Growing up there was a question that no one seemed to have an answer for, why do bad things always happen to good people? I waited to hear the answer I ached to know for so long but the answer never came. Sitting here in the most uncomfortable chair, next to Macy, I wish I had the answer.

With small wounds over her entire body, a cast on her right leg, and a ventilator that helped her breathe, Macy's body laid in the hospital bed. Atticus once wrote all she wanted was for someone to look at her and see the person she hid so well. For Macy, it was the pain. A smile is what I consider to be one of the most powerful things in this heavy world. Behind it, pain and hurt can be hidden. And you'll have no idea it's even there.

As I replay Macy's story for the hundredth time since I've been sitting here next to her, I try to find the words. I try to find the words that justify the reason as to why the kindest and most selfless souls seem to endure the most pain and suffering. Grandpa Willy always used to tell me that if there was anything I should never lose it was hope.

He said, my dearest little Ev, sunshine comes to all of those who feel rain. Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together, oh to hold it together, when everyone understands if you do fall apart, that's true strength right there. I understand, but how can you ask someone to hold it all together, to fight, when giving up is not the easiest thing but the best thing?

"Everest," The doctor walks in the room catching my attention and I stand up from the chair. "Macy's results came back."

The look on his face wasn't the most optimistic one and that terrified me. "It's not good isn't it?"

"It's not, I'm not supposed to share any information with you about Macy because you're not direct family but her mother authorized me to share the information with you until she lands and can be here present." The doctor says and I nod. "Aside from shattering her bones on her right leg, Macy suffered a traumatic head injury. That is why we had to put her in a medically induced coma, she is not able to breathe on her own so she needs the ventilator to help her maintain enough oxygen in her blood."

"How long do you plan on keeping her on the ventilator?" I ask.

"At this moment I don't have an answer for you, it's all up to her and her willingness to fight for her life." The doctor replies. What if she isn't willing to fight to come back? "The breathing tube she has is inserted into the windpipe through the mouth. When the tube is continued beyond two to three weeks, it's no longer safe to keep it in the mouth and it becomes necessary to do a tracheotomy, a procedure in which we make a hole in the front of the neck and insert a small tube into the windpipe to help the patient breathe."

"After the tracheotomy, is there anything else that can be done for her?" I ask.

"I'm afraid not, if the moment comes and she shows no significant signs that she can breathe on her own her family must decide on whether they wish to take her off the ventilator for good and let her go or keep her on it." The doctor replies. At this point, I couldn't help the tears from forming in my eyes. This was never supposed to happen, not to her. "I have another patient I have to see, but if anything happens you can page the nurses. They'll come right over."

I nod. "If she fights it, do you think she'll be able to come back from it? Will she have the chance to live a normal life?"

"Every case is different, if she ever wakes up we don't know for certain if she will be able to remember anything or if she will be able to walk again. Her spine also took a hit and the tests show partial nerve damage as well." What would be better for her then? To not fight at all? "I know this all hard to hear, but the best you can do in this case is to have hope. Hope that if she wakes up, she'll be alright."

With that, the doctor walked out of the room and I walked back over to the chair. Connery texted me that he was on his way to pick me up and I replied to him with a simple okay. Ever since Olivia called me, Connery and I rushed to the hospital. I've been glued to this chair for the past three days. Connery wanted me to go home and rest but I kindly declined every time. The only reason why he's coming over to pick me up is that today is the final meet of the regular season in a couple of hours. I desperately needed a good shower and food if I was ever going to have a chance of doing good in today's meet.

The pressure for today is insane, as it has been for all of the meets of this season. Having a perfect season comes with its downsides too. All the eyes are on us, any mistake will be pointed out and not in a good way. Coach is counting on all of us tonight and if I was being honest I wasn't sure if I could be there and give it my all when my head is in this hospital room with Macy.

"Hey Everest," Olivia smiles as she walks into the room. "How are you doing? Jared told me you haven't left that chair for the past three days."

"Hey Olivia," I half-smile. "Honestly, I'm barely hanging in there, but there are people that have it worst than me. And saying that I'm barely hanging in there because I have been sitting in this chair for the past three days doesn't sit right with me."

"I'm positive that the reason why you're barely hanging in there isn't that you've been sitting in a chair these past few days, but it has everything to do with the person that's laying the bed in front of you," Olivia says as she takes a glance at Macy. "It's not your fault Everest."

"But why does it feel like it is?" I ask her. "I saw it in her eyes, she wasn't okay, why didn't I stop her to ask? Are you okay? Three simple words Olivia, three."

"Don't do that," Olivia says. "You couldn't have seen it coming, none of us did Everest. I deal with these types of cases almost every day and I didn't even see it. If there's something that I've learned in all my twenty years on the job is that you can't blame yourself. You have to let go of that illusion that it could've been any different. Even if you had stopped and asked, what guarantees you that she still wouldn't be here?"

