💤🌞📸

❤️

💬

I should become your personal photographer

I'm insanely good at taking pictures🙆

Like really good, wow😩🙌

^Monty gassing himself up because he knows everyone gonna be talking about how good Althia looks instead of how he took a great picture😂😂

But wow Ee-Ah you are looking whoa😻

All you've got to say is whoa? She's looking fucking fabulous and like the baddest bitch ever omg😨😍🙏

Why aren't you in school?

Was this your idea? Y'all should be in class rn smh

Hi, yes, you take good pictures of me and I appreciate that. Now please comment about how good I look because I need the attention and the validation, thanks💜

Thank you Jus💛✨ and Thank you my darling😪💘

Shit dad, I didn't know that you knew how to work Instagram😬🙄

Okay but that outfit is 👀🙏🙏

Wow Al, you didn't have to snap on us like that💣

You're looking 👌🔥

Okay Thi, skipping chem is looking good on ya😻

Ummmmm who the fuck let you walk around the streets looking like a motherfucking cutie without me by your side😔😤

Your beauty is unfair to the rest of the world wtf😍😭

Thanks sweets💝 and Aw how nice of you to say Montitty😊💜 and Sometimes you just gotta get out of the laboratory and strut your stuff you know😂💙

Why talk about MY non-existing beauty when we can talk about your goddess like looks😵🙆 and my ass is walking around looking like a hobo because I don't got you beside me babes !!!😕💖

I'm not into people who skip classes but ayy when you look this good, I might as well skip class to join ya👅👅

I would rather you just stay in class with your group of asshole friends while you all stay the hell away from me and my friends, thanks✌

"Hey Mont, can I ask you something?" I asked Montgomery, breaking the silence that had fallen between us since we sat down at a table in the Fro-Yo shop we decided to go to

"I'm not giving you a bite" Monty answered the question he thought I was going to ask him as he spooned more yogurt onto his spoon "Or buying you another one once you finish the one you already have" He said as I opened my mouth again

"Monty! I'm not going to ask you anything about food" I exclaimed as I started to laugh

"Sorry, go ahead" Monty joined me in the laughter

"First you need to promise me you won't get mad at me" I looked at him

"Why would I get mad at you for asking me about something?" He questioned

"I don't know, just promise" I answered

Monty rolled his eyes but promised me he wouldn't get mad

"How and why were you friends with Bryce?" I asked him

"Why do you wanna know?" Montgomery asked me

I furrowed my eyebrows at him as he looked at me, waiting for my answer

"I just don't see how that friendship happened" I started "I mean, you and I became good friends once you stopped talking to him and I feel like we've gotten much closer since then and like I've seen the real you... I just can't wrap my mind around how you used to voluntarily hangout with Bryce" I continued "He cares about no one else but himself, he's ignorant, he's rude, he's a disgusting human being. While you care about people a lot and you'd do anything to protect your close ones, you're basically the opposite of Bryce. I just don't see it, you know? And I'm just curious as to how you became friends with him, that's all" I went on "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" I quickly added as I tried to read his face but didn't get anything

"I struggled a lot with my anger and was very violent, as you already know I still do struggle with those things but I used to be way worse and I guess Bryce used that to his advantage because that's what he does. He finds people who are vulnerable and alone and he gives them the attention that they need. It's like he knows exactly what to do to get you to trust him and when you finally do, he'll dig deeper and deeper until he finds something that he can use against you. It's a big fucked up trap that you're stuck in because he can now use so many things against you so that you're trapped doing everything and anything he wants you to do" Montgomery started

I leaned my face on my hand as I looked at Monty, giving him my full attention, as I let his words sink into my mind trying to figure out what he had just said

