Chapter 0579

Nina

Lori's sobs wracked her body, and I held onto her tightly, trying to offer whatever comfort I could. The sterile hospital waiting room seemed like it was worlds away from the tranquil pine trees outside, and the smell of cleaning agents was almost dizzying.

"Lori, what happened?" I managed through my own tears, pulling away just enough to look my friend in the eye. She opened her mouth to speak, but it seemed like the words wouldn't come for a moment. All she could manage was "Car accident," before she broke into another sob. I pulled her close again, letting her cry into my chest.

I had never seen Lori like this. Never. She was always the calm one, the one who seemed to always have her shit together even when it couldn't be further from the truth. But when it came to Jessica, Lori wore her heart on her sleeve.

I felt so helpless at that moment, and all I could do was rub her back in gentle circles, hoping to offer some comfort even though it felt as though my soul and my body were splitting into two.

"The doctor said... he said she has internal bleeding," Lori finally managed to choke out between tears. "They need to do surgery, Nina. And he warned me... he warned me that she might not make it."

My heart sank at those words. The mere thought of losing Jessica was unbearable. She had been there with us, through thick and thin, for years now. I still remembered our freshman year together when the three of us got put together as suitemates...

"Hey. I'm Jessica," she said, extending her hand to me. I responded in kind, although it was always difficult for me to meet new people. But there was something about this blonde girl in her all-pink outfit that was oddly comforting, as though we had known each other in a past life.

"Nina," I said, offering her a weak smile.

"Nice to meet you, Nina. And you are...?" Jessica turned on her heel to face the girl who had been sitting in the comer this entire time, her nose buried in a sketchbook.

her head, and was wearing an oversized

Without a second thought, she stormed over to the black- haired girl and

What the fuck?!" the black-haired girl exclaimed, grabbing

Jessica said, folding her arms across her

Jessica," the black-haired girl hissed. "Don't

she said, sounding

her headphones back on and shot Jessica a confused look, eyeing her all-pink outfit up

enthusiastically. "I do.

to begin. The black-haired girl didn't fully smile, but I could see the ghost of one twitching at the comers of her lips. Her eyes softened, and although it was three

black-haired girl stuck her hand

Lori whimpered, her voice hardly more than

her red, puffy eyes. "Lori, what are you talking about? This isn't

streamed down her cheeks as she blinked up at me. "I called her while she was driving," she confessed, her voice breaking. "We were arguing about something so stupid, Nina. I was so angry, and I kept yelling at her. I should have just waited for her to get home, but

and I tightened my grip on her. "Lori, accidents happen. There's no way you could have known. Don't blame

soaking my shirt. "But I distracted her," she sobbed. "I distracted her, and she

was difficult to find the right words to console her, to make her believe

make her swerve, Lori," I said softly. "Accidents happen on the road all the time, even when you're paying full attention to the

and we sat down beside each other. My own face was streaked

but think about the fragility of life; how, at any moment, our light could be snuffed out like a candle. How, at any moment, it could all be over-and it could happen to any of

scrubs crisp and clean, her

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