Safe from Scars (COMPLETE)

30. Undeserved Friendships

Kali's POV

I watch as the desert sages whiz by through my window the mountains, unmoving. The evening sky is painted, orange, pink, purple and blue, as the sun descends, hiding behind the mountains.
The past few hours have felt like days.

I battled with myself all day. I called myself every name in the book, and put myself on my own shit list.
Asking myself where I went wrong.
I've spend majority of today, crying in Roman's arms, regretting everything.
After the incredible night I had, everything in me changed, unfortunately.

At noon, Roman convinced me to let him bring me home. Can I even call it home anymore?
I packed a small bag, and we got into his truck, then he drove.

I shouldn't have hung up on her.
I should've let her explain.
I should've forgave her.
But instead, I hated her.
I didn't want anything to do with her, my friend for so many years, but I'd tossed her aside like trash.
My friend who loved me through dark days.
I wanted her to feel alone, I wanted her to feel the same pain that I did when I found out about her and Trey, but it was wrong. She needed my forgiveness, and my friendship, not revenge.
I let one mistake cancel out years of her help, her love, her friendship, and that conversation we had, might have been our last.

Roman pulls my hand into his, squeezing tightly, pulling me from my dark thoughts.

"Everything is going to be okay, Kali." He says, still staring into the road ahead of us.

I wish I could believe him. He's been nothing but sweet and supportive through all of my drama, and I want, with everything in me, to believe him.

Most of the car ride is spent in silence. It feels so unfair for me to do this to him, to close myself off and put my guard up again, because he deserves better than that, but it's the only way I know how to protect myself from feeling the pain all over again.
I'm so grateful that he offered to drive. I'm so grateful that he is here with me.

It's just after five pm when we arrive in the city. My home town.
We speed by the glitter of casino lights as we enter. Roman's never seen them before, so he had trouble keeping his eyes on the road. His eyes lit up, bright like the neon lights sitting high in the sky. I tell him stories about how Marina, Jo and I spent a lot of our time on the strip, with our fake IDs, bothering tourists.
I never thought I'd be back here again.

Roman pulls into the ER parking lot, and shuts the car off. He brings my hand up to his lips, and places a kiss there.

"You are the strongest woman I've ever known. You can get through this. You can get through anything." And I return a smile.

"Let's go" I breathe, and climb out of the truck.

Roman comes around to meet me, and I take his hands as we walk together.

My black heeled boots are clicking against the ground, and my jeans and leather jacket are definitely too hot for Las Vegas summer nights.

The hallway lights seem endless. I try to keep my head down. I have never been a big fan of hospitals. I don't like to see people sick, and don't get me started on the smell.

Roman walks next to me, eyes forward, hand still holding mine. I've never seen anyone so god damnit perfect.

We whip around the counter, searching for a front desk, but I spot Josephine's parents. Lance and Carol Adams. They've always been like second parents to me. I think I've spent more nights in their home, at their dinner table, than my own the past 6 years. I love them like family, regardless of what happened between Jo and I.

Jo's father is leaning his back against the hallway wall, his head down, eyes closed and crying. Her mother is in his arms, her sobs so loud, piercing my ears.

I feel a lump in my throat, and my legs want to give in. Carols head whips up, and she spots me at the end of the hall, her eyes go wide.

Instinctively I run to her, and she embraces me, arms wide open.
Our bodies crash together like boulders, and she holds me, both of us, sobbing together.

"Oh sweetie." She cries against my hair, and rubs my back.
This feels like home, it always has been.
Josephine was my sister, and Carol is like a mother to me.

I catch my breath, and she grabs my face between her hands, tears streaming down both our face.
I try to control my breathing enough to hear her speak.

"The detectives say she was on her phone while driving home from Trey Weston's party at 4 am, she didn't see the red light.. and truck slammed into her." She manages to say between her hiccups.

"She wasn't wearing her seat belt.." Carols words fade, and she cries harder.

My heart drops into my stomach, and I cover my mouth to muffle my sobs. Roman's arms are around me, holding me up. I'm blinded by my tears, but I can still see Lance, hands covering his face, crying.

I feel like I'm going to faint. I can't breathe.
I cling to Roman's arms, as he lets me cry.

"The doctors say she has a lot of brain damage, fractures and broken bones."

I just about loose it.

"She's been in and out of consciousness, Kali." Carol speaks and my head jerks up.
Her expression saddens.
"She keeps asking for her sister..she keeps asking for you, honey." Tears continue to fall from her face.

"I know you two had your falling out, but please go to her. Please find it in your heart, to see her. Let her know that you're here, and she's going to be okay." Carol begs me, taking my hands.

I pull from Roman's arms, and wrap my arms around Carol, holding her.
"Of course"
She nods, and kisses me on the cheek.

"She may not deserve your friendship, Kali, but you exactly the kind of friend my daughter needs." Her eyes pierce mine.

I turn to take Roman's hand.
"Come with me." I whisper, and he nods, following behind me.