suddenly realizing that my cheeks were wet from the tears that had unknowingly escaped.
"Hey Connor." I rasped, my voice cracking from staying numb for too long.
He pulled me into a brotherly hug. "It will be okay, it wasn't your fault."
I let out a sarcastic laugh. "It's funny how the last time I was here you had told me the same thing."
"Because it's true, what happened to Kian wasn't your fault and nor is this." He whispered, rubbing my back soothingly.
I took a deep breath and stepped back. "Any news?"
Connor shook his head. "They are still doing the operation."
I nodded and looked around at the distraught faces of my friends. Janice was crying and had been for the past fifteen minutes while Dylan rubbed her back and cheeks lovingly. Brittany had just finished crying and she and Max were cuddled in a corner, a few tears still sparkling in her eyes. Alicia was at the corner talking on her phone. I vaguely remembered her saying she had to call her dad.
"Hey I got this for you." An unsure voice rang from my side, I turned and saw and instantly buried my face in his chest.
"I missed you!" I mumbled, a fresh river of tears starting.
He let out a breathy laugh. "I was just gone for like five minutes."
I looked up at his tired face. "It seemed like ages."
He gave me his shy smile and kissed my forehead tenderly. "I missed you too, so much."
I smiled back and took the coffee mug from him. "Thanks."
"Anytime, why aren't you sitting?"
I shrugged, somehow I didn't want to sit so that when the doctor came to give news I could immediately rush over and meet him.
Bryan rolled his eyes and sat on the ground, pulling me with him. I sat down unwillingly but then he snaked an arm around my waist and I snuggled into his hard chest, shamelessly seeking comfort.
"He won't die." He kissed my forehead. "He's not that weak."
I sipped the coffee, welcoming its heat as it flowed down my throat. "He shouldn't have come in between or pushed me out of the way."
Bryan's arm tightened around me. "You were frozen in place, even if you wanted to move, you couldn't have been fast enough. He did what he thought was the best."
I closed my eyes. "He shouldn't have. I should be in his place, I should be the one on that bed while the doctors tear apart my skin."
Bryan turned me around and settled me on his lap, my head resting on his chest. "Instead of being guilty you should appreciate what he did. You don't get such friends in today's generation."
I nodded my head. "Yeah he's special."
"Special huh?"
I smiled, "Yes so special."
"Should I be jealous?" Bryan asked jokingly.
I looked up at his face. "You have no reason to be. He doesn't own my heart."
I watched as surprise filled his eyes and then disbelief soon followed by delight. "Your heart is in a safe place, guarded by highly functioned Autobots."
I chuckled. "Good to know. Keep Bumblebee closest, I love him."
"Sure." He chuckled and then sobered. "Keep mine safe too."
I kissed him sweetly. "Definitely. It is guarded by the Avengers."
We hugged each other for some time, enclosed in our own comfortable silence.
"What happened to Anastasia?" I finally asked.
He stiffened. "She's in police custody along with the others. She's asking for a lawyer and they may put her as a mentally unstable case."
I snorted. "She is definitely a case of brainless species. I don't care as long as she stays a hundred miles away from us and our friends."
His arms tightened around my waist. "She won't come closer to us now, I promise."
I took a deep breath, expressing my deepest fear. "I don't want anything to happen to him. I don't think I can take it."
"He will be fine, perfectly fine. You'll see within days he'll be jumping around us healthy as a horse and as irritating as a bee."
I chuckled silently. "Yeah I hope so. I already miss him."
Suddenly there was a commotion and we got up hurriedly as the doctor came near us.
"How is he?" I demanded, almost grabbing the doctor by the collar.
He cleared his throat. "We have successfully removed the bullet but there was a lot of blood loss. We had him unconscious as we performed the surgery and everything seems fine for now but we'll only know exact details after he wakes up. He has been shifted to his room. So- "
As if on cue a nurse rushed to the doctor. "He's awake."
The doctor smiled and nodded towards us. "I'll do a quick check up on him and then you can see him."
