The moment I told him the news, Kevin froze up. I didn’t feel like waiting for him to process everything, though. I’d been in the bathroom when I caught the announcement, then checked my phone, only to find a message from my dad. He’d told me the news when I called back.

“Kevin,” I said, frantic, grabbing onto his shoulders and shaking him. “You need to snap out of it! We need to go to the hospital right now. My dad is already on his way.”

Before he could start moving on his own, I dropped one of my hands to one of his and held on, tugging at him as I turned around and went back the way I’d come. There were some curses thrown at us, but I didn’t care. Somewhere along the way, Kevin started moving on his own, and when the hallway cleared just a little, we ran. The students ahead of us moved out of the way as Kevin yelled at them, picking up on my urgency.

I didn’t let go of his hand the whole way.

Please be okay, I thought to myself, barely holding back from breaking down. I knew it was more important to get to the hospital, which was the only reason I’d hung on for so long.

The moment I’d gotten the news, my first instinct had been to run to the hospital immediately. Only when I realized I’d have to get there on foot if I went alone, did I think of going to get Kevin. I’d felt guilty for forgetting about him, because the moment I saw him looking confused and frustrated in the hallway, I’d realized. He might be as close as family, but he wasn’t immediate family; no one would have thought to tell him about what happened. Although, it had looked like the idea had occurred to him, and I’d just confirmed it for him.

“Do you know what happened?” he asked once we were out of the school and rushing down the parking lot to his car. “Who told you?”

“My dad messaged me, and I called back.”

I practically slammed into the side of the car as I came to a stop. Kevin went around and pulled on his door, then reached across to open mine for me. I jumped in, and we both did our seatbelts up quick. After hearing someone else had just had an accident, it would be careless to drive without them on.

“What did he tell you, exactly?”

He put the car in drive and pulled out of parking, then aimed for the road and drove. He was going a little fast, and I held onto the seat as my heart beat a fast, scared rhythm in my chest. We might have been over the limit, but I didn’t bother to check.

“He just told me the hospital called and they were in an accident. He doesn’t know anything, either. But it’s probably bad because they wouldn’t tell him anything over the phone.”

He didn’t ask anything more, and I couldn’t talk anymore. With us rushing to the hospital like this, it seemed all too real. And I couldn’t help but remember the last time I talked to my mom, or how Rod had been acting and how I hadn't gotten him to tell me whatever secret he and Dad were hiding. When I’d tried talking to him, all he’d said was ‘not now,’ then turned his back to me. It had hurt because it was probably the first time he’d ever rebuffed me and meant it. Usually, he was just trying to mess with me.

Does it even fucking matter? My brother is hurt! He’s going to need me!

Finally, the hospital came into view. Kevin looked around for where we could park when I noticed a familiar car. This early, there weren’t that many cars around, so it was easier to stop.

“Kevin,” I called out to him, pointing. “Go over there. That’s my dad’s car.”

He saw where I was pointing, and aimed the car in that direction. He honked the horn just as my dad was jumping out of his car, and when he jumped up, I waved at him frantically through the windshield. He saw us and waited. He must have just gotten there.

Kevin barely parked the car, before I was jumping out of it and running toward my dad. I wrapped my arms around him for a quick hug, pulling away before he could reciprocate.

“Have you heard anything else?” I asked, my voice a little high.

He shook his head, tightening his lips. He looked anxious, not something I was used to on him, but it was understandable, in the current situation.

“Nothing. I was driving, and I didn’t want to call back. I was about to go in and see now.” He glanced at me. “Hi, Kevin. Thank you for bringing her.”

“Of course, sir,” Kevin said stiffly, the first words he’d said since I gave him the bad news.

We all turned toward the building and practically ran inside. Kevin and I hung back as Dad went over to reception to ask for more information, then he gestured for us to follow behind him as he went down a hallway.

“They didn’t give me any information, but I at least know what floor we can find them on. There was something about a doctor…”

He started muttering to himself. We found the elevator and got in. I shifted from foot to foot as we waited for it to climb up to the third floor. The thing felt ancient like it was barely moving. It wasn’t even that far, and it seemed to take minutes. The moment the doors were open, we all practically jumped out.

Dad paused and looked around, his gaze pausing on some signs.

“This way,” he called out to us over his shoulder as he ran one side of the hall. He looked at room numbers as he went.

