"Where's my son?" Brandon flared his nostrils as he entered the waiting room. Ash was behind him, looking flustered as he tried to keep up with his pace.

"He's in room 234 with Cara."

He turned around quickly, and I tried to get up as quick as he did, although my hip betrayed me and I fell down on the chair again. "I don't think you can go inside-" I tried to tell him.

Brandon's eyes were in flames as he approached me one last time. "Don't tell me what I can or can't do." He pointed at my face. "This is all your fault, if you didn't distract my sister with your fucking-"

If Cara wouldn't have made an appearance right at that moment, making Sandro cry for his father, maybe Oscar and Oli's gasps could have sounded louder. However, I heard them pretty clear beside me.

"What's wrong? Is he okay?" Brandon asked quickly lifting the boy to check him out. Sandro wouldn't stop crying, his face covered in tears.

"He's fine. They said he's only drank a bit of it. They did a stomach pumping." Cara let out a shaky breath, her trembling hand pushing her baby hairs off her forehead. "He's gonna be fine."

"Can we go home now?"

"Yeah, he might cough or puke over the night and his chest might hurt a little, but he'll be fine-"

"Good. And just to be clear," he approached Cara and looked at her straight in the eyes while he hugged Sandro hard against his chest. "I'm blaming this all on you and your stupid boyfriend over there."

With the help of the twins, I had managed to stand up, and I was left wide eyed and speechless in the middle of the waiting room, pressing my lips together. Oscar and Oli were also really quiet as they watched it all.

Ash took a step towards Cara. "Don't mind him. He's just angry at himself 'cause he can't be with Sandro at all times. You know how he is." He made a face and let his eyes scan me. "Thanks for bringing him quick."

I nodded, hiding my bottom lip inside my mouth.

"You're coming back with us?"

"Nico can give me a ride." She glanced at me, asking with her eyes and I gave her a little smile.

"Guys, come on." Ash nodded to her brothers, gesturing for them to walk.

"No! We want to go with Nico, too!" They said at the same time. I wasn't used to it, it still creeped me out.

Ash sighed and ran a hand along his face. "Okay. I'll go calm Brandon down now. You got Sandro's booster seat?"

Cara nodded, probably still a little shocked about her brother's words. We went down to the parking lot, gave the seat to Brandon, who took it without even looking at her and drove away.

Before we got into the car, the twins shared a look before stepping forwards and wrapping their arms around Cara's legs.

"It wasn't your fault." Oli whispered, hugging her tighter.

Oscar shook his head. "He's only two."

Cara smiled and put a hand on each of their backs.

"McDonald's?" I asked. I wanted to get out of that fucking hospital now. Seeing the nurses, the beeps that could be heard and all those children trapped in there really got me. I needed a distraction from it all. "My treat." Cara stared at me unsure. "It's late." I said as an excuse. To be honest, I was feeling really bad for her. Her eyes looked so empty, as if she wanted to cry.

When the kids were digging into their happy meals in the back seats, I turned to Cara, who was staring blankly at her salad. I offered her some of my fries. She smiled and grabbed a few.

"I'm sorry." I sighed. "Please, put the blame on me. Don't be so hard on yourself. I know you're doing that-"

"But it was my fault. I should've been more careful, I shoul-"

"Cara, he's a kid. You can't always protect him. Shi-" I glanced back at the twins, fortunately, they weren't listening, "things happen."

"But what if he had drunk more? I wouldn't have forgiven myself. If he-"

"But he didn't." I stared straight into her eyes. "He didn't, okay? He's alright. Brandon will eventually forgive you. You do so much for him, he's a fuc- he's a selfish son of-" I bit my tongue once again, "of his mother... if he decides to put the blame on you."

I couldn't believe her brother would say all that to her. I remember thinking her family was not that bad when it was Sandro's birthday. I remember thinking it would be nice to have people who would always have your back, people who you could talk to, who you could go to when you needed a hug.

But after everything that's been happening lately, specially what I'd seen today, I changed my mind. They still treated her like shit. She did so much for them. They acted like she was incapable of doing things. Like she was dumb. As if sometimes they were making her the favor, instead of her doing it.

Where did all the good things she did go when something like today's accident happened?

They were nothing without her. She sacrificed so much for her family, and still, they made her feel miserable.

Cara nodded. "Thanks for acting so quick. I- I didn't know what to do."

"It's okay. I'm happy to help." I smiled.

Cara scoffed and rolled her eyes, wiping at her right eye that was a little watery.

"What?" I asked surprised.

"You're giving me that look."

"What look?"

"I don't know." She ran her fingers through her hair, suddenly becoming shy. "You sometimes look at me in a way that makes me nervous."

I smirked. "I make you nervous, Cara Belinsky?"

"Stop." She laughed smacking my arm.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, I grabbed her hand fast, turning her body towards mine and slid it behind my neck, wrapping my arms around her waist and giving her a hug. It took her by surprise, but when she achieved to stabilize her salad on her lap with the other hand, she encircled her arms around my shoulders.

