Page 23 (1/2)

It’s good to hear Noel’s familiar voice I open my mouth, but it’s hard to tell them about Kitten If I don’t say it out loud, maybe it won’t be real

"Riff? Man, you there?" Noel questions

"Yeah…I’m here" I hear the shake in ? You sound off"

I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes "She was in a car crash"

"Fuck Is she okay?" Concern is thick in his voice

"She’s, uain "She’s in the hospital Her brother is drivinghappens to her…" I can’t even finish the sentence before I sob hysterically

"Riff, put her brother on the phone I need to find out where she is Lane and I are co to you," Noel orders, and I hand over the phone to Gabe

I drop hting to pour out of ain I can’t loose another fucking person I love

After Gabe gives Noel the information on where we’re at, he hands me back my phone and then patsfor her,you can think of to try and bring her around Maybe if she hears your voice…"

I can hear the crack in Gabe’s voice, before he ss hard I know this is hurting him, too

We make it upstairs to the hospital rooh, but I pause in the doorway and take a deep breath, trying to getfor her

The soft beep of the h the room My eyes land on Aubrey’s beautiful face A few scratches and cuts cover her face and arht back the tears asfluids into her tiny body

I stand there frozen, unsure of what to do withbad it hurts She doesn’t deserve this I shouldn’t have left her I shouldn’t have said the s I did Those can’t be the last words that ever pass between us They just can’t be

A hand on my shoulder startles me I’m so transfixed on Aubrey I don’t notice anyone else in the room "Zach, honey, she needs you Go to her Tell her you’re here"