We waited impatiently as the doctor went inside the room. Janice came over and hugged me tightly. "He's fine Joanna."
I hugged her back equally tight. "Yeah, I am so glad."
Bryan came behind me, patting my hair. "I told you so."
We grinned and shook our heads, it felt as if a huge weight was lifted from our heads. He was safe and I couldn't be happier.
The doctor came back and grinned. "He's lucky he's fine and is complaining about how pale the walls are. You can see him now just don't stress him much."
We laughed, that sounded like him. We rushed to his room and froze outside it. We looked at each other. "You ready?" Bryan whispered and I nodded and finally Connor twisted the door handle.
"Guys stop acting like you are entering a newlywed's room. Just fucking come in." A voice came from inside and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. He would never change. And that made me real glad. I wouldn't want him any other way.
We all entered and looked at our friend, draped in a white sheet that hid tubes connected to his body. Although he seemed a little tired, his eyes held mirth like always.
"You asshat, you scared us." I sniffed out, running towards him.
He engulfed me in a hug and just then the door opened again.
Alan and Ian entered with donuts in their hands. "You couldn't wait until I was back to wake up?" Alan scowled.
Logan grinned. "Nah, are those chocolate ones?"
Alan grinned smugly. "I asked the doctor if we could give these to you and he said a strict no."
"What rubbish!" Logan exclaimed in horror.
Ian snorted. "He mentioned that you were a diabetic patient."
Logan glared at the smirking Alan. "The second I step out of this bed you'll find yourself in it."
Alan laughed, coming closer and giving him a quick manly hug. "I missed you manh!" Although Alan tried to act indifferent, his voice clogged as he said those words to his best friend. He really did miss him, even if he kept denying it to us.
I nodded, smiling at Logan. "We all did."
He grinned. "Aww you guys are so helpless without me."
I rolled my eyes and punched his arm softly. "Thanks." I expressed, "You shouldn't have done that but then you do stupid stuff all the time."
Logan smiled up at me. "I had promised to protect you and I never break promises."
I swallowed my tears. "I am so glad you are awake and fine." I said, meaning every word, if anything had happened to him I would have never forgiven myself.
"It wouldn't have been your mistake Joey." Logan assured, patting my hand. "It was my own idea and I don't regret it one bit. Though I have to use a wheelchair for some days."
Alan laughed hard, donut crumbs falling from his mouth. "Yes! I get to ride you." He then paused while we laughed. "Eww not in that way you dirty minded creatures. I meant drive you on wheelchair."
Logan scowled. "I can help myself thank you very much."
"Alan stop talking with your mouth full." Brittany scolded at the same time.
Alan grunted in response. "Yes Mother." He mocked making sure she saw his donut filled mouth.
"Thanks for saving my sis dude." Connor said awkwardly but the gratefulness was naked in his eyes.
"Buy me a specialized wheelchair." Logan joked.
Connor grinned. "Yeah one which skids a lot."
Logan scowled but didn't reply.
"So when do you leave?" Max asked, sitting on the floor besides Ian.
Logan shrugged. "As soon as all the papers are cleared and all. Please tell me you all didn't inform my parents about this."
"The girls wanted to but luckily your parents are out of town so we couldn't reach them." Dylan answered and Logan sighed in relief.
"If they come to know about this I am never leaving my room again. My father would simply cuff me to the bed and home-school me."
Alan snorted. "Kinky."
"I can't wait to walk again and kick your butt." Logan snarled, almost getting out of the bed.
"Let him be Logan." I said, shaking my head. "He was crying like a baby during your operation."
"I was not!"
"Please tell me you recorded it!"
Both exclaimed at the same time making us laugh. "We were all crying and if not crying we were too miserable to think of taking videos." Janice said.
Logan blushed like literally blushed and that was one of the cutest things I had ever seen. "Aww." I pinched his cheek. "Yeah we all love you." And he blushed even more, his cheeks turning pink.