I was expecting her to reject me, to pull away quickly. She didn't, though. She sniffed my sweater and relaxed her shoulders, letting out a big breath.

"So is it true what Brandon said?" One of the twins asked.

Cara pulled apart, both of us becoming aware that the boys were in the car all of a sudden.

"What?" Cara asked, getting back to her salad.

"Is he your boyfriend now?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I let Cara and the twins at home after some awkward moments, I collapsed on my bed. I was beyond tired and I couldn't even walk at some point. There was still one week left of radiotherapy and I was just hoping it'd be worthy at the end. Cara kept asking me if I was okay but I excused myself telling her that I had insomnia. I think she didn't notice.

I was half way through my third week of radio, when I decided to pay Cara a visit. It had been only three days that I didn't see her, but even though I was trying to shut down my feelings for her, the eagerness to see her was still there.

I figured at some point, the more time I spent with her, knowing she just wanted to be friends, those feelings would go away.

I knew she just got home from practice and I thought she might want some help with the kids.

When I parked in front of her house, everything was oddly quiet. It wasn't that late, so it was weird that there weren't any kids playing in the yard. I stepped out of the car with more difficulty than ever and tried to stabilize myself. I went around my car, slowly making my way to her door when I spotted a figure walking towards me. The man in question, was staggering as if he was drunk. The day was a little foggy so I couldn't recognize his mop of blonde hair until he was two feet away from. The fact that he walked in the same direction as me also helped.

"Ben?"

Ben frowned and wobbled back a little. "What are you-" he started talking but he stumbled and heaved, throwing up all over the concrete.

I quickly got to his side and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, helping him stay still. When he emptied the contents of his stomach and I made sure that he was okay, we walked to the steps of the house as he mumbled incoherent things.

"It's Wednesday, man." I sighed as we sat. "What've you been doing?"

"What do you think, smartass?" He mumbled, putting his arms on his knees, lowering his face to his hands. He seemed a little bit better now, maybe throwing up helped him a bit.

"You're gonna regret this." I murmured.

"What do you fucking know?" He wasn't looking at me but for some reason, I knew he wanted to talk to me. He surely didn't want to go inside and let Cara see him. He needed the distraction, to clear his head up a bit. He would've gone inside by now if he didn't.

"I used to be like you, you know? Alcohol, any type of drugs, you name it, I snorted it. It didn't end well." I heard him scoff. "Your sister told me you're brilliant. You are good with computers and stuff. Why are you throwing it all away?" I whispered unconsciously as I stared at the sky.

"I'm a fucking waste, that's why." He said, voice deep.

"No, you're not. You'll be though, if you keep doing this." I bit my bottom lip.

He stayed quiet for a moment before he frowned. "It's in my genes, I'm fucked up. I fuck it all up." He moved his hands dramatically as he stretched out the words, before looking at me. "I'm just like my fucking excuse of a father."

"What are you talking about? Your father was an alcoholic." I narrowed my eyes. "You're not like him. You have a future, you..." I breathed out deeply from my nose.

He was staring up at me, his eyes watery.

"Life's too short, mec. Don't throw it away. You could still go back to college, you could have a better relationship with your family, you could..." I licked my lips. "I'm..." I hesitated before telling him, but I guessed he could use the advice. Maybe it would wake him up a bit. "I have cancer. I'm having it treated, but it makes you think... you know? You should know better than anyone." I stared at him out of the corner of my eye as I played with my hands. "You don't wanna spend the rest of your life drinking and feeling sorry for yourself, you don't know what's happening tomorrow."

Ben was looking at me straight in the eyes with an intensity I had never seen in him. The moonlight was illuminating his skin, discovering a shy tear that had fell down his cheek.

Someone cleared their throat.

Cara was right behind us, holding the door open as she looked at me. "Dinner's ready, Ben."

As if already knowing his state, Cara stepped forward and helped him get up. She told him to go shower and that they'd be waiting for him so he better suck it all up. Green eyes then turned to me.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

When I opened my mouth, I had planned on talking, but words didn't come out. Just then, the twins started to fight and she walked away from me. After calming them down, she grabbed my arm and pulled me along with her, stopping beside the staircase.

"I'm sorry, Cara."

"But why?"

"You know..." I looked around. "With your father and all that..."

"Hey," she looked annoyed. "I might be a mess but I can handle things. I'm not a child." She crossed her arms over her chest. "You-" she frowned and shook her head. "You- are you okay?"

"I am. Doctor said it's going great. My last session is on Friday."

She let out a big breath, the frown never leaving her brow. Cara opened her mouth just to close it again, pressing her lips together.

Oli and Oscar started fighting again.

"Why are you even here?" She asked, irritated. "I-"

"Cara!! He pinched me!"

"I can't deal with this right now, I'm busy." She ran a hand along her face and sighed. "Please, if you don't need anything else, leave."

She then stared at me straight in the eyes for a few seconds before I nodded and walked out of the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cara building up her walls again. What a surprise 🙄🙄 haha

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