“Nat—” Alec groaned against my mouth, his hands gripping my shoulders as he pushed me tenderly away. “I love you so much, you know that right? I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“I know.”

Rain began to fall, sounding like a loud applause. I smiled, and grabbed my backpack. “Race you to the house?”

Alec’s jaw seemed to relax in relief, his smile warmed me. “Yeah, Nat, race you to the house.”

I beat him, mainly because I cheated. I was closest to the door, and it’s possible that I threw my bag at him in order to make it there in time.

Alec laughed. He was drenched from head to toe. His plain grey t-shirt plastered against his body. Suddenly it was extremely difficult to breathe as I watched his chest rise and fall. My eyes drifted shut as he reached out and traced my face with his hand. “You’re so beautiful, Nat.”

Not compared to him. He was a god among teenagers, and he was all mine. I rose to my tiptoes expectantly. He chuckled and lifted me off the ground for a kiss and crushed his lips to mine.

I wanted so many things. To sigh, to laugh, to tell him to never let me go. But our moment was interrupted when the door was thrown open.

“Get a room or something,” Demetri grumbled pushing past us, he wasn’t even walking in a straight line.

Alec cursed. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Out!” Demetri stumbled to his car and threw open the door. The wind picked up, whipping it across my face. My teeth began to clatter.

“The hell you are!” Alec ran toward the car and tried to jerk the door open, but Demetri locked the doors and slammed the car into drive. “Demetri! Don’t!” Alec yelled until his voice was hoarse.

The Mercedes peeled out of the driveway and took off, almost hitting a few mailboxes on the way.

“Damnit!” Alec kicked the ground then ran to the side of his car and quickly jumped in. “Get in, Nat.”

I did as I was told, still stunned that Demetri would be that stupid to get behind a wheel when he was wasted.

We followed in a tense silence, looking down the streets for any sign of Demetri. I didn’t want to try his phone. The last thing we needed was for him to answer it while driving and hit something.

I heard the sirens first.

Alec was still busy cursing to himself and blaming himself for every little thing on the planet.

I prayed I was wrong.

But that same feeling that overtook me on the first day of school - the one that made me wonder if life was ever going to be the same - washed over me. The hair raised on the back of my arms. I closed my eyes and prayed, prayed that I was wrong. Prayed that Demetri was okay.

We turned the corner.

And I saw his car.

He had taken the corner too fast and gone straight into an abandoned building. I could only see the taillights of the crushed car.

Within minutes we heard sirens. I choked back a sob. “Alec, pull over!”

“I can’t, Nat! I have to find Demetri, I have to—” The words died on his lips as he glanced at the accident ahead of us.

“No.” He shook his head while he pulled into the spot across the street. “No.” He slammed the car door and ran outside. My eyes filled with tears. I ran out of the car and grabbed my phone. Alec was yelling at the cops, the paramedics, everyone.

“Mom?” I yelled when she answered. “Mom! It’s Demetri! He’s been in an accident! I’m here. I’m safe, yes. Mom, the ambulance is here. Oh, Mom, I don’t know what to do.” I sobbed into the phone. “Mom, I need you now!”

The phone clicked off. Within minutes my mom had her arms around me pulling me into a tight embrace. The paramedics emerged from the building with Demetri lying across a stretcher.

Blood was everywhere.

Alec was shouting.

I wanted to fall to the ground, but I knew Alec needed me. I had to be strong. My mom walked me over to him, without thinking we both pulled him into a tight hug. And cried. All three of us.

“Are you his brother?” a man asked.

“Yes.” I answered for Alec. He seemed to be in shock still.

“If you’re riding with us, we need to go now.” He jumped into the ambulance. Alec looked at me.

“Go!” I pushed him towards the doors. “We’ll follow.”

He nodded, seeming almost relieved that I made the decision for him.

Alec jumped into the ambulance. I reached for his hand and grabbed the keys out of it then ran back to his SUV.

My mom wordlessly got into her car. We both followed the ambulance the few miles it was to the hospital.

I was too numb to even know what I was doing. I mechanically parked as close as possible, then jumped out and ran as fast as I could toward the emergency room. My mom was close behind, but she was prattling into her phone.

The minute the doors opened I figured out why.

Dad was standing with his cell phone in his hand. He was in normal clothes again, meaning he was on his way home.

“Dad, you have to—“ I fell into his arms.

“Nat.” He hugged me tight. “He’s going to be fine. I’m going in right now.”

“Don’t let him die, just don’t let him…” I fell to the ground. My mom was behind me, trying to pull me into her arms. The last thing I saw when I looked up was my dad’s disappearing form as he ran into the emergency room.

“Nat?” Alec’s voice cracked behind me.

My mom helped me to my feet. But I was only up for a second before Alec pulled me into his arms. His body tense with exhaustion and worry. I rubbed his back. I knew I needed to be strong. As much as I was blaming myself for Demetri’s actions, I knew Alec was taking it harder. He always did. It was like he lived with guilt over every bad choice Demetri made.