a/n: Yo, yo, yo what up, what up, what up? Sorry I won't do that again. So have ya missed me? *blushes* I know you did! OMG! I just noticed that the acronym for this is SAS, and if there was another 's' than it would spell SASS, which is what Stephanie gave to the boys in that last chapter! Ha-ha lol I'm hyper. Never give Taylor obscene amounts of cookies at a time. Not much too else to say today (how surprising) so I'm just going to let you enjoy the seventh chapter of Sticks and Stones.

WAIT! I forgot to thank Hikari no Kasai, Carla, CheekyBrunette, bluestring, T-Bone14, Robin-n-Hoodie, xEryChan, Anonymous Skrtle, UttermostX, AND Lito-Arumi for reviewing and favouriting and alerting my story. YOU GUYS ROCK! (And so do you other people who read this, love you guys too!)

((((Chapter 7: Newly-Found Wisdom))))

Stephanie POV

I watched as Mrs. Knight's face paled. "H-hospital?" stuttered. I nodded solemnly. She straightened herself before walking around to the passenger seat in the car. "Let's go." I nodded again and headed to the hospital.

Mrs. Knight was nervous the whole way. I could tell by the way she squirmed in her seat and twiddled her thumbs.

"Mrs. Knight-" I started. "Kim. Call me Kim," she said absentmindedly, still staring blankly ahead. "Oh, well... it's okay. I'm sure he'll be fine. I mean... he's Carlos!" she looked over at me and smiled.

"I suppose you're right. But I guess when I hear that any of my boys are in the hospital I always assume the worst." I nodded as I pulled into a parking space in the E.R. parking lot. "Yeah. Expect the worst so you'll never be disappointed."

We walked briskly into the E.R. and Kim immediately went up to the receptionist's desk.

"Hello. How may I help you?" the nurse greeted. She had jet black hair with dark blue streaks that rested on her shoulders. Her eyes were a stunning shade of gray, almost silver. She looked young, no older than 25. I guessed that she was fresh out of college. Her name tag said her name was Reagan.

"I'd like information on Carlos Garcia please," Mrs. Knight asked kindly.

"What is your relation with the patient?" Reagan asked. "I'm his guardian while he's in L.A." Reagan nodded and typed something in on the ancient looking computer.

"Ah. Ok. Carlos is on the 3rd floor, room 2017," she told us, smiling the whole time. "Thank you so much." Without another word Mrs. Knight were on our way to see Carlos.

Carlos POV

I woke up to a painful sting in my left arm. "Ouch," I hissed. "Oh, you're awake," a female voice said, obviously surprised. "Sorry about that, I tried to do this while you were still asleep." I nodded groggily, still not quite awake. "S'okay."

"I'm your doctor while you're here Carlos," the still unnamed woman told me. "My name is Dr. Thomason."

I looked up at her and studied her features. She had light brown hair that I guessed reached down to her mid-back. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of grass green that were framed with sliver thin-rimmed glasses.. I believe she was mixed.

"Do you remember what happened?" she asked, bringing me out of my trance.

"Uh... um..." I trailed off, struggling to remember what happened.

"Oh yeah. I was at school and during history I started feeling dizzy and nauseous. Everyone kept asking me if I was ok and what was going on, but I couldn't answer them. Then I think I passed out. I don't remember anything after that though." I told her. She nodded and scribbled something down on her clipboard.

"Ok. I have some more questions to ask you. Do you want to answer them now or wait until later?" she asked. "I'll answer them now." I wanted to get them out of the way so I could go back to sleep.

"When was the last time you ate Carlos?" My eyes widened but I remained silent. "...Carlos? Can you answer my question please?"

"3 weeks," I replied, almost inaudibly. "Pardon me? I didn't quite catch that?" she replied in all seriousness. I gulped. "3 weeks," I said louder. "The last time I ate was about 3 and a half weeks ago." I was so ashamed of myself. If anyone else knew that they'd probably think that I was anorexic or depressed. But Dr. Thomason just nodded.

