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26

Within a month I was sent the script for the movie and by mid April I had separated the scenes so I could learn them separately. I was due to fly into New York mid July to begin filming so I still had plenty of time to learn my lines.

Dean leaned over to look at what I was searching up on my laptop while we sat beside each other on the couch.

"New York Apartments?" he queried, "That's going to cost you an arm and a leg."

"I can't live on the street," I mumbled. "Plus, it will pay off in the end. Do you understand how big this movie deal really is?"

He nodded his head and took a sip of his weak coffee that he picked up from the coaster. It was late at night and I couldn't comprehend how he could drink caffeine this close to bed.

When I turned on my phone after having it on do not disturb all afternoon and evening while I sat here on the couch, I noticed that I had several missed calls and voicemails from my mom and the hospital. Suddenly a deep hole built in my stomach as I quickly stood up and my vision was clouded with those small dancing fairies for a few seconds.

"We have to go to the hospital," I said, feeling like I was going to faint. As he quickly ran to grab our sweaters I raised the phone to my ear to listen to the voicemails. I didn't take much information in.

Father.

Come quick.

Last time.

We quickly drove to the hospital where we burst in the doors and I ran to the reception. The lady looked up from her desktop computer and instantly noticed who I was. She stood up and ran to the other side of the desk where I was standing with Dean, and led us down the hallway to where the elevator was. My entire head felt frozen and I couldn't even process what she was saying.

Every word felt muffled and the world just sounded too loud for several moments. When we made it to the familiar floor where my father usually was, I sprinted for his room.

After turning the corner in the hallway I noticed the commotion that spilled out of his room midway down the hall. I ran until I could barely breathe, which was when I reached his room. My mother and Bruce turned their heads when I entered the room, as they could tell by the sounds of my converse skidding along the floor. Instantly, when I entered the room I stared at the unwanted guest that was somehow here.

Tristan.

I stared at him for a brief moment as I walked past him, which was when I noticed in his arms was my little step brother, Axel. Axel had grown so big...

My mother engulfed me in her arms as tears ran down her face. I just wanted her to tell me everything was okay.

I just wanted somebody to tell me everything was okay.

I didn't question how they got here so fast because I knew I hadn't answered their calls all day, so I assumed they flew in earlier.

Mom wrapped her arms around my head and held me for comfort as we looked over Jeremy.

I was too late.

I looked at the horrified faces of my mother and Bruce, as they attempted to look away but knew that they were unable to. The nurses too had a confused look on their face as they were unsure where to look.

I felt everything almost hit me at once, and how I had abandoned Jeremy and had stopped visiting him months ago. This was all my fault.

Dean slowly entered the room as he couldn't run at the same pace as me. He was welcomed by the gazes of Mom and Bruce, and the glare on Tristan's behalf. I silently wept in the arms of my mother as we held each other. The rest of the room was silent except for the nurses attempting to tidy up the room around us. They whispered to one another as they left, until only one nurse was left beside the bed.

I felt Tristan move behind us he walked out of the room with Axel in his arms. Dean soon followed and so did Bruce – until it was only Mom and I left in the room. I had stopped crying several moments ago, but she could not stop.

Soon enough, I left the room and let Mom sit alone with his lifeless body for as long as she wanted. When I walked into the hallway, Bruce and Axel were further up near the food stores where Bruce was pointing out the balloons shaped like lions.

I fell into Deans arms in almost an instant without even thinking about it. This man had become my best friend and one of my only friends over the past few months, and I didn't want him to release me from the hug because it made me feel whole again. I felt Tristan's cold stare on my back as his breathe clearly hitched in his throat from behind me.

I pulled away from the hug and wiped away the hot tears that were now falling on my cheeks. Dean combed his hands through my hair in a soothing manner.

We stayed until four a.m., when I offered my house for Mom and Bruce to stay a few nights with Axel as I'm sure they hadn't organized any prior hotel rooms. It was a busy commotion with them staying for the entire week but they were family, and I would do anything for them.

Mom explained that she had called Tristan along to the hospital so that he too could say goodbye, only she didn't know that Tristan had barely met Jeremy.

The weeks turned into months and nobody had mentioned Jeremy. We didn't have a funeral for him as we believed he would not have wanted one, and we didn't honestly think any would show up when we looked at the last few years of his life.

Life flew by.

Tristan's band released their album within a few weeks and it went straight to number one where it sat for multiple months before they announced a tour that was going to begin in August. April turned to May, which became June and then July and before I knew it, it was time to leave.

The night before I left for New York a text message came through on my phone the second I lay my head down to sleep. Dean was also leaving with me in the morning to travel back to his home, so the message wasn't from him.

Meredith was going to be housesitting my house while I was away, so perhaps it was her asking one more question. On the other hand, it could have been Michelle or Brian wishing me good luck because I let them know recently that I was leaving.

No, most likely not.

I turned over and groaned at my overthinking mind. I lifted my phone from the nightstand in the dark and looked at the bright screen. The message was from a number that wasn't added into my contacts, therefore the number started with '+1.'

I squinted my eyes as they adjusted to the light and attempted to read the text.

'hey. just wanted to wish you the best of luck for your flight in the morning. I know that NY is going to love you. I haven't seen you since the hospital, so also wanted to say I am here if you ever want to chat. I leave for tour next week, so I'm sure I will hear from you sometime on the road. T x'

I didn't even have to reply to know who it was. I obviously deleted his contact, so that was why his number did not register in my phone. I didn't reply because I knew how big the next day was going to be and I didn't have time to overthink every conversation between Tristan and I. I was done. I had moved on.

In saying that, I barely slept that night.