Haley tried to find Elly after she'd raced off, wondering what had happened. Ten minutes later she went into the bathroom, and immediately realized the scene in front of her.
She had never been around anyone who got into that sort of thing, but she knew what to do. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed 911. Somehow, the trials and tribulations of this near-stranger were suddenly and strangely frightening. She waited for the ambulance.
"Dad?" She asked when her father picked up the phone.
"Hales? Where are you?" Ryan demanded nervously. It was far past the time he had expected she'd be home, though he'd given her no specific curfew.
"I'm at the hospital," Haley admitted, sighing.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Ryan asked frantically, worrying for his only daughter. Well. Almost only daughter.
"I'm fine. A friend of mine kind of passed out. We were talking, and then her phone rang, and she flipped out. When I found her, she was in the bathroom passed out with a flask and a razor."
"Oh, Haley," Ryan sighed, dismay conveyed to her in his tone. "You sure you're okay? Are the girl's parents there?"
"No," Haley admitted. "She smashed her phone when she flipped out, so all the numbers are gone. I have no idea how to contact anyone. She's new, she's from LA. Except, she's saying she's from Denver. Nobody's supposed to know she's from LA."
"Okay," Ryan said confusedly. "I'll come down there, okay? Which hospital?"
"We're at NYU Downtown," Haley said. A doctor approached her. "Dad, I have to go."
"I'm on my way, sweetheart," Ryan told her. "Bye."
"You're Ms. Atwood?" The doctor asked Haley. "You came in with Ms. Avery?"
"Yeah," Haley nodded. "Will she be okay?"
"We pumped her stomach. She'll be up within the hour. Those cuts will take a while to heal, but…"
"Thank you," Haley said earnestly.
"Did you find a way to contact a relative?" The doctor asked her.
"She broke her cell phone," Haley explained apologetically. "My dad's on the way and he'll figure something out."
"Okay," the doctor agreed. "You can go see her in ten or fifteen minutes, okay?"
"Thanks," Haley nodded. He walked away.
…
Elly opened her big blue eyes and blinked repetitively, trying to block out the florescent lights. She recognized those florescent lights. A hospital. She was in a hospital. Again. Her mom was going to flip out. But then she thought of Ben. He was gone—dead. She then realized that Haley was sitting on a chair in the corner.
"Hey," Haley smiled when she saw Elly awake. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit, maybe a bit worse," Elly replied, cracking a smile. "You came all the way here with me?"
"Of course," Haley smiled. "We're friends now, aren't we?"
"Yeah," Elly said decidedly, looking at the girl across from her. "We are."
"So, you want to call your mom or someone? The doctor wanted me to. My dad's on his way, just because they needed some sort of adult here."
"Thanks," Elly said sincerely. "I'll call my grandmother. I'm staying with her."
"Here's the phone," Haley said, passing it off.
Elly dialed, and waited. The answering machine. "I got her machine. My mom will be out, even with the time change and all. I'll try again in a few minutes."
"Okay," Haley said. "Oh, here's my dad." She noticed Ryan through the glass window.
Ryan came into the room.
"Haley!" He exclaimed. He turned around and noticed the girl in the bed. He felt the world begin to spin. "Oh my god."
"What's wrong, Dad?" Haley asked. "Dad?"
"Elly," Ryan whispered, going over to the bed. "Elly."
"How did you know her name?" Haley asked. "I didn't tell you her name."
"Elly," he repeated, ignoring Haley.
"Um…" Elly said awkwardly.
"Elly…Cooper, I guess," Ryan said again, putting his hand on his forehead, his eyes wide.
"How did you know that?" Elly asked, frustrated. Her persona was found out.
"Then...is your mom Marissa Cooper?" Haley asked in awe, citing the name of the tall, gorgeous model-turned-actress who repeatedly showed up on fashion magazine covers and in the pages of the trashy tabloids Haley couldn't help but leaf through. Elly nodded weakly. "That's incredible!" Haley gasped. "Oh my god!"
"Believe me, it's not," Elly said sourly. Both girls looked at Ryan, who was still pale, silent, and in shock.
"Dad? You okay?" Haley prompted Ryan.
"I don't know how to tell you this," he said suddenly.
"Tell me what?" Elly demanded.
"Tell her what?" Haley demanded.
"You're…twins," he said quietly. There was no sound.
