iii: lucas (before)
The last thing you wanted was to receive a visit from your bestfriend's mother while you were at work to tell you that he was in an accident.
That's how they phrased it: an accident.
Jennifer Bassett-Minkus had been walking towards you. You have a part-time job at the local supermarket, so it was quite a shock for the people there, both customers and employees alike, to have such a high name there: the wife of Stuart Minkus, owner of Minkus International. You recognised her immediately from several visits to Farkle's house over the years. You had stopped scanning an old frumpy woman's items and watched as she spoke to your boss before turning to you.
"Farkle's been in an accident," she had said. Blood rushed to your ears, the words spiralling the surface of your thoughts.
"What happened?" At this point, the frumpy woman was tutting.
"A man; he'd been out drinking last night and decided to drive…" she choked on her words as she tried to speak them. "I've told your boss that you can get off work this morning."
You didn't even hesitate to dial your girlfriend's number. You tell her about the incident, and you can tell she's trying not to punch something.
You hear the sound of the call ending, and you know she's heading to the subway as fast as a bullet. You resolve to pick her up: that way she won't get in any trouble.
And you do. You drive her to the hospital to see him. Your best buddy. When you see him through the window, you feel like crying. You wrap your arms around your girlfriend, and squeeze her tight. She's crying into your shirt, and black stains are forming where her eyes reach.
You can't hear anything. Everything around you simply doesn't seem to exist. You think that your girlfriend is comforting her bestfriend. You're not sure. Maya and Riley head to the snack bar on the floor below. You stay. You sit by your bestfriend's bed side, hang your head and cry. It's going to be alright, you tell yourself. Farkle's tough, though he may not look like it, you repeat in your mind. You choose to believe it; you have to have hope.