Love Is...

-27-

Song: "Better Man" by Taylor Swift

**

"—But why did she do that?!"

"I don't know, Courtney!" Alejandro paced around the hospital lobby, anxiously pulling at his hair. He, Courtney, Marcia, and Duncan had been waiting for almost an hour, and he was growing more and more worried by the minute.

"Well, you better figure it out!" Courtney snapped. "I wasn't with her at the party today!"

"Are you suggesting that it's my fault?!" Alejandro said.

"Maybe!" Replied Courtney, crossing her arms.

"Hey," Marcia cut in, placing her hand on Alejandro's shoulder. "Alejandro and I were just talking and catching up. She disappeared without telling us anything. We have no idea why she did this."

Courtney squinted her eyes. "For all I know, you two could be lying!"

"How dare you accuse me of hurting mi amor!" Alejandro glared. "What if she never comes back, huh?!" His voice cracked as tears filled his eyes. All he could think about was Heather lying in the bathtub, her skin blue. He'd never get that image out of his head. "What if this is the last time we ever see her? And all you can think about is blaming me! You think I wanted her to do this to herself?!"

Courtney's face fell. She saw his frantic and helpless demeanor. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know you're not like—I know you don't want to hurt her." The very real possibility of Heather not making it out alive hit her like a train. I may never see my best friend again. She wrapped her arms around Duncan.

Duncan stroked Courtney's hair. "I think she'll be ok, princess."

"You think? What if she's not?!" Strangled sobs escaped Courtney's throat. "What if she's dead right now?!"

"Don't think like that, babe," said Duncan.

"I can't help it! Alcohol poisoning kills so many people!"

Upon hearing Courtney crying to Duncan, Alejandro sat back down, burying his face in his hands. He thought back to the beginning of the party. Heather was acting upset and blaming it on sleep deprivation. But something was off. Alejandro sighed to himself. What if it is my fault? What if she was giving me signs the entire time, and I didn't notice? ¡Estúpido! 

Marcia sat next to her friend. "Alejandro, I'm so sorry. Has—she ever done this before?"

Alejandro shook his head. "No. No, I thought she was doing so much better recently..." his voice trailed off. "She's had a hard time this past year."

Marcia looked down the hall, furrowing her eyebrows in concern. She wondered what was wrong with Heather. "My mom is a social worker," she told Alejandro. "If Heather needs help, I have that connection."

Alejandro looked up. "She is?"

"Yeah. She doesn't work at the pharmacy like she used to," Marcia smiled.

"Can I have her number?" He asked.

"Of course!" Marcia got out her phone and sent him her mother's contact.

Alejandro felt his phone vibrate and checked to make sure it was Marcia. "Thank you." He remembered that Heather was in therapy, but he wanted to get her as much help as possible. 

"Of course, Alejandro. My mom would love to help."

The doctor walked up to them. Alejandro instantly stood up. "Is she ok?! What's happening?!"

"Yes, she will be ok," the doctor nodded with a smile. "She threw up a lot after she woke up, but everything else went smoothly. There is no brain damage or other organ damage."