The One You Can't Forget (The One, #1)

forty-seven

Hainsey

The first thing Rosa does when they arrive three hours later is hug me. It's something I definitely don't deserve, but I take it anyway.

Andrew, on the other hand, does something I'd consider to be a symptom of having a personality disorder, but hey, can I really blame him? His fist nails me right in the jaw after Rosa's deadly hug is over, and then he stares at me for a good twenty seconds while I rub away the throbbing pain. I'm not pissed at him whatsoever – I deserve this. I'm actually happy he did that.

But then he hugs me, thanking me because I got Ems to the hospital as quickly as I did and because I stuck by her side through the whole thing. The whole change is so quick it almost gives me whiplash.

Of course, I think he's crazy for saying that. This whole situation stems from me caring maybe a little too much for my mom. I shouldn't have let her decisions affect me like they did. The drugs are already fucking her up enough – so what harm could getting her own money have inflicted, really? I know I sound like a horrible person, but Mom would've deserved whatever came her way for deciding to go with drugs as a pain reliever. Ems on the other hand? She doesn't deserve shit like this.

She's injured because of me. I close my eyes and picture the look on her face as Victor held her. The noises she made when Clayton threw his fist. The way she slouched in the truck.

I would start crying again, but I can't – I let all my tears out when I told Rosa and her dad the story on the phone. Val came back during that call and looked at me like I was insane – she's never seen me cry before like Ems has.

After our small exchanges, I sit back down and stare at the white flooring, studying a small chip in one of the corners. If I focus with all my might, I think I can avert my mind from anything that has to do with Ems's medical status. Because I'm not immediate family, they've told me nothing. I thought about calling Mrs. Brantford and letting her know what happened to her daughter, but I decided against it. Though I've seen improvement between Ems and her mom through the summer, it's still a rocky relationship. Besides, she asked me to call Rosa and her dad. It was the least I could do after being the catalyst in this mess.

Andrew, who shares the same hair colour and eye colour as Ems, heads to the front desk to ask for information on her and find out what's going on for all of us. Now that blood relatives are here, we should be able to find out how she's doing. Val tells us she's going to get some coffee for everyone – it's already been a long night, and by the looks of it, it's not going to end any time soon.

Rosa sits down beside me, her giant leather bag that's a weird pastel pink colour settled between her feet. We succumb to the silence for a long time, unsure of what to say or how to start a conversation. I hate it because we've never had this problem and I'm scared I've ruined the relationship we have.

"I'm sorry about your mom, Hainsey," Rosa says softly.

I blink in surprise. I was expecting her to reprimand me for being stupid. "Thanks," I say. My voice sounds raw. I'm exhausted from today's events.