"That's what I thought. Now Carlos, is there a specific reason that you've stopped eating? Are you feeling any emotional or psychological distress?" I paused before answering her.

"The only reason I haven't been eating is because I just haven't been hungry. And as to your other question, no. I haven't been feeling either way." I deadpanned. The doctor sighed and took off her glasses.

"Carlos as well as being a regular doctor, I am also a social worker and psychiatrist. That's why I was assigned to you. I work with people that have a condition similar to yours. Specifically teens. Anyways, when they assessed your stage when you were rushed in, they realized that they had to hook you up to an IV that would send nutrients and fluids into your body until you were able to eat solid food again." I looked down. "Oh."

"Carlos, I really need you to tell me if there has been something to make you go so long without eating," she said seriously. I sighed.

"Well... there has been some tension between my friends and I, but that has nothing to do with it, I just haven't been hungry. That's why I haven't been eating- I swear!" I told her honestly.

"Okay Carlos. I believe you, but whatever the case you not eating isn't healthy. You need to stop this, but it won't be an easy process. It'll probably require some mild therapy because you won't want to eat right away, alright?" I nodded.

Now I felt EXTREMELY ashamed of myself. I let all this dumb drama get to my head and I slowly let myself slip away. If it went on much longer I could have died. I put my health and career at risk. I would have disappointed everyone and they would all hate me... just like the others did. I felt hot tears prick at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"Carlos-"

"Can I just be alone for a minute... please?" I interrupted, breathing heavily. "Of course, take as long as you need. If you need anything or if there is an emergency just press this red button on your bed-side table, okay?" I nodded, still looking down, tightly clutching the bed sheets. I took a deep breath as she exited the room.

I could've killed myself. I didn't mean to but... I almost did. I couldn't believe it. I almost left my family behind. I don't know what Luke and Marissa would do if they lost another person close to them. They've already lost both their parents in the last three years; they didn't need to lose anyone else so soon. With this thinking I decided that I would get better as soon as possible, so I would be healthy again and my family wouldn't have to worry about me.

As I was lost in my thoughts I didn't notice Mrs. Knight and Stephanie come in. "Hey Carlos," I jumped as

Stephanie greeted me. "Hey." My smile faltered as I noticed that no one else was with them.

I shouldn't have had my hopes up. I should've known that just because I was in the hospital that their hateful feelings would be put on hold. I always do that! I always raise my hopes and expectations and then I'm disappointed when I get shot down. I need to learn to assume the worst and then be glad when something better occurs.

I was so angry at myself that I didn't notice how tightly I was holding my bed sheets.

"Carlos?" Stephanie said cautiously, stepping forward. "Are you okay buddy?" she asked just as tenderly as before. I looked at my hands before releasing the now crumpled bed sheets. I nodded, keeping my head down and my eyes locked on my lap. "Are you sure?" I nodded again. I really just wanted to be left alone, but they came and visited which meant a lot to me. Besides, they only meant the best.

"What'd they say? What happened?" Mrs. Knight wondered aloud. "I-I" I couldn't tell her.

"It's okay Carlos. You can tell us," Stephanie soothed, reading my mind. "W-well...I-I UGH!" I let out an angry huff. It was too hard. "It's okay if you don't want to tell us Carlos," Mama Knight said. "No I do! It's just... hard," I confessed. "Well take a deep breath and tell us when you're ready."

I nodded. I took a silent deep breath and opened my mouth to speak.

"Well Dr. Thomason said that they had to put an IV in my arm because I wasn't getting enough nutrients in my body." They both had quizzical looks on their faces before it dawned upon them.

"Carlos..." Stephanie approached. "When was the last time you ate?" she asked. "3 weeks ago," I told her. Did I have to go through this again?

