"Haley, there's been an accident." Keith's voice sounds so far away, and he sounds as if he's crying.
"He's ok though, right?" I beg. He's gotta be okay, he's my best friend. I'd die if something happened to him. Keith tells me that he doesn't know, and promises to phone me when he finds out more information.
I slowly hang up, in shock. I can't believe I fought with Lucas, either. How stupid was that? I didn't mean to yell at him..
"I'll take you to the hospital," Nathan offers. I shake my head and tell him to go. I can't handle this right now. I mean, how am I supposed to handle this? My best friend is lying in a hospital bed and nothing I can say or do will make it any better. It's all my fault, I feel so guilty for screaming at him. I didn't even mean to. I lie on my bed and close my eyes. I haven't cried yet, maybe I'm too scared. Peyton knocks on my door and asks why I'm not in the hospital. I shrug, and Peyton understands, although she wants me to go with her. Maybe soon I'll be able to deal with this, but I just can't right now. She offers to take me to the hospital after my work shift, and I agree.
A few hours later, we enter together. I see Karen lying next to Lucas, fast asleep. Poor Karen looked exhausted. I glance at Lucas. He is still, hooked up to all these machines. Suddenly I have this overwhelming urge to cry, and run out of his room. Peyton follows me.
"I can't do this." I tell her. "Not yet."
I'm sitting on top of the roof, looking around at all of our knicknacks. Lucas and I built this together, when it was just the two of us. Peyton comes up, and I'm glad for the company. She looks around, and tells me how cool this is. I smile, and apologise for the hospital scene. She shrugs, and says, "No big deal." I know she's thinking about her mom.. she must be so brave to enter that hospital again.
"I just want to tell Lucas that I'm sorry and that I love him." I tell her. Why is so hard for me to not see him? He would see me, I'm sure of it. Peyton smiles sadly. "I know."
Work is a welcome distraction. All until Nathan comes, and starts to apologise for what he had said before. I shut him off, and don't want to listen. Nathan finally tells me that Lucas is awake. He said "I know you couldn't see him, so I did. I told him that you wanted him to wake up." A few tears run down my face. Is it because Luke is awake? Or is because Nathan just did an unbelievably nice thing?
The hospital seems calmer the second time around. I enter Lucas's room, my heart pounding. He's sitting up in bed, arm in a cast, talking to Brooke. He looks at me and smiles, and Brooke does the same. She gets off his bed, and walks toward the door. I slowly sit down, and he says in his ever-so-gentle voice,
"Hey buddy, I missed you." I nod, lay my head on his chest, and finally begin to sob. He strokes my hair as I continue to cry. Everything is good now, and everyone is forgiven. I'm just so glad my best friend is okay, and his comforting presence is just the right thing.
