"There you are, Max! I looked all over campus for you.", Alyssa stated.
Still sitting on the bench, I looked up to her quite in surprise. It was usually me who started a conversation with the purple haired girl and never the other way around. So I guess it did pay off, rescuing her all the time.
I smiled: "Hey Alyssa. What´s up?"
"Do you remember the posse I mentioned to you before?"
"The one for Kate? Yes and I´m still loving the idea.", I responded.
A light grin formed on Alyssa´s lips: "Well I thought it would be cool to visit her directly after school today. So when you don´t have something else to do, would you like to join me? I also thought of asking Brooke and Stella, since they were pretty close to Kate back in the day."
I shuddered when Alyssa mentioned Brooke. It was not like I didn´t like her or anything. But between me and said girl was a clear distance. It felt like most of the time the black haired girl tried to ignore me or didn´t even know that I existed. And I had quiet the idea why she acted that way towards me..
I shook off my current thoughts and replied: "Nope. Nothing to do in Blackwell today."
"Cool. So let´s meet at the busstop after our classes are over. Oh and if you know someone else who would like to join us, feel free to ask him."
And with that said, Alyssa left me being all by myself again. I really looked forward to visit Kate. Some days have passed since THAT had happened and it still gave me chills only thinking about the incident. Even now I can´t say how incredibly happy I am about Kate still being alive. She is such a sweet person and important friend to me. I really don´t know what I would have done when I hadn´t managed to get her off the roof that day...
I sighed and thought back to what Alyssa has said to me. To be honest I kind of knew who actually would like to join us. And fortunately I also knew exactly where to find this person right now. So I got off the bench and headed directly to the science classroom.
And as I thought there he was. Warren Graham sitting in front of his desk scrolling through his laptop. Surprisingly he was the only student there right now. Even without Brooke, who usually stalked him wherever he went. Maybe that was thanks to Alyssa who wanted to ask said girl to join us as well?
Anyway.
"Since he was already by himself, why not sneak up on him and surprise him?", I thought to myself.
I was actually really glad to see him after I went to that alternate timeline where he had dated Stella and had completely ignored me. It kind of creeped me out to not being able to talk to him like we usually did. And the fact that he had dated another girl.. It somehow scared me a lot. I wonder why?
So as I wanted, I quietly sneaked up on him and lightly covered his eyes with both of my hands.
"What the..", he managed to say and tried to uncover his eyes.
But I was not letting him know who I was that easily!
Warren´s hands now rested on mine while he guessed: "Brooke, is that you? You know how much I hate those games."
I tried not to giggle.
"Alyssa?", was his second guess.
"Sorry to disappoint you but I´m not Brooke neither Alyssa.", I lightly giggled.
With a surprised voice he guessed: "...Max? Is that you?"
I uncovered his eyes and gave him a smile: "You need some serious training in guessing, science guy."
"As if. It´s not like you do this every day to me.", the brown haired boy said while scratching his head.
"True enough."
"So how can I help you, doctor Caulfield?"
"I wondered if you cared to join me, Alyssa and some other students to visit Kate in the hospital once classes are over, doctor Graham.", I teased back.
Exitement was plastered all over his face when he answered: "Sure. I´d like to know how she´s doing."
"Great! We´ll see each other at the busstop then?"
"Sounds cool to me."
And with that we said our goodbyes and I went directly to my classroom.
-This Afternoon-
Since Alyssa, Stella and me attend the same classes we went together to the busstop. So it was not really surprising that Warren and Brooke arrived there together as well. Though I kind of found that a little unpleasant..
"Hey guys.", Brooke greeted us in her usual sceptical tone.
"There you are. You two sure took your time.", Alyssa commented.
Warren stuttered: "S.. Sorry. Brooke needed some stuff from her locker so it took us a while."
"So now that we have all gathered, do you have some kind of a present for Kate, Alyssa? I mean, it would be somehow awkward to go there empty handed..", was Stella the one who brought up the subject.
"I DO have a get well soon card and a little bunny plushie. So I figured if all of you would sign here it would do the trick.", Alyssa informed us.
"And I still have a photo which I took from Kate´s bunny..", I offered as well.