"That's impossible. The last time I saw you eat was..." Mama Knight suddenly looked very pale.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to I swear! It just... happened. I mean lately I haven't been feeling that hungry, and my mom also told me not to eat if I wasn't hungry so I didn't and I passed it off as nothing. I thought it was just the stress from Gustavo or something or the thing that's going on right now, and now I feel really bad because I could have died even though I didn't mean to and-" CARLOS!" Stephanie stopped me when I kept rambling and my heart rate and blood pressure started to rise. "Calm down bud." I blushed. "Sorry."

"Dude why would you do this to yourself?" Stephanie asked, obviously appalled. "I didn't mean to! I just wasn't hungry and now doctor says I have to go to therapy." I mumbled the last part quickly.

"Wait- therapy?" Mrs. Knight asked, her eyes bulging out of her head. I looked down again. "Yeah. She said that I might have to go to therapy because I won't want to eat full meals yet." I twiddled my thumbs. "I'm really sorry," I said, my voice cracking. Mrs. Knight's face softened considerably. "Oh Carlos, it's alright."

"But it's not! If I went much longer I could've died and ended up a skinny course! And I see that me being in the hospital hurts you guys too. I don't want to hurt people anymore. I can't hurt anymore people. I just can't." I furiously wiped at the single tear that decided he wanted to escape the confines of my eyes.

"Of course we're hurt Carlos. But not because of what you did, it's because you're in the hospital," Mrs. Knight explained.

"Yeah. I mean in the classroom I was hurt when there was barely a pulse. I worried I was worried I was gonna lose my partner in writing," Stephanie added, making me smile a bit.

Just as I was about to say something four unexpected people walked in.

"Hey Carlos," Katie said, smiling. "How're you feeling?" I tore my eyes away from my band members to look at her.

"I've been better," I replied with a shrug. "But I'm fine... what's behind your back?" I asked, just noticing that both her hands were behind her. She smiled widely before showing me my sketchbook and pencil case.

I smiled at her and took the items. "Thanks Katie, you're the best." She nodded her head. "I know."

"I was wondering when you guys were going to show up," Mrs. Knight said.

"We uh just came to drop off Katie," James admitted. "Yeah she made is bring her here. We were just about to leave," Kendall added. I didn't fail to notice how they were stepping back slightly every once in a while.

Mrs. Knight adopted a look of surprise on her face. "Oh well then I'll see you guys back at home for dinner." They nodded. "Okay Mom, see ya later," Kendall said before the two of them all but ran out of the room.

I looked over at Logan. I saw that he was looking at my IV with the expression he got when thinking hard about something. His forehead scrunched up and his eyes squinted.

"Can I... can I get a moment with Carlos please?" he asked, to all of our surprise.

"Of course!" Stephanie piped in quickly. "We'll be in the cafeteria!" she exclaimed while ushering Katie and Mrs. Knight out of the room. When the door closed Logan sat on the foot of my bed.

"When was the last time you ate?" he demanded suddenly. Why did everyone want to KNOW THIS?

"Why?"

"Just tell me please," he said, still eyeing the drip. "3 weeks ago. What's it to you?"

His eyes softened as his brought his gaze over to me. "3 weeks?" he repeated softly. I nodded. "Why?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Why do you care?" As glad as I was that Logan was talking to me, I'd prefer if it weren't out of pity. "Because you're on an IV drip!" he said as if it were obvious. "So? Just because I'm in a hospital bed now you care? You haven't cared about me in almost 3 months. That shouldn't change because something happened. It should only change if you truly forgive me." I have absolutely no idea where this newly-found wisdom was coming from, but I'm glad I voiced it.

Logan got up. "You're right. And I haven't yet. I'll see you later Carlos. Feel better." With that he was gone, door closed behind him.

I leaned back on my bed, running a hand over my face as I sighed.

'Maybe they should've just let me die,' I thought to myself. I shook my head, trying to push those negative thoughts out of my mind. Where did that come from? I'd never had a thought like that in years. I made sure that I'd never think like that again. So... why DID I think that? I'm not sure, but I'm determined to make sure it doesn't happen again.

a/n: Oh Logie... when will you learn? *shakes head* What'd you guys think of this chapter? Tell me in the review section below! So until next time... LATER PEEPZ!