roommates

seventeen

Quinn was the one who drove to the hospital. Clay was in no condition to drive, and he knew this, so instead he sat as a passenger in Quinn's car, looking out the window, feeling more like a stranger to Quinn than he ever has.

"Clay," Quinn said timidly, "Are you okay?"

He thought about her question for a moment. Was he okay? The past month had been hell for him, Clay spent most of it stuck in his mind, just sitting rummaging through his thoughts. Ever since Vanessa broke up with him, he only ever thought about Quinn. He knew he shouldn't have dated Vanessa, he couldn't bring himself to love her the way he loved Quinn. The way he loves Quinn. He certainly couldn't tell her now, could he? Sitting in the passenger seat of her car, looking like an absolute trainwreck. Certainly not.

"Mhmm," he nodded, Quinn wasn't taking this for an answer.

"Words, Clay," She looked at him, he looked so small in this moment, "Talk to me," she said softly.

"I'm afraid," he admitted, "the doctors said that they were going to be okay, but there's something about seeing your little sister all bloody and bruised, that really does something to you. And my mom, oh my gosh Quinn, wait until you see her. She's hooked up to an oxygen tank, and that's the scariest thing I have ever seen in my life."

Quinn, against her better judgement, reached out and touched Clay's hand. If it was as unnerving as Clay had described, Quinn was going to need to put on a brave face for him.

"I know, Clay, I can't imagine how terrifying it must be, to get that call, to be there alone. But you're not alone, okay? I'm gonna be there with you, I'm not gonna run, I promise," Quinn was reminded of the night he called her a coward. He was right, she liked to run away from things that scared her, but she wasn't gonna run from him anymore. That was a decision she made when he said he didn't know where else to go, and came to her. Quinn was going to stop running.

"Thank you," his voice was so hoarse, it was painstakingly evident that he had been crying. Quinn held his hand the whole way to the hospital. Clay held on to her like she was his life line, having Quinn sitting next to him, taking care of him, it was keeping him grounded. Unconsciously, he was also keeping Quinn in check, reminding herself that she wanted to be there for Clay, no matter what happened at the hospital.

"Are you ready?" Quinn asked when she pulled into the car garage at the hospital, part of her wasn't even sure if they were gonna be allowed in, visiting hours had to be over.

"Can I have just one more minute," Clay asked, looking down at his hands.

"Of course, I'll wait outside the car," Quinn nodded, loosening her grip on his hand. She unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out, leaving him sitting there, with his thoughts.

Clay didn't know if he was ready. The images in his head were so vivid, so frightening, he wished he didn't have to know what it looked like. He felt so empty and so full of emotion at the same time, it was as if his whole body turned numb. Clay knew that if he lost either his mom or his sister from this, it would absolutely crush him.

Quinn could see the inner turmoil Clay was causing to himself. It was written all over his face and his body was shaking. She walked around and opened his car door, ushering him out of the car wordlessly. 

Clay needed someone to lean on right now, and Quinn desperately wanted it to be her. She pulled him into a hug, feeling his arms wrap around her only confirmed what Quinn knew, she still had feelings for him, and they were strong. 

Clay didn't really even know what was happening, until he felt Quinn arms wrap around his neck. Her touch seemed to make him come alive again. It's her. He knew it had always been her.