"Nothing," I reply. "But I guess I just blame myself for not trying hard enough."

"I understand Ev, you're the kindest person I have ever come across. And you have the biggest heart, you care, sometimes a little too much. But you have to stop doing that to yourself, the blaming I mean. You absorb everyone else's pain and you carry it with you. Like a secret, you can't discard. You lay down your life for everyone, whether you've known them for years or not, but who is there to pick you up?" 

"No one," I reply. "I never give them the chance to, I never show it. When I'm breaking, I keep everything for myself. I never let anyone pick up the pieces with me."

"You have to start letting people in, not halfway through," Olivia says. "There's nothing wrong with laying down your life for other people, but the thing is that you have to allow yourself to let others be there for you. Because even the strongest souls aren't unbreakable."

Just as I was going to continue my conversation with Olivia my phone started to ring. Connery. "Go, I promise to stay here with her until you come back," Olivia says. "She's safe here, he can't touch her, I won't let that happen."

"The meet ends before ten, I promise to be back by then," I tell Olivia and she nods.

"If for any reason I have to leave, there will be an officer at the door watching her until you or her mom get here. Jared told me that her plane landed around eight." Olivia says and I felt a little bit more at ease. "Now go, you have a meet to win."

I smiled at Olivia before I walked out of Macy's room. When I walked outside the hospital, Connery was waiting for me outside of his car with a big smile and a cup of coffee in his hands. "Hey baby girl," He smiles as he engulfs me in a hug.

I wrapped my arms around him and I hugged him tight before I backed away a little and placed a kiss on his lips. "Hey, I missed you."

"I missed you too. We all have." Connery says. "I know you have barely slept during the last couple of days so I thought it was only fitting to bring you a cup of coffee."

"Thank you," I smile as I take the cup of coffee from his hands. "Iced coffee with four pumps of white mocha and sweet cream?"

"Iced coffee with four pumps of white mocha and sweet cream." Connery proudly replies. Every time we went out for coffee he would usually get my order mixed up but he made it his mission as he told me to learn it. "Are you ready to go home?"

I nod and we both get in the car. "What have you been up to these last few days? Peyton told me that you and the boys have been sticking around the pavilion a few hours after practice has ended."

"It's nothing really," Connery replies. "There are a few technique issues that we had to work on, I've stayed behind helping the boys out and since I'm already there with them I've been working on my speed."

"How much faster do you want to swim?" I ask Connery. "Are you looking to break your records this year? Loving my little overachiever, if that's the case."

"Not necessarily but I don't mind it if it does happen," Connery replies. "It's just that I know I can swim better times than what I've been swimming so far. If I know I can do better than what I'm already doing, I don't want to limit myself."

"I'm so proud of you, you know," I tell him as I take a glance at him. "You're going to do great things Matthew Connery, you work so hard yet you are given so little credit for it. And you don't let that bring you down. It makes me so happy that you gave me the chance to be part of it and see it unfold."

"Thank you, I'm more than grateful to be given the chance to have you here with me for the ride as well." Connery smiles as he takes my hand and plants a kiss on the back of it. "I know that you probably don't want to talk about it but I wanted to know, how's Macy doing? If you don't want to talk about it, you can always tell me when you're ready."

The words of Olivia resonated in my head. There's nothing wrong with laying down your life for other people, but the thing is that you have to allow yourself to let others be there for you. Because even the strongest souls aren't unbreakable. "It's okay, talking about it helps." I smile.

"Things aren't looking too good, they have her on life support to help her breathe because she can't breathe on her own. The doctor said that if she doesn't get better within a two to the three-week period they have to do a tracheotomy. There's nothing after that, if she doesn't get better after that, they may have to take her off life support and let her go. That's her family's decision, but even if she wakes up, they can't promise that she will be able to live a normal life." I frown as I tell Connery.

"That's not great news, but we have to hope that everything will turn out for the better in the end." Connery pauses. "Has her mom flown in yet?"

I shake my head. "Her plane lands around eight Olivia told me. Is it okay if we drop by after the meet? I know her mom will be with her now, but I still want to see her and have a chance to talk with her mom."

"Yeah, it's no problem. I would love to go up with you if that's okay." Connery smiles and I nod. "I know I can't promise you that everything will turn out okay, but I can promise you that I will be here. Whatever the outcome of this whole situation. You have me, all of me."

Connery at this point had parked the car in the parking garage in my apartment building. "I know that we're still building up the trust that we both broke and you have every reason to doubt anything I'm about to say but I just wanted you to know that I'm here. You have me to lean on now, let me be your rock. I'm not expecting you to do it right now, because it takes time but I just wanted you to know that you don't have to do this alone. Not anymore."

I've always been a firm believer that actions speak louder than words, so I just wrapped my arm around his neck and I kissed him. I remember reading once a quote by Treka House and it read, when someone is willing to struggle with you, just so that they can build with you, that's love. Amid this chaos, I was happy to find someone willing to struggle with me and my broken parts.

