BROKEN » LUCAYA

t h i r t y - s i x

She saw the pearly white hospital again as Riley and Maya drove up on the street. Maya's heart started beating faster and faster within every light they drove through. Maya hadn't prepared herself on what she was going to say. "Hey, your sister is dead, your dad's a dick and I'm the one that got you in the hospital twice. Welcome back!"

"You ready peaches?" Riley looked over at Maya and placed a comforting hand on her knee. "No." Maya said.

"I appreciate your honesty." Riley gave her leg a reassuring squeeze. In five minutes they had pulled into the parking lot. Maya looked at the building intensely. She wished that at the last minute the doctors would say Lucas had been checked out, so she wouldn't have to face him. She wouldn't have to face him ever.

"C'mon Maya, it's just Lucas. He saved your life twice." Maya remembered that part. She was the reason why Lucas was going to pay a lot of hospital bills.

She took a deep breath, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans. Let's do this.

•••

"I'll be right down the hall. If it's too much for you then just call me and I'll be right there." Riley said, taking Maya's hands in hers, "It's going to be okay. I promise." Maya nodded, not totally agreeing with Riley's words.

"Thanks Riles." She pulled her in a hug. Maya then realized how grateful she was for Riley, her best friend. In the past, they have been separated by the crowds of high school. But, she was here now, and Maya didn't argue with that fact.

She pulled away and watched as Riley disappeared down the hall. Soon, it was just her and the door in front of her. "It's now or never Maya." She pushed open the door and let out a breath of relief. Lucas was asleep, saving her the trouble of saying something.

He looked peaceful, as if nothing had ever happened to him. That his sister was still alive, his dad was sober, and he hadn't met Maya. She walked over to him, her footsteps quiet.

"I'm sorry." Maya whispered. A minute later Lucas stirred in his sleep, and then he woke up. His eyes widened when he saw Maya standing next to him. He looked around the room and saw that he was in a hospital gown and bed.

Lucas averted his eyes back to Maya, who now standing a few inches away from him. "Maya..." His voice was small when he said her name.

Maya herself felt small and tiny in this hospital room with Lucas next to her. "It's me. 'The Broken Nerd.'" She made air quotations and Lucas laughed. That was his first laugh since being here, Maya realized.

"How long have I been here?"

"A few hours or so." Because I put you here.

"What happened to me?"

"You were hit by a car." Saving me.

"Where's my sister?"

Dead. Maya tensed at that question, the word drifting everywhere in her mind. She knew Lucas would find out sooner or later, but if she told him now, she didn't want to think about what would happen.

"Lucas, do you remember your last car crash?" Maya took a step closer to him.

"Yeah, I was trying to save you and I did." He smiled at that sentence. Maya felt tears prickling her eyes, he never even got to say goodbye to his sister. She just had to mess things up and cause a big commotion.

"I remember that Bella had been getting better. Is she okay?" Maya couldn't help the tears stream down her face. Lucas looked at her in confusion, he placed his hand on hers. "Maya what's wrong? What happened to Bella?"

"She's dead Lucas." And it's all my fault.
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