Alicia smiled, sensing his discomfort. "I have settled the bill, my dad's going to pay."
"Uh no that's great but-" Logan started.
"Nah it's okay, this is the least I can do for you all. Take care Logan, let me know if you need something for me." She said and with one last smile and wave she walked out of the door.
"Well looks like the python turned into a butterfly." Alan remarked, staring at the door she just walked through.
Logan threw an empty glass at him. "At least she's doing something for me."
"Babe, I promise I'll hold your willy while you pee." Alan cooed.
"Fuck you." Logan spat. "And what was with you and that gang? How the hell where you into them?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes at Alan.
Alan let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah so I need extra donuts, I'll just go get some."
"Nu-uh." Bryan held his collar securely, making him sit on the chair. "Explain, now."
"Yeah so I was bored." Alan started, squirming under our intense and curious gazes. "Can you all stop looking at me like I am the fucking Joker right now?"
We blinked and averted our eyes, well except for Logan and Bryan. "Alan cut the shit okay." Logan ordered.
Alan sighed. "I was bored and I decided to go to this shit party my cousin had told me about. It was for college people and I knew you all wouldn't come so I went without telling you all. This was about seven months back. During that party I understood it wasn't just any party but a gang drug party. All were drinking and doing drugs there. The house owner, some guy named Carlos had a sister." He paused. "Her name was Celia, the junior."
We gasped. "She is in all this?"
Alan shook his head hard. "No! I met her and we clicked off. I wanted to leave the party but Carlos had already seen me so he thought I was a part of his gang and he took me to their den and showed me all the drugs and illegal stuff. He was way too drunk. The second I got a chance to escape from that awful place I called my cousin and shouted at him for giving me that address. He said he actually wanted me to go because he was some secret agent of some secret group and had to find out the secrets of this gang. He persuaded me to join them and act like their member."
"Did your cousin by any chance have hand in why the police didn't investigate much on us when we called and gave them the slip?" Bryan inquired.
Alan nodded. "Yeah I knew it, Joanna had told me and I had told my cousin. He has some crazy ass connection with the police and government."
"Did Celia know all this?" I piped in.
"Yeah that's what we talked about all the time when we met. Anyways I joined the group and passed on their secrets to my cousin. This continued and I was pretty much enjoying being a secret agent until they said they were going to abduct you and kill Bryan. I couldn't let them know I was on your side so I had go on with the plan." He looked at me sincerely. "I am so sorry Joanna. You know I would never hurt you deliberately."
I grinned at him. "I know Alan, its okay. It's over now."
"Stupid asshole. The next time you do something so exciting you better include me in it." Logan rebuked angrily. "I can't believe I could have been a secret agent and you deprived me of that title."
Alan rolled his eyes. "Bitch please you would have pissed your pants the first day itself."
"I swear to fucking god, the second I am well you are so dead." Logan growled, throwing another mug at him.
Alan skillfully dodged it laughing his head off. "Going to use the wheelchair to hit me?"
"Get me some more glasses, preferably glass ones filled with stones." Logan commanded, pushing off his sheet to punch Alan.
"Alan!" Brittany exclaimed. "Stop acting like a prick."
Alan held his hands up, smirking at Logan. "Sure, so when are we going for the wheelchair ride?"
"Forget the glasses just get me some bricks."
We laughed and in that moment it felt so surreal. Like Anastasia had never happened and we all were just at the cottage having our usual arguments. I looked around the people I loved so much. Logan fighting with Bryan and Dylan to get off the bed, Brittany and Janice scolding a guffawing Alan, Max and Ian just sitting and shaking their heads with huge grins on their faces. Connor eating a donut enjoying the show. And I felt so blessed to have such lovely friends.
Friends are people who make you smile at the worst of your days. They make you laugh when you want to cry. They make you trust them with your deepest secrets. They love you even when you are as annoying as soggy fries. They have your back even you are crazy as a shithouse rat. They don't judge you and will do everything for you- and some friends- they can even take a bullet for you.