Beside You

Seven

POV: Cara

A year later

"Hey. Saw you by the shops and you dropped this."

A boy around my age handed me a slip.

"Thanks."

I try to walk away from this, but he tries to catch up with me.

"So, are you single? I'm William, but call me Will."

He puts his hands in his pockets, but I know he's looking at me.

"No. I'm taken."

I look to the opposite side of where Will was standing, and I sigh when he speaks again.

I knew he would ask this.

"Where is he? Isn't he supposed to be here with you..."

"He can't, ok!?"

Tears hit me and the next second I realize I was speed-walking.

"Why not? Is it because he's too ashamed to leave his home because of the basketball people? I have to speak to him."

I slow down my steps.

"How do you know about his basketball things?"

"Oh, he told me a lot about you when you were gone. Told Alyssa to call me, he was so desperate to find you. He even told me how much he missed you, how much he wanted you to come back as his personal assistant."

"You're his best friend? He never told me about you.."

"Ah, he's just so good at keeping secrets. Where is he right now, do you-"

"He's in hospital."

"How did he-"

"He was actually in hospital three times."

Will stops walking and I also stop.

"Why?"

He carried on walking and I caught up.

"First, it was his basketball accident. He fell paralyzed after that one. C3."

"I know that one."

Will scratched the back of his head.

"Second one was at school, he kept saying how he wanted to come with me to swim practice. He then saw Tyler grabbing my hand... it wasn't on purpose I swear... and he got his first epileptic seizure. But he was allowed to leave after a day."

I look towards Will and he was staring out to the distance.

"The third time.."

Oh god.

These emotions are overwhelming me.

"It was my fault. We were out buying my hearing aid sets from the gadget shop. Didn't know how he got the $1200 thing with only $700..."

"It's his disability discount. He used it for you, continue."

"Oh.. and I fell asleep on his lap. It was a rainy day, we were on our way across a road, I was asleep on his lap the horizontal way. Then all of a sudden everyone ran for safety, but Quinn's wheelchair was slow-reacting due to the dampness that his wheelchair had been exposed to. The skidding bike was about to hit me on my legs straight on, but..."

He held my shoulder, offering me a few tissues.

"But?"

"He rotated the wheelchair so that his back was facing the speeding bike and then-"

I covered my hands cover my face and I weep.

"I'm sure he's been injured terribly badly... let's go see how he's doing."

I don't say a single word.

We open his ward door and he was on the bed, expecting me.

Will sees Quinn's state, and he sits down on the other side, patting his hand.

"Haven't seen you in so long, bro. I'm-"

Will was looking into Quinn's eyes, but Quinn was only staring at me.

He was somehow ignoring Will.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to forget what you told me to do, I was packed with ice hockey matches that day and I forgot that I was supposed to come with you guys to get her hearing aids and to-"

I could see guilt in his eyes when he glanced back at Will, who had his head on the bed over his folded arms.

Quinn made the breathy noises again and Will shot his head up.

"You forgive me?"

"He never said that, Will."

Will looked at me in disbelief, then to Quinn again, who was dribbling a little down the corner of his mouth.

Taking a tissue, I dab the drool off and his eyes moved to me.

"I don't understand!? Why do you not forgive me? I said my apologies. Don't call me next time. I won't be there. I'm too busy. Sorry, Quinn. But it really can't be the same ever again. Tyler said you were just different from us. I never thought you were, I thought of you as a normal best friend I can trust and laugh with!? But you're not forgiving me for even this smallest thing. Maybe Tyler was right about you."

Will slammed the ward room door hard and I turned back at Quinn.

His sight was glued to the door.

What if Quinn really forgave him?

He isn't an unforgivable person at all, this is misunderstanding, this is all-

Sliding my hand out of Quinn's, I run out the room and I manage to catch Will.

"He did forgive you."

"How do you know? You're not him!"

"His eyes told me. I was wrong when I told you he never said that. Quinn isn't an unforgivable person, I've been with him for long enough to know."

When we came back in, his eyes were almost closing.

"Quinn, what's wrong? Does your neck hurt? I'm so sorry I left, Quinn.."

His last stare was at me before his eyes closed.

"NO!?"

I shrieked.

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AN!
Hi guys! Unfortunately, this is the end of the book. I tried to round off the ending, but I know it's a harsh one. Sorry... :( Dont forget to leave a vote and comment if you think Quinn really did forgive Will. )

Quintin 🦋🦋