"For me, I was the little kid who would throw fits and act in rational ways when something didn't go my way. I was the kid who pushed other kids because they did something as little as accidentally move the table when we were drawing. I was the kid who threatened the teacher when she decided to read the only book I didn't like out loud to the class. I was the kid who everyone wondered why he acted in such vicious, violent ways. For Bryce I was an easy target. First, he needed to figure out what everyone else wanted to know... Why was I so vicious and violent? Of course he couldn't just straight up come to me and ask me that because he knew I would hurt him. So instead he befriended me. He became the kid who started to hangout with the violent kid. He became the kid who told the other kids to try their best not to move the table when we were drawing because not would it only ruin everyone else's drawings, it would also ruin theirs. He became the kid who told the teacher which story to read, insisting that my favorite one would be the one that kept everyone's attention" Monty continued "He kept doing things like that until we became good friends and I trusted him. I trusted him enough to tell him that the bruise on me arm is not from when I slipped out of the bathtub but it was actually from when my father tugged me out of his office when I disrupted an important business call. I trusted him enough to tell him that the red marks on my back weren't from a rash but that it was actually from my father's belt as my punishment for disrupting the business call. I trusted him enough to tell him that sometimes I copy my father's behavior because he told me that's how real adult men handle things and I wanted to be just like him" He went on "Once Bryce knew this, it was like he took me under his wing. At this point we were very close friends and I spent most of my time over at his house, which felt good since that gave me an excuse not to go home. I thought that Bryce was trying to get me out of the house so I wouldn't have to deal with my dad but instead he was getting me out of the house so I would fight and threaten anyone who crossed him. If I didn't want to, which most of the time, I really didn't want to, he would remind me all of the shit that he's done for me. Like remember how I let you stay at home all weekend so you wouldn't have to go home or remember that I talked to Coach and told him that we would lose if he benched you. After hearing that, I felt the need to do whatever it was he wanted me to do. It was like if I do this for him, then we're even and he won't be able to throw something in my face but I never learned because there was always something that he could use against me, the list never stopped and I always tried my best to keep us even but it never worked" He finished

"So basically none of his friendships are real?" I asked him

"Each and every one of them, from what I know, is fear based" Montgomery answered

I leaned back in my seat and played with my spoon in the empty cup

"Wow, I would say that I'm shocked but it kinda makes sense now how he has so many people on his side" I spoke again

"Yeah" Monty nodded "It's just shitty, you know? Taking advantage of people like that is such a fucked up thing to do" He added

"I know, you shouldn't use anything that someone has confided in you against them or to your advantage" I agreed with him "You especially shouldn't help vulnerable people out by making them feel secure and safe and then turning and using your acts of kindness to make them do something for you in return. It's truly fucked up" I went on

Montgomery simply nodded and I knew that was a sign that he wanted to drop the subject

He finished the rest of his yogurt before grabbing both of our cups and throwing them away

"What do you wanna do now?" He asked me

Before I could answer, my phone beeped and I looked down at it to see a text from Julie

Althia:

Julie, thank you so much

Althia:

I'll be at the hospital as quickly as I can with everyone else

I closed my phone and looked at Montgomery who had been reading the text over my shoulder

"To the hospital we go" He told me

Once we had settled ourselves in his car and started driving to the hospital, I took my phone out and called Jessica

"Did Julie text you? She just texted me, Jeff is awake" She greeted me after she answered my call on the first ring

"Yes she just texted me too, Mont and I are on our way to the hospital right now" I said "Where are you?" I asked her

"Alex and I were driving to my place since we just got finished at the station not that long ago but we're turning around and going to the hospital as well" She answered "You're probably closer if you were downtown so wait for me at the main entrance please" She added

"Of course" I replied "I'll call Jus and Zachy to let them know and I'll see there" I added

"Okay perfect" Jess responded

We said a quick goodbye before hanging up

I called Zach next

"Are you with Justin?" I asked him as soon as he answered

"Yeah, we're about to workout...Why?" He questioned

"Julie just texted me, Jeff is awake and he's ready to have proper visitation" I answered

"Oh shit, we'll get there as quickly as we can" He said "Are you with Mont?" He asked

"Yeah, we're driving to the hospital right now and Alex and Jess are on their way as well" I told him

"Ok, Justin and I are coming" Zach said before calling out for Justin "Don't feel the need to wait for us, we need to get changed and drive there and by the time we get there a lot of time would be wasted" He added

"You sure?" I questioned

"Yeah, I'll text you when we get there but see Jeff with Jess first. We'll be fine, I just don't want you guys to wait around for us when you could be with Jeff" He answered

"Okay" I responded

We said our goodbyes before hanging up

I looked out the window for the rest of the car ride as Montgomery stayed silent beside me

Once we arrived at the hospital, we found a parking spot then made our way inside the main entrance where we anxiously waited for Jessica and Alex to arrive.

