Save Your Tears | Chad Meeks-Martin

10

i can't let you fall through the floor too

Willa stood in the corner of the hospital room, next to Christian and Alice. She watched sheepishly as the others greeted and spoke to Tara, talking about how happy they were she'd survived the attack.

Although she was also happy, nothing helped with how she felt about everything going on. With the things Amber told her, how kind and soft Chad's been with her despite how rocky things have been, and even how Marcus left things.

Maybe she was selfish for thinking of these things while Tara was lying in the hospital bed in front of her, but she couldn't help it. Her mind was eating away at her, and she knew it was obvious to anyone who looked in her direction.

The door suddenly opened, and Sam walked in followed by an unknown boy. Willa's mouth parted as Wes stood from the empty hospital bed next to Tara's.

Chad and Mindy stood as well, followed by Amber last. Willa watched the scene in front of her, rubbing her hands against each other nervously.

Sam bent down next to Tara's bed, her focus only on her little sister. Tara seemed pleased to see Sam had finally arrived, with the smallest hint of a smile on her face.

"How are you feeling?" Sam asked, putting an arm gently on Tara's.

"You came," Tara whispered.

"Of course I came," Sam responded. She then glanced back at the unknown boy who stood behind her before back at Tara. "This is my boyfriend, Richie."

"It's so nice to meet you," He said as Sam stood up and backed away. "I'm- I'm so sorry if I'm intruding."

Tara just waved a hand upward. "Nice to meet you too."

Sam, glancing between the others in the room, smiled. It had been a very long time since the original group had seen her since she used to babysit them what felt like daily.

"Willa," She whispered as she pulled the blonde girl in for a hug. "You look so grown."

Willa gladly accepted the hug, holding Sam as tightly as she could. Sam rubbed her back soothingly, and it took all of the power Willa could muster to not break down right then and there.

The hug lasted too shortly, though, as it felt just as she hugged Sam back, the other girl was already pulled away and hugging Chad.

After greeting Chad and Mindy, she moved to Wes. "Thank you for calling," She mumbled.

"Of course," Wes said.

She pulled away, looking at his head. "Look at your hair! I like it." She brushed a hand through it, walking away as Wes chuckled in response.

"These are Chad and Mindy, twins-" She pointed to the two, "And Wes and Willa, more twins. I used to babysit them all."

"Which is always how I like to be introduced." Wes joked.

"Then there's Christian and Alice," She pointed to the two standing on the other side of Willa. "And Amber. Hey." She lastly landed on the girl who stood next to Tara's bed.

"Hey." Amber looked less than pleased. She just continued to make faces or roll her eyes as Sam introduced the others to Richie, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by Willa.

Willa, however, just looked away. She'd already done too much by confronting Amber earlier, which didn't end all too well for Willa. She didn't want another run-in with the girl, and that much was obvious. So she minded her business and studied her nail beds as Sam finished introductions.