For Better or For Worse (Book 2)

Don't Play the Blame Game

Double update for ya babes! Dedicated to Edithmedina58  for all your love and support ❤️

You can only blame yourself.
—XV

I dart toward him immediately and kneel beside him, putting a hand on his cheek to force him to look me in the eye. His are bloodshot and puffy, his cheeks a deep Crimson color unnatural to Tyler.

"Tyler," I whispered soothingly, feeling him subconsciously nuzzling against my hand to calm himself.

"Hush, Tyler, stop crying." I feel oddly like in comforting a young child, but that's okay; I know how he feels and I sympathize.

"You don't know what it feels like." He said, his whole body wracking with sobs. "I just caused him so much pain, that he almost died. He was this close to dying. My best friend in the whole world. Do you have any idea what that feels like for me?"

I fall back on my heels to sit beside him, lowering my hand to squeeze his as he spills his sadness to me.

I listen intently, knowing what he really needs right now is someone to be with, a presence, not someone to tell him it's not his fault. Though I know it really isn't.

"I was so self-centered, so much in my own little world, that I didn't even take a second to notice how much I was hurting Shawn." Tyler finally looks up at me, tears drying in streaks on his face. "I can't believe we just almost lost him...what the hell is wrong with me, Skylar?"

I scoot closer to him, contemplating what to say. I decide on, "Tyler, you were both fighting for what you loved, and you were both adamant on standing up for what you believed in. It wasn't one person's fault, and the accident couldn't have been stopped. Trust me, Tyler, you don't want to play the blame game."

He nods, but doesn't seem convinced. I can't really think of any soothing words, but I know it's up to me to comfort him, so I take a shot.

"Hey, Tyler, what would you want if you were in Shawn's place?"

"To kill me."

"Tyler..."

He sighs, shifting his body to face me directly. "I'd want—" he pauses, as if thinking over the question, but I know he knows what answer I want.

"You'd want him to be with you, to just be there for you."

Tyler's eyes lock with mine, and his jaw shifts, his eyes visibly stinging with tears. "You're right." He pushes off the ground and gets to his feet, pulling me with him. "Lead me to him?"

But we get deferred to the waiting room: Shawn's fallen asleep, and has surgery in two hours. Everyone says he is in desperate need of rest. "That's one sleep-deprived boy," the nurse says, smiling gently at me. "You can certainly stay, if you like."

Of course we're gonna stay.

*****

Seven hours later, every one of my friends sits in the hospital waiting room. I absentmindedly flip through a magazine, not really paying attention or retaining any information. I'm slouched with my head rested on an anxious Jack's shoulder, next to a sobbing Sierra, a stiff Cameron, a terrified Nash, and an exhausted, sweaty Rixon, with a fast asleep Aaliyah straddling his lap, her face rested in the crook of his chest muscles.

And then there's the freak-of-nature, Tyler. He won't sit still, bouncing his knee or talking to himself. Every time a doctor comes through the double doors, he leaps up, hears it isn't about Shawn, curses and sits back down, only to do it again in three seconds. Until finally-

"Where's the family of Shawn Mendes?"

Tyler jumps up, knocking over his chair and runs to her, flanked by Jack, Sierra and me on his right, and Nash and Cameron on his left. "Here," Tyler breathes, his pounding heart practically audible. I wait anxiously for her response, my heart hammering as hard and as fast as Tyler's.

"You're all family?"

Tyler looks at me. I glance at Jack. Jack averts his gaze to Nash, who stares at Cam. Cam eyes Sierra, who takes a quick glimpse back to Tyler. Yes," we all say simultaneously.

She looks at us suspiciously, shaking her head and saying, Okay, if you insist. Follow me."