It's Complicated

17

A/N- Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! We wish you the best holiday season! Please stay safe if you're traveling. Hope you guys are enjoying the book! We love you guys so so much! Thank youuu❤️🎉🎉

Cat's POV

I hate school. Yesterday was terrible, I was tired and over the idea of work. I ended up passing out when I got home. Then I woke up at 10PM and did homework... I've been up since. Now it's Tuesday and I am walking home.

I am interrupted by my phone ringing in my pocket. I notice that it is a call from an unknown number. I shrug and click 'accept' then place the phone screen against my ear.

"Am I speaking to Mrs. Novak?" A feminine voice asks formally. I haven't done anything bad. Why would someone be calling for me?

"Yes Ma'am. This is Catherine Novak." I confirm.

"Darling, I am so sorry to say this, but your friend is in trouble. Emma Foster has been in a terrible accident. You are the closest to immediate family available so she has requested for you. Please come to the Cape Fear County Hospital." The lady informs me in a monotone.

I nearly have a heart attack as I start to sprint to the closest bus stop in proximity. I hate not owning a car.

Once I'm on the bus I whip out my phone and text the girls in our group message.

To: Family

guys, go to the hospital as soon as possible no time to explain

From: Cat

My hands shake as I try to deliver the urgent news to Zoey and Magy. A few moments later I get a spam of questions from the two, but I ignore them as tears blur my vision.

When I hear the bus driver call out my destination, I spring out of my chair and into the official looking building. There is a gray haired lady at the front desk with a content smile spread across her wrinkly face.

"I'm here for Emma Foster." I spit out in a rush.

"And you are?" I facepalm and whisper the word 'cousin' out of my mouth before the lady blurts out a number.

307

I block out any other words from the old lady as I run to the elevator. I push on '3', for the floor which I presume which led me to room 307. After a painfully long search for Emma, I barge into a small room with one of my best friends in it.

I almost collapse in a weeping mess just at the sight of Emma unconsciously lying in the hospital bed. She looks like a weak rag doll. I sit in the chair next to her for a few minutes to cry.

All too soon I hear the door to Emma's room creak open. In walks Zoey and Magy. They both have a trail of wet tears on their cheeks as they take a seat in the last two waiting chairs in the crammed room.

The doctor interrupts us and tells us what had happened. Emma was stabbed. A kid named Caleb witnessed the whole thing and brought her here and was then locked up in jail temporarily as a suspect of stabbing Emma in her leg.

Emma has then undergone multiple surgeries to remove the knife safely. However, there is one last surgery to be done. The only reason why the doctors haven't done it yet is because it's risky. Emma is required to give consent before the surgery.

The possible risk is that Emma may forever loose the ability to walk or she'll become as good as new with a perfectly functioning leg. Without the surgery Emma will  be able to walk, but for only a limited amount of time/distance and she won't be able run. The doctor apologizes for Emma's luck and exits the white walled room.

I study Emma's sleeping body and feel so guilty. Why couldn't this have been me? I deserve this more than Emma does.

That is when I hear the sniffles coming from my other two best friends. I lunge at them and embrace the two in a group hug. There are no word to be spoken as we silently comfort one another. We let our tears flow relentlessly and whisper how grateful we are for Emma's survival.

These girls aren't just my friends. This is what family is.

///

-Megan