"What? What sort of accident? Is he going to be alright?"
Kirsty was genuinely concerned. He was her best friend, aside from Jade, and despite everything she did care about him. Jade was evidently distressed. She too was close to Seb.
"He and Dad took an early walk and he was bitten by a spider or something - Dad's outside in the car now. He thinks you should get down to the hospital now... just in case"
"Just in case what?"
Jade avoids eye contact and doesn't reply.
"I'll wait in the car"
She left the room and Kirsty stared after her, stunned, her throat dry. Kane raises himself off the floor. He doesn't know how to react to this. He walks over to Kirsty and attempts to put his arm around her. She pulls away, already feeling guilty enough. Seb could be dying and she was cheating on him.
"I've got to get changed..."
She grabbed some clothes from her wardrobe and exited the room, going to the bathroom. Kane stood alone numbly, unsure of what to do next.
.......................................
CARAVAN PARK (exterior)
Rhys and Jade are sat in the car as Kirsty jogs down from the house and climbs into the back. Max had gone home with Nick. Rhys thought it was best that he didn't go to the hospital. Rhys has trouble turning the car around outside the house as Kane's car is parked awkwardly not far away. Rhys was getting irritant.
"Who's had the nerve to leave their car there?"
Kirsty's heart leaps. At least he didn't recognise the car.
"I think it belongs to one of the guests?"
Rhys frowns, accepting the explanation and deciding against finding the culprit, and eventually succeeds in turning the car around. They speed down the road away from the caravan park.
Kane watches the car from a distance and as it falls out of sight he walks into the road and over to his car.
.......................................
HOSPITAL
Kirsty, Jade and Rhys hurry into the waiting room. Rhys approaches Dr Wilson.
"Excuse me, we're looking for Seb Miller - he was brought in here about half an hour ago"
"Are you a relation?"
"No but -"
Dr Wilson interrupts
"I'm sorry but I can't discuss his condition unless you're a family member"
Rhys is seething, his eyes bulging but he avoids the urge to give Wilson a piece of his mind, knowing full well that he is only following procedure. He strides away and sits down. He knows part of his anger is guilt - guilt that he should have been watching Seb more closely when they were out on the walk. What would Fisher say when he arrived? The three sit down silently, Kirsty sinking into her chair and staring numbly ahead. Her life was such a mess. Why did Kane have to return and turn her world upside down?
.......................................
It was only a few minutes before Fisher arrived, and after walking straight past Rhys coldly he had a hushed conversation with a doctor about Seb. He recited the news to Kirsty - the next couple of hours were vital. He continued to give Rhys the cold shoulder although deep down he new Rhys wasn't to blame. But Seb was his only family in Summer Bay. It hadn't been long since they found one another and he couldn't bear the thought of losing him again.
.......................................
Kirsty sits by Seb's bedside. The doctors had said he would be alright. He had been sleeping for hours and she had felt inclined to stay with him. She was relieved that he was alright, of course she was, but she felt awkward. Only hours ago she had been vowing to break up with him. Now it didn't feel right to hurt him any more. Fisher had left to get something to eat as it was now late in the afternoon.
Seb's eyes open and he reaches out for Kirsty's hand. She has fallen asleep, her head on the side of the bed.
"Kirsty?"
She awakens and looks around, disorientated for a moment. She smiles falsely.
"Seb... I'm glad you're alright"
It was the truth, but she would much rather be there as his friend, not his girlfriend.
His head is thumping and bright hospital lights hurt his eyes. The only consolation is that Kirsty is there beside him.
.......................................
BEACH
Early evening
Kirsty meets up with Kane near the wharf. They greet one another with a brief kiss.
"Seb alright?"
His voice was uncertain. He felt inclined to ask.
"Yeah, he'll pull through"
Kane smiles, trying to look relieved. Kirsty could tell he was putting it on for her.
"When are you going to tell him? About us?"
"Well now's not the time... he nearly died... he needs me there whilst he gets better"
"Yeah."
Kane was blunt. Unconvinced.
"I'll tell him - soon... the next time I see you we won't be doing anything wrong. Me and Seb will be finished"
Kirsty felt torn. She was only saying it to reassure Kane. In reality she desperately didn't want to hurt Seb. All she did know was that she wanted to be with Kane.
"When will that be?"
"A day or two? I have to wait until Seb's feeling better. It wouldn't be fair."
Kirsty glances awkwardly around, desperate for some kind of reassurance from Kane. She just wanted to know he'd stand by her. However long it took.
"I should go... I've got some work to finish up on the boat"
Kane didn't mean to be blunt but he just couldn't understand how Kirsty was seeing someone else. He obviously meant something to her but he couldn't understand what. He couldn't understand the friendship they shared. Maybe it was because he'd never had a proper friendship. He'd had 'mates', people to hang around with, get into trouble with but never anyone he could talk to. Kirsty was the only one. Maybe he was jealous. All the things that Seb had that he wanted. Acceptance... friends... a future... Kirsty.
Kirsty's heart sank. She couldn't help but feel an element of rejection.
"Right... bye then"
"See ya"
Kane turned and walked back towards the wharf as Kirsty watched, teary eyed. Whatever she did, someone was going to get hurt.