"I think Kate will already be happy just getting a visit from us. And it´s the thought which counts, right?", Warren said.
It didnt take long for the bus to arrive. So all of us bought a bus ticket and sat down. I found it really mean of Brooke who had suggested to sit where was only room for four people. And since we were one person too many for that and Stella, Alyssa and herself were already seated there, it was obvious that the one person figured to be me. I mean why else did Brooke call out for Warren to sit next to her? But Warren didn´t. Instead he replied to her that he wouldn´t like me to sit all alone and so he sat next to me. It was really hilarious to see Brooke getting all flustred about that. And it kind of made me feel somewhat special. Warren did never hurt me and I was glad him being with us. In fact he always cared about my feelings and was always there for me..
"Alright, that´s the station where we have to get out.", Alyssa mentioned which woke me up from my current thoughts.
Warren was the first to stand up from our seats. As I tried to follow him, the bus came to an uprubt stop which made me loose my balance. In fear to crash on the floor I closed my eyes only to fall into strong, warm arms.
"Whoa, are you okay?", I heard Warren asking worried.
I slowly opened my eyes again and stared directly in his brown eyes. Soon enough I realized that instead of getting hurt I had landed in his arms.
It seemed like an eternity me and him staring at each others eyes. And did I see him blushing while looking at me?
"Are you done cuddling there or can we move on?", Brooke commented clearly annoyed.
"S..Sorry..", I stuttered while quiekly getting off the bus.
After a little walk we managed to find the hospital where Kate was supposed to be. Somehow I was a little nervous to see her. She did text me after the incident and she also had thanked me for saving her and being there for her when nobody was. But seeing her after something like that.. After she tried to kill herself.. I just hoped that she was feeling at least a little better..
It took us a while till we actually found Kate´s room. It was a really big hospital to say the least. But when we finally stood in front of her door, Alyssa was the one to knock on it. Without waiting for an answer the purple haired girl slowly opened the door. And there she was. Kate, sitting on a hospital bed with some balloons surrounding her.
"Guys!", Kate almost jumped out of her bed in exitement.
"Hey Sweety. It´s good to see you!", said Stella imidiately hugging her friend.
While the rest of our group also greeted her and said how glad they were to be able to see the blonde girl, I was the one to stay back and watch them from the distance.
Though Kate seemed to spot me from behind and it didn´t take long for her to quiekly rush to me and giving me an enormous hug.
"Max! I knew you would come! Thanks again for everything you did for me!", she cried in my shoulder.
"I told you I would. And I´m just glad to see you happy like this."
We embraced each other for a long while when we finally seperated.
"Oh, if I had known that I would get visitors today, I would have prepared tea for you.", Kate apologized.
"Hey, it´s okay. I could go and bring us some. ", I offered.
"I´m not really in the mood for tea", Brooke stated.
"Alright, so no tea for Brooke.. What about the other´s?", I asked.
"Yeah, tea sounds fine. I will come with you.", Warren stated.
So both of us exited the room and we went to the spot where the free tea was offered.
I noticed that Warren had been really quite for a while so I asked: "Is everything alright, Warren?"
"Yeah.. It´s just that everybody beside me had a heartwarming reunion with Kate.."
"Are you cereal right now? Okay, Warren. When we get back, I will tell Kate to give you a hug, too.", I laughed.
"I am not jalouse about you getting a hug from Kate. It´s more because she got to hug YOU."
I was speechless. Did he actually mean it? He didn´t, did he?..
So not believing that the brown haired boy was serious, I laughed his confession off by saying:"Haha, okay Warren. I, the great Max Caulfield, am in a good mood today so come on and get your free hug."
I expected him to laugh it off as well. But instead he rushed over to me and held me me closely in his arms. At first I didnt realize what was happening right now. But then it dawned to me and my cheeks went tomatoe red. And while my right hand got to rest on his chest I felt his heartbeat getting faster and faster. Was he actually..?
Before I could think any further Warren broke our embracement, grabbed two cups which were already filled with tea and rushed back to Kate´s room.
"Come on, slowpoke. Or your tea will actually cool down!", he stuttered.
And I could swear that he had as much blush on his cheeks as me.
