RANDOM QUESTION:

Severing Ties (One Dare Down).

I spent the entire day in the hospital beside my mom and so did my entire group. Mr. and Mrs. Carter showed up to visit her too but judging by the lack of communication that happened between them and Jerko, it was safe to say that he was still upset with what had happened at their party.

Roy came at around 2pm with food for all of us as we all sat in the lobby. I saw him whisper something in Xavier's ear which caused Xav to immediately look in my direction.
With a nod to him but eyes still on mine, he said, "We'll handle it tomorrow."

I had no idea what he was talking about, and I couldn't care less. My gaze shifted to Jerko who was sitting with Jen, a tired expression on his face. He hadn't wasted a second when he came to know my mother was in the hospital and immediately rushed to come see her. My mom was like a mother figure to him so his reaction was obvious.

How could I do what I had to?
I had known him all my life and even the thought of cutting all ties with him constricted my chest. Jerko was my family. How could I hurt my own family?

But I didn't have a choice. I had to do this to keep him safe. And if jeopardising my relationship with him was the price I had to pay for his safety, for his life, I knew I couldn't be selfish.
I got up from my seat, walked up to him with a frown on my face and surprised him with a hug. After a millisecond of shock, his arms materialised around me as he returned the gesture.

"What's wrong, SpongeBob?" he whispered into my forehead. "She's okay now. You don't need to be scared."

"That hasn't stopped you from worrying yourself sick though, has it?" I muttered in his chest.

With a sigh, his chin on my forehead and hands still around me he said, "I never liked hospitals."

He was thinking about Lizzie, I realised.
"None of us do," Jen said sadly as she put her hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you," I said suddenly.
Both of their eyebrows furrowed in confusion at that.

I didn't give them the chance to ask me anything though, as I immediately pulled away from Jerko, turned to the rest of my friends, and said, "Thank you. All of you."

"Why are you thanking us?" Roy asked.

"For being here," I said as I shrugged my shoulders. "For having my back."

"Again," said Sky. "Why are you thanking us?"

"I just told you-"

"Ver," Simon cut me as he shook his head. "You don't need to thank us for all that."

"They're right," Kelsi said. "We're friends. Hell, you lot are the closest thing Xav and I have to family and family doesn't 'thank' each other."

"I know," I said with a small smile. "You're my family too," I said as I looked at all of them, Xavier a little longer. "And I know that there are no 'thank you's' when it comes to family but I needed to say this because I know I'm not the easiest person to be around. I'm impulsive, I say stuff I don't really mean many times, I'm too dramatic for my own good, and I can be a pain in the ass. But you guys have stuck around nonetheless. So, thank you."

"I agree with the impulsive part," Jerko said with a smirk.

"Also the part about you being a pain in the ass and dramatic," said Jen.

"But," Xavier said with a smile of his own. "You missed out on a few things."

"Like the part where you say you're really caring," said Jamie.

"You're funny," said Roy.

"You're sensitive," said Kelsi.

"You're smart," said Sky.