Flower Crowns & Battle Scars

Guilt

(Felix's POV) 

Apparently, Mark had gotten beaten up after we left. He was in critical condition and was in the hospital. I felt my throat closing up from the anxiety and guilt running through me for leaving so soon, not checking to see if they were gone. Once Marzia told us, we couldn't believe it. 

"Oh my God," Ken gasped. "Let's go, Felix!" 

I put the car back in drive and I called my mom to let her know where I was going. She was nervous too, because Jack was the one that saved me from getting beat up in elementary and helped me gain my confidence. 
We rushed up there and ran in as soon as we got there. Well, I did turn off the ignition and grab the keys, but that's besides the point. We ran in and up to the nurse at the counter. 

"Who're you looking for," she asked. 
"Sean," I panted, tired. "Sean McLoughlin, please... he's my best friend and I'm so scared about him." 
"He's in room 105, hun," she replied, ushering us. "Go and see him." 

We ran to his room, where Jack's mom, Mark's brother, stepdad, and his mother were sitting. I looked at the hospital bed and it brought me to tears in seconds. 
Mark looked so bad... He had bruises and cuts everywhere! Usually, he could always get away from those two by running away. But... he looked BAD. He even had a breathing tube for a collapsed lung.
Jack was sitting in the corner with a few bruises and a couple of bandages. He looked pissed. And by pissed, I mean ULTRA pissed. But... he also looked upset. 

"Jack, are you alright," I ask, walking over. 
"Does it look like I'm alright," he snapped. "I promised meself I'd keep him safe and he got hurt!" 
"Sean, sweetheart," his mom started. "It's not yer fault, hon." 
"Yeah," I replied. "If anything, it's mine..." 
"How," Jack asked. 
"I told you, promised you, we'd be there when you needed it. And we weren't. I'm such a horrible fucking friend..." 

I started crying and Marzia hugged me to try and make me feel better. 

"Don't say that," Jack told me. "It wasn't yer fault, because you had no idea he was gonna chase after us. It really was me. I couldn't get tha' car on in time, and that's how it started in tha' first place. Had I'd been quick enough, we wouldn't be here right now... I'm so sorry about this, Mrs. Fischbach..." 
"Don't be, Jack," she sighed. "This really wasn't your fault. This is a cruel world, and things won't always go right. I... I just didn't expect it to be so bad." 
"Me either," Thomas, his brother, began. "Seeing my little brother like this makes me wanna go find that kid... Mark's the only sibling I have. I can't go without him."
"And, I'm supposed to be his role model and I haven't been around him much," his stepdad started. "I was supposed to teach him how to defend himself, and I've been so busy..." 
"Look," Marzia began. "It's no one's fault! If anyone, it was the bullies' faults. Don't blame yourselves for this. None of us knew this was gonna happen." 

(Jack's POV) 

After she finished talking, we heard a sound come from Mark's way. I looked over and he was startin' tuh' wake up. 

"Mark?!" I gasped, rushin' to his side. 

It took a minute, but he finally opened his uncovered eye. Once he woke up, a nurse came in to check on him. 

"Well," she began. "His eye's healed very well, and he no longer needs this." 

She took off the bandage and a scar was left over his eye. 

"That looks badass," Felix smiled, tryin' tuh' lighten tha' mood. 
"Thanks," Mark scoffed, smilin' himself. 
"I'm just so glad yer okay," I began, huggin' him. 
"You should know that I was gonna be," he grinned. "I'm a fighter, remember?" 

I smiled. I loved how he can portray himself as that. I couldn't, that's fer damn sure... I couldn't even protect him, fer fuck's sake. Hell, I can't even protect meself from my own father, if he even deserved that title. 
I felt so bad fer lettin' this happen in tha' first place. No matter what anyone in that room said, this was my fault. I let him get hurt because I wasn't quick or strong enough tuh' protect him like I said I would. I just hope that this doesn't happen again...