Against the Edge

Through the Waiting

The sterile white walls of the hospital room felt cold and oppressive as the group gathered around Miguel's bed, a heavy silence hanging over them. Miguel lay unconscious, his face pale, his hand bandaged and resting gently in Blanca's grasp. She hadn't moved from his side since they'd arrived, her eyes red and puffy, tears slipping silently down her cheeks as she brushed a stray lock of hair from Miguel's forehead.

"Miguel," she whispered, her voice choked. "Please come back to us... please." Her fingers intertwined with his, her grip gentle but unbreakable, as if she could pull him back from the brink with the strength of her love alone.

James stood a few feet away, fists clenched, barely containing the anger simmering within him. His gaze was hard, fixed on the wall, but every so often, his eyes would dart back to Miguel's unconscious form. His thoughts churned darkly, each one more bitter than the last.

"What happened in that parking lot?" he muttered under his breath, the edge in his voice unmistakable. "What did Nick say that pushed him this far?"

Mia placed a hand on his arm, her expression soft but firm as she whispered, "James, calm down. Right now, Miguel needs us to be here, not plotting revenge." But she couldn't quite hide the pain and anger simmering in her own eyes. She had seen Miguel break before, but never like this.

James let out a shuddering breath, running a hand over his face. "It's just, if I'd known...if I'd seen him sooner, I swear..." He looked down at Mia, his voice trailing off. The helplessness gnawed at him, every fiber of his being wanting to protect his friend yet feeling utterly powerless.

Across the room, Ethan sat in silence, his gaze distant and haunted. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped his phone, eyes fixed on the blank screen. He had been staring at it for what felt like hours, unsure of who to call, unsure if he even could. His mind raced with questions. Should he tell Miguel's father? Should he call his own? But every time he tried to decide, a wave of guilt crashed over him, freezing him in place.

"I should have... I should have been there," he whispered to himself, his jaw tight with barely contained self-reproach. A dark anger simmered within him, but this one was directed at himself. He'd been so focused on everything else that he hadn't seen the warning signs, hadn't known how close Miguel was to the edge.

Louis stood quietly by the window, his eyes locked on Miguel. He watched the slow rise and fall of Miguel's chest, each breath a reminder of how close they had come to losing him. His usually lighthearted demeanor was gone, replaced with an ache of guilt and sorrow as he struggled to understand how his friend, the one who always seemed strong, could have fallen so far into darkness without them realizing.

"It shouldn't have come to this," he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible. He couldn't shake the image of Miguel in his apartment, alone and hurting, haunted by whatever demons he'd been keeping from them. He glanced at the others, sharing their grief but feeling his own mix of guilt and regret.

Blanca's quiet sobs broke through the silence, drawing the group's attention. She leaned down, her forehead resting against Miguel's hand, her words muffled as she whispered, "You're stronger than this, Miguel...please, you have to be okay. I can't lose you."

Mia crossed the room, wrapping an arm around Blanca's shoulders. "He's still here," Mia said softly, though her voice wavered. "He's still fighting, Blanca. And we'll be here with him every step of the way."

Blanca nodded, sniffling as she tried to pull herself together, though her grip on Miguel's hand didn't loosen. She looked around at her friends, their faces mirroring her own pain, anger, and helplessness.

After a long silence, James finally spoke, his voice tight. "We're going to have to get answers, soon. I don't care what it takes, Nick's going to tell us what happened, every word he said to Miguel." His voice shook with barely-contained rage, his fists clenching as he fought to control his fury. "He has no idea the hell he just unleashed."