When we got to the apartment I got the shower I was so in desperate need of and after three days I finally ate something other than vending machine chips. I was feeling a little tired and my back needed to sleep on something other than a hospital chair so I laid down on my bed for a nap with Connery beside me before tonight's match. After four hours, it was time to head to the pavilion.

I was currently in the locker room waiting for the women's 200m backstroke event to be over with, my meet was on right after the end of the backstroke events. On any other day, I would find myself cheering on the rest of the team but after these couple of days I needed my space and I wasn't in the right place to cheer anyone on.

"Hey Ev," Connery says as he walks into the locker room. "The women's 200m backstroke event just ended, it's your turn baby girl."

"I'll be right out," I smile and Connery nods.

I put on my BGU swimming cap on and I walked out of the locker room with Connery by my side. The pavilion was packed, as it always is, especially since it's the end of the regular season. The only sound you could hear was the sound of people cheering us on. As soon as I walked out I spotted Peyton sitting in the stands next to Stensby and Kelsea. They all gave me an encouraging smile and I walked over to where the rest of the team was at.

"You got this Ev, just breathe." Connery encourages. "It's just you and the water out there, block out all of the noise. I know you can do this, we all believe in you, believe that you can."

I took a deep breath and I took off my Nike Windrunner jacket. Connery gave me an encouraging smile and with that, I walked over to the starting blocks alongside the girls I was competing against for this meet. Once we were given the signal I got on the starting block. I mentally made sure I was in the right position. I placed my back foot on the starting block behind the line of my hips and my arms were extended at a perpendicular angle to the starting block.

My only focus as of right now was having a quick reaction to the signal. I was trying to focus on the sound of the signal, but my mind was clouded with all of the noise. Before I knew it the sound went off and I was already in the water.

As soon as my body hit the water, I knew I had a late entry which positioned me at a disadvantage. I wasn't sure if at this point I was going to able to pass Montgomery, but I at least had to secure the second-place spot.

I didn't even think about looking to the side, I just focused on the water. My fists were clenched and I kicked my legs twice for every arm stroke; making my first kick, as per usual, before the end of the arm stroke and the second when my body was fully extended before beginning my arm stroke. As I tried to focus on my movements all I could see and hear was Macy. I was raped.

It didn't take long before I reached the end of the first 25 meters, from the corner of my eyes I could see Davis in lane four close to me. I tried to scream, I tried to say no but Tommy forced my mouth open and the other four took turns. Montgomery was way ahead of me at this point, so I gave everything I had left in my tank for the remaining 25 meters to secure the second spot. With every kick and arm stroke, I could see the wall closer each time and in a matter of seconds, I reached the end.

When I looked at the board, I had secured it. Second place. Right behind Montgomery. I took a deep breath as I got out of the water. For a second there I thought I had lost it. I walked over to where the team was and Connery greeted me with a smile. "You did good, if it wasn't for the late entry you would've easily swum by Montgomery and left her behind."

"I was trying to focus on the sound of the signal, but I had so much noise in my head, I couldn't concentrate." I sigh.

"It's okay, don't beat yourself up over it." Connery smiles. "You did good, we still have more meets where you can do better than today."

Two hours later the meets were finished. We did so good today, we ended the regular season with a perfect record. Coach Jennings was thriving. Whilst Connery did a few interviews, I showered in the locker room and got dressed in hospital appropriate attire. After he was done with the interviews Connery showered and got dressed as well while I, on the other hand, waited for him in the parking lot with Peyton, Stensby, and Kelsea.

We weren't planning on staying for long at the hospital, but I did want to go up to check on Macy and her mom. When we got to the hospital and I got out of Connery's car I spotted a familiar figure parked near the hospital entrance. Tommy. My blood instantly boiled as I saw him leaning against his car with a smug expression across his face.

Connery must've noticed because he instantly warned me and told me to keep walking. But after everything that has happened, I couldn't just walk away. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"As far as I'm concerned a hospital is a public place and I'm not breaking any of the agreements on my bail," Tommy smirks. Oh, how I wish I could wipe that smirk off of his face.

"I don't care, you shouldn't be here." I spit. "Especially since you're the one that put her there."

"That's where you're wrong Everest, I didn't put her there. She jumped all on her own. I didn't have to move a finger." Tommy replies. "Besides, it's not my fault that the weak bitch couldn't take the heat."

If only looks could kill, this piece of trash would've dropped dead before I even walked over here. "You listen to me, I will make it my mission that you suffer tripled what you have put her and all the girls through. Just wait and see when the trial is over, that's when we're going to find out who's really the weak bitch. Because from where I'm standing, I'm looking right at it."

"I thought you would've learned your lesson by now Everest, I don't take threats lightly. Just like them, you will be getting what's coming for you too." Tommy threatens.

"Bring it the fuck on Tommy Scott, bring it the fuck on."