Play the Game Boy (BWWM)

chapter 23

Faith

I had sought out Mason, the only sober person at his birthday party, to drive me to the hospital. Nadine had insisted to come with us, but fell asleep in the backseat.

"Can you stay with her please?" I asked Mason when we pulled up to the hospital's parking lot.

He looked at me with wide eyes. "Absolutely not. I have to know if he's okay."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I knew Mason was Brendan's best friend, but he called me  —he needed me.

"Fine," I said. I ditched the platinum wig before turning around in the passenger seat to unclasp Nadine's security belt. "Then we're all going."

We got out of the vehicle and struggled to hold up a wobbly Nadine on her two feet. She giggled something in my ear and kissed my neck as I hoisted her arm over my shoulder.

"Your boyfriend's on the other side," I mumbled to her and she simply giggled even more. Mason propped her other arm on his shoulder and we unevenly carried her as we made our way to the emergency entrance.

We got in through the automatic doors and I left Nadine's side to get information from the lady at the front desk.

"I'm here to see Brendan Wenthward, do you know where I could find him?"

The secretary's brown eyes looked at me disdainfully.

"Sweetie," she begun. "I can't direct you to him, and even if I wanted too, his name isn't even on the list."

My brows furrowed. "No, he's here. I know that. He told me to meet him here. He's got to be..."

"Faith," a voice interrupted my premature rant. I snapped my head in the direction of the hallway, further behind the entrance desk.

It was Brendan, standing in the middle of the corridor, his blue eyes swelling with tears. My heart broke in a thousand pieces seeing him like this.

I ran up to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping me up in a tight hug. I felt his tears slide from my jacket onto my neck as I intertwined my hands around the nape of his head.

"What happened?" I murmured quietly in his ear, hoping the calm in my voice could soothe some of his hurt.

"My mom," he croaked out in a husky tone.

My fingers felt numb as my thoughts began to loop around into an unorganized mesh of scenarios. His mother looked to be intoxicated the last time we saw her before heading out to the party. There was no telling what kind of bad decision she had made whilst in this inebriated state.

I felt his heartbeat racing like crazy atop my own chest as he tightened his grip on me.

"Is she okay? What happened to her?" I asked, not wanting to rattle him with too many questions but needing to know the truth.

His tears doubled and I felt Mason's presence beside us.

"A truck collided with her car."

My breath was cut short.

"I'm so sorry," I hiccuped and Brendan kept crying, burying his head inside the crook of my neck.

He mumbled something into my skin, but I couldn't comprehend any of it. Mason dragged us to the waiting area where he had comfortably placed a resting Nadine inside of a red foamed chair. We sat down before our drunk friend, Mason and I on each side of Brendan.

My fingers continued stroking the back of his head as he bent it down, fixing the floor with empty eyes.

"My dad's with her right now. The doctors said that she's going to be okay, but there's no telling how extensive the damage has been," he said lowly.