Kirsty was genuinely concerned. He was her best friend, aside from Jade, and despite everything she did care about him. Jade was evidently distressed. She too was close to Seb.
"He and Dad took an early walk and he was bitten by a spider or something - Dad's outside in the car now. He thinks you should get down to the hospital now... just in case"
"Just in case what?"
Jade avoids eye contact and doesn't reply.
"I'll wait in the car"
She left the room and Kirsty stared after her, stunned, her throat dry. Kane raises himself off the floor. He doesn't know how to react to this. He walks over to Kirsty and attempts to put his arm around her. She pulls away, already feeling guilty enough. Seb could be dying and she was cheating on him.
"I've got to get changed..."
She grabbed some clothes from her wardrobe and exited the room, going to the bathroom. Kane stood alone numbly, unsure of what to do next.
.......................................
CARAVAN PARK (exterior)
Rhys and Jade are sat in the car as Kirsty jogs down from the house and climbs into the back. Max had gone home with Nick. Rhys thought it was best that he didn't go to the hospital. Rhys has trouble turning the car around outside the house as Kane's car is parked awkwardly not far away. Rhys was getting irritant.
"Who's had the nerve to leave their car there?"
Kirsty's heart leaps. At least he didn't recognise the car.
"I think it belongs to one of the guests?"
Rhys frowns, accepting the explanation and deciding against finding the culprit, and eventually succeeds in turning the car around. They speed down the road away from the caravan park.
Kane watches the car from a distance and as it falls out of sight he walks into the road and over to his car.
.......................................
HOSPITAL
Kirsty, Jade and Rhys hurry into the waiting room. Rhys approaches Dr Wilson.
"Excuse me, we're looking for Seb Miller - he was brought in here about half an hour ago"
"Are you a relation?"
"No but -"
Dr Wilson interrupts
"I'm sorry but I can't discuss his condition unless you're a family member"
Rhys is seething, his eyes bulging but he avoids the urge to give Wilson a piece of his mind, knowing full well that he is only following procedure. He strides away and sits down. He knows part of his anger is guilt - guilt that he should have been watching Seb more closely when they were out on the walk. What would Fisher say when he arrived? The three sit down silently, Kirsty sinking into her chair and staring numbly ahead. Her life was such a mess. Why did Kane have to return and turn her world upside down?
.......................................
It was only a few minutes before Fisher arrived, and after walking straight past Rhys coldly he had a hushed conversation with a doctor about Seb. He recited the news to Kirsty - the next couple of hours were vital. He continued to give Rhys the cold shoulder although deep down he new Rhys wasn't to blame. But Seb was his only family in Summer Bay. It hadn't been long since they found one another and he couldn't bear the thought of losing him again.
.......................................
Kirsty sits by Seb's bedside. The doctors had said he would be alright. He had been sleeping for hours and she had felt inclined to stay with him. She was relieved that he was alright, of course she was, but she felt awkward. Only hours ago she had been vowing to break up with him. Now it didn't feel right to hurt him any more. Fisher had left to get something to eat as it was now late in the afternoon.
Seb's eyes open and he reaches out for Kirsty's hand. She has fallen asleep, her head on the side of the bed.
"Kirsty?"
She awakens and looks around, disorientated for a moment. She smiles falsely.
"Seb... I'm glad you're alright"
It was the truth, but she would much rather be there as his friend, not his girlfriend.
His head is thumping and bright hospital lights hurt his eyes. The only consolation is that Kirsty is there beside him.
.......................................
BEACH
Early evening
Kirsty meets up with Kane near the wharf. They greet one another with a brief kiss.
"Seb alright?"
His voice was uncertain. He felt inclined to ask.
"Yeah, he'll pull through"
Kane smiles, trying to look relieved. Kirsty could tell he was putting it on for her.
"When are you going to tell him? About us?"
"Well now's not the time... he nearly died... he needs me there whilst he gets better"
"Yeah."
Kane was blunt. Unconvinced.
"I'll tell him - soon... the next time I see you we won't be doing anything wrong. Me and Seb will be finished"
Kirsty felt torn. She was only saying it to reassure Kane. In reality she desperately didn't want to hurt Seb. All she did know was that she wanted to be with Kane.
"When will that be?"
"A day or two? I have to wait until Seb's feeling better. It wouldn't be fair."
Kirsty glances awkwardly around, desperate for some kind of reassurance from Kane. She just wanted to know he'd stand by her. However long it took.
"I should go... I've got some work to finish up on the boat"
Kane didn't mean to be blunt but he just couldn't understand how Kirsty was seeing someone else. He obviously meant something to her but he couldn't understand what. He couldn't understand the friendship they shared. Maybe it was because he'd never had a proper friendship. He'd had 'mates', people to hang around with, get into trouble with but never anyone he could talk to. Kirsty was the only one. Maybe he was jealous. All the things that Seb had that he wanted. Acceptance... friends... a future... Kirsty.
Kirsty's heart sank. She couldn't help but feel an element of rejection.
"Right... bye then"
"See ya"
Kane turned and walked back towards the wharf as Kirsty watched, teary eyed. Whatever she did, someone was going to get hurt.