We all just stand there in silence.

I, for one was really confused.

"Oh baby." Mom says before pulling Matt into her embrace. He didn't hug her back, too in shock.

"Who's gone?" I ask.

Mom pulls away from Matt to turn to look at me. "Kat."

"What?" I ask. "No, that's not right we talked last night. She's gone to St. Thomas. She's really rooting for you both to get on board with her moving." I inform.

"Kat called me after getting off the phone with you. She'd changed her mind, just wanted to be home all of the sudden. She felt she owed it to us, to you..." Matt says.

"What happened to your head?" Mom asks.

"Nothing what happened?" I gently move her hand

"The plane malfunctioned, something wasn't..."

I zone out mom's voice.

Plane malfunction...

Plane malfunction.

Plane malfunction?

"You're wrong, Katerina will send me texts and pictures everyday. I'll show you. You got it wrong." I point.

"Rose!" Mom calls but I didn't really pay attention.

I just got out of there. As fast as my body would allow.

None of this makes sense.

I was just on the phone with her. She's fine.

I call her number and it rings...and it rings...and rings...
"the number you have-"

"No." I whimper calling her again. "Pick up, pick up, pick up....no...no she'll text tomorrow. She'll text tomorrow...she'll text tomorrow." I comfort myself, pulling myself together.

I begin my walk to the house. Walking it was probably thirty minutes away. Google will help me find my way.

Walking is good. My body didn't hurt anymore. Or maybe I'm just not thinking about it.

She'll text...she'll text...she'll text...

it's fine.

It's fine...

Headlights appear from behind me.

"Rose, get in please." Mom sighs.

I do what she says and we drive home.

Nothing was said the whole way. Nothing said when we arrived either.

I shower before finally laying down.

My body hurt so badly, it didn't take much to fall asleep.

~.~

"Hey nosey Rosie!" Kat plops onto my bed.

"Kat! Hey!" I hug her so tightly she struggles to breathe.

"Ok...too...tight." She barely spoke before chuckling. "That's what...he said."

"You don't know how relieved I am to see you."

"I'm in my outside clothes, care to fuss?" She asks.

"I don't care." I spoke truthfully looking at her comfortable attire.

"Well, you don't know how relieved I am to see you. I got you something." She says.

I wait as she just looks at me.

"What?" I chuckle.

"Peace of mind." She takes both her hands, rubbing my temples. "You'll make it out alright."

I just chuckle, confused but almost amused.

I don't know what she means.

"Your head's bleeding, wake up."

I move her hands, lightly hitting her arm.

"Where have you been? Everyone thought something happened to you!"

She gives a soft smile.

"How? I'm right here. I'll be right here. Wake up." She smiles touching my chest, landing right on my heart.

"Wait!" I say before my eyes open.

She wasn't really here.

Everything's still. Quieter than usual. No birds, no children's laughter, not even the wind dared to howl a song.

I quickly check my phone for any texts...none. Last night was real.

I don't understand.

I slowly get up to use the bathroom. Looking down at my bed, she was right. My head was bleeding. I sigh, removing the pillow case and picking up the pillow.

I walk to my bathroom looking for hydrogen peroxide. Catching a glance in the mirror, I look worse than usual. My head's ringing, eyes bloodshot, the back of my head hurt but I was sure the deep scab on my forehead is going to scar.

I don't know what I am supposed to do about my head other than run it under water. I don't want my parents taking another trip to the hospital.

I just stand there staring at the shower curtain. It's a sunset on the ocean. I love sunsets, they're proof the ending is beautiful.

I imagine how the air smells, my feet sinking in the sand, I've forgotten what I came in here for.

Furrowing my brows, I turn around walking back to my bed.

"Rose?" Mom comes in.

"What's the matter?" I ask as she rushes to me.

"Are you alright?" She frowns examining me. "When did all of this happen?"

"Yesterday, it's alright. I just had a close call with nature." I shrug getting into my bed.

She sees the bloody pillow lying on the floor.
"Do you feel tired? Don't fall asleep Rosalina, get up."

"Mom it's fine really, I don't want to bother you." I close my eyes.

"Get up! I mean it, I'm your mother this is my job. Come on." She forces me up putting my arm over her shoulder.

"Stay awake." Is all I hear before passing out.

Thanks Kat for waking me up. Though I really don't want to be here.

It's not really fair, you're someone who's loved and needed. I'm someone who's just taking up space.

People will go into deep depression hearing that you've gone. As to someone like me who wouldn't even be noticed missing until weeks later.

We should've swapped places. You shouldn't of woken me up. Maybe it would've cancelled out and you would've been miraculously brought back.

A life for a life.

My eyes open to the bright white light ceilings of an hospital room.

The sound of heart rate monitors and spirometers are present.

I look to my right seeing my crying, praying mother and she immediately looks at me.

"Rose! Oh my baby! How do you feel?" She asks.

"Fine." I spoke truthfully.

"Please tell me what happened, I am beyond confused." She says.

I frown not really knowing at first. Then everything comes back and I explain everything so she understood.

"This is serious. She deserves consequences." Mom concludes.

Matt comes in with coffee.

"Hey Rosie, you're up." He chirps.

His smile doesn't reach his eyes. He looks tired and sad, then again so does mom.

"Yeah I'm ok, how are you?" I sit up automatically regretting it.

"Woah woah take it easy alright. I'm just glad you're ok." Matt eases.

I just nod trying to avoid the nausea.

Mom grabs the doctor. Dr. Moira just explains that a suffered a mild concussion, the back of my head needed stitches. They'll dissolve. She prescribes Motrin, to serve as an anti-inflammatory for the bee stings. She also said to keep ice on them and get calamine for the itching and redness.