Halfway down the hall, we were stopped by a nurse. We did, but Dad shot her an impatient look.

“Excuse me? Are you here for the accident victims?”

That got all of our attention, Dad’s body suddenly going rigid.

“The doctors are in surgery right now. Can you please wait out here? I’ll have someone to come talk to you all soon.”

“Please, can you just tell us—” Dad started, only to be cut off as she shook her head.

“Truly, I don’t know what is going on just yet, so I honestly can't tell you. Please just wait. I’ll get someone here as fast as possible with the information I’m sure you all want as quick as possible.”

Dad didn’t make any arguments, his shoulders slumping. With a last nod, she walked off.

There were seats lined up against the wall, plastic and uncomfortable looking. But when Dad went to sit, Kevin and I followed silently. I wrapped my arms around myself, because I suddenly felt very cold like I was freezing from the inside out.

I wanted to reach for Kevin, I knew having his arms around him would comfort me, even make me a little warmer. But my dad was right there. A part of me raged at this, wondering, so what? So what if my dad was there and he would notice my every move? I needed it!

But the part of me that had insisted on us staying a secret for nearly a year held me back, and I sat there, slightly trembling. No one was talking, but I didn’t blame them. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk and speculations, either.

Where the fuck is that damn doctor?

“Excuse me?”

The voice came right at the tail end of my thought, and my head snapped up to see a doctor walking down the hall toward us. He was dressed in scrubs, with a cap covering his hair, and a mask pulled off his mouth to hang around his neck.

At least the nurse kept to her word. It might have felt like an eternity, but we probably hadn't been waiting even ten minutes.

“Yes?” Dad questioned, tone hopeful as he half rose from his chair.

“Are you all here for Caroline?” the doctor asked.

“Yes,” he said immediately, eagerly stepping forward. “Caroline, and my son, Rod. How are they doing?”

There was a pause, and I watched as he clasped his hands in front of him.

“Well. Your wife sustained some injuries. She had her seatbelt on, but when the car crashed, part of the front caved in, and her leg was injured. She got cut up from glass that flew from the windshield. She was in a bad state when she was brought in. But we only just got her out of surgery and into a room, and she’s stable now. We have her on oxygen and an IV with painkillers, but she should wake up in a few hours, at most.”

I stepped forward and asked the question we were all wondering about next before the guys could.

“Where is my brother? My mom has a room, she’s lying on a bed, and she’s going to be fine now. Why hadn't anyone said anything about my brother?”

His lips tightened like he realized I’d noticed his slip earlier. When my dad had asked ‘how are they,’ and the doc had paused before answering with news of my mom. Even before, everything had been vague. At school, all the principle announced was the accident victims had been picked up by an ambulance and taken to the hospital.

Maybe he was in a different one, and it isn’t here yet…

But I wasn’t so dumb as to believe something like that. I just didn’t want to face the reality I was imagining.

The doctor wasn’t helping me much. He was silent for so long, and my body suddenly felt weak. But I forced myself to stay up and listen, to hear what the doctor had to say.

“Please, doctor,” Dad said, losing his patience. “I need you to tell me what is going on with my son. This is Stacey, his twin, and his best friend. They all go to school together, and we are all worried.”

This time, the pause wasn’t so long. The doctor cleared his throat and glanced at Kevin and me before his eyes were back on my dad. He probably had bad news and felt more comfortable sharing with the adult. Or he just didn’t want to look at me, because I looked like I was a step away from breaking apart. It was how I felt anyway.

He’s in a worse state than Mom, I thought with horror. My brother…

“It… seems,” he started slowly, “that your son was taking some steroid, or a something similar to it. Whatever he was on, it affected his body and bodily functions. Also, he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt.”

My hand rose to cover my mouth as I heard him talk. When he mentioned ‘seatbelt’ and that Rod wasn’t wearing his, I knew to expect the worst. But my mind, my whole being, didn’t want to.

This was my brother they were talking about.

“What...” I could barely get the word out, and I didn’t realize I was trembling until Kevin suddenly put an arm around my shoulders, his hand steady, and dragged me to his side. Dad and the doctor glanced at me, then looked back at each other.

Dad looked like he was holding his breath. The doctor sighed, and shook his head, looking regretful.

“I’m afraid your son died on impact, sir. I’m sorry for your loss.”