A couple minutes later, Jessica came running through the main doors with Alex close behind her

Without saying a word, I got up and Jessica came up to me and grabbed my hand

Quickly the two of us jogged through the main hallways of the hospital before impatiently waiting for the elevator. We got in and didn't even wait for the boys to join us, as the doors closed and we started our way up to the seventh floor. Once we got there, we rushed out onto the floor and past the desk

A nurse was about to step out to stop us but Jeff's dad got up from his seat

"Let them go through" He told the nurse as Jessica and I kept walking

We turned into the hallway where Jeff's room is located and sped walked through it until we could see Jeff's mom leaning against the wall waiting for us

"He's in there waiting for you" She told us once we were close enough to hear her "I'll be right outside with a nurse if anything happens" She added

Jessica and I nodded before turning towards the door

I tighten my grip on Jess' hand as I felt the both of us take a deep breath before she slowly turned the doorknob

I kept my eyes low as we stepped inside and I turned around to close the door right behind us

I heard Jessica sigh as I slowly brought my eyes up

Jeff was laying in his bed with his head looking the opposite way of the door as his eyes were closed

"Jeff" Jessica whispered in a shaky voice

We took a couple small steps forward

Jeff slowly turned his head and I could feel tears forming in my eyes

"Jessica?" Jeff questioned as he rubbed his eyes "Althia?" He looked in our direction

Jessica brought her hand up to her mouth as I blinked tears away

"Jeffy" My voice cracked

"Mama! Jessi-Yuh!" Jeff said more clearly as he turned his head fully towards us

I let out a breath as I ran towards him. I could sense Jessica right behind me.

Once I joined Jeff's bedside, I threw myself at him as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Jessica's arms overlapped mine as she went to his other side

Jeff wrapped one arm around my waist then another arm around Jess' waist

He hugged us tightly as he lifted us up in his bed

I giggled through my tears and wrapped myself around Jeff tighter

"Holy shit, I missed you" Jessica breathed out

"I missed you so much more" He replied as he brought us even closer to him

"We were so worried" I told him

"I know, I'm sorry" Jeff took his time to place a kiss on each of our temples

Jessica and I both didn't reply with anything, instead we breathed in Jeff's familiar scent and appreciated the warmth of his arm around us

"Ow, fuck, sorry" Jeff winced as he tried to move a bit but then cursed again

"Jeff, your ribs! Sorry!" Jess and I said at the same time as we crawled out of his small bed

"It's my fault for tugging you guys to join me on this small ass bed" Jeff told us as he moved around wincing, trying to find a comfortable position

Jessica and I stayed at his bedside as a silence came between us

"I'm surprised that you two haven't yelled at me yet" Jeff chuckled lightly

"Yell at you? Why would we do that?" Jess asked him

Jeff looked at the two of us with a 'come on' face

"Jeff, seriously, why would we yell at you?" I questioned "We've been worried sick about you these last couple of days and we've been waiting for you to properly wake up" I added

"Before my mom texted you guys, some cops showed up to ask me a few questions about what I could remember and they told me their theory..." Jeff trailed off

Jessica sighed as I bit my lip

"We know that you didn't drink and drive" Jess told him

"And that's exactly what we told them when we first got here the night of the accident" I said

"I just wish they would listen to us because we know you would never" Jess added for me

"Thank you" Jeff whispered "You know that I would never be stupid enough to do something like that. I know I'm dumb but I'm not stupid and I know the consequences of driving under the influence" He continued "I would never do that" He finished

"We know, Jeffy, we know" I reached over to grab his hand

"I don't remember anything though, everything was going good. I got the beer and I started driving back to the house but then all I can remember was suddenly lights came out of nowhere and everything turned black" He told us

"The cops just think that you were drinking and driving because it looked like some of the bottles had already been open" Jess said

"Yeah, some of them were already opened because I opened a few in the parking lot of the store so when I got back at the house, I could leave quicker to catch up with you guys" Jeff replied

I felt more tears forming as he finished his sentence

"What did the officers end up telling you after you told them what you could remember? Because if you had the same officers we had Saturday night, they were impossible" Jess asked him

"He couldn't have had the same cops since they were at school questioning us before we drove here" I said before Jeff could answer her

"What? Why were cops questioning you at school?" Jeff questioned

"That explains why when Alex and I were leaving the station and we passed by them, they asked if we could talk but we rushed away" Jess exclaimed as she looked at me

"Why were you at the station? Why are we all talking to cops? What happened? What's going on?" Jeff questioned, raising his voice a bit to make sure he got heard

The beeping sound of his heart monitor started going up and I anxiously looked at Jessica

"Don't worry about it right now, it's stories for later" She quickly told Jeff

Before Jeff could get another word out, there was a knock at the door causing us to look towards it

The door slowly creaked open and we were greeted by all of the boys joining us

"We're technically not all allowed to be here but we wanted a family reunion" Zach spoke which made Jeff smile

Jessica and I moved out of the way to allow the boys to hug Jeff

"Next time man, which hopefully there won't be a next time, please take me down with you" Montgomery told Jeff as they bro-hugged "Comforting crying girls is already hard but it's even harder when they're crying over their Jeffy" He added which caused us all to laugh

We all stayed in the room, happy to have our full gang back together.