“And what about you? You were supposed to be here to watch her!” William retorted.

“Kim assured me Erich would watch her. I didn’t know better than to trust my daughter,” She exasperated.

Erich walked out. “Tita, Tito. The Doctors are finished with Kim. She’s sleeping.” Their glares confirmed that they were angry with her. “I’m sorry. Kim wanted to talk to Gerald and she promised me she was okay. If I knew…”

“Erich, just go home before we call your parents.” Erich nodded and walked out slowly.

They both went back into Kim’s room and she was awake, despite Erich’s observation. “Erich said you were sleeping.”

“Yeah, well who can sleep with the two of you arguing?”

“Kim, what on earth were you thinking? You need time to let your body heal…”

Kim closed her eyes, “So can we put this fight on hold? I promise, you can yell all you want once we get home, Mom. Just not right now.”

Lily nodded. “I’m going to go see the doctor; maybe we can up the security here.”

Kim and her Dad were left alone. “He left, didn’t he?” She didn’t want her voice breaking, but it did. He didn’t say anything which meant a yes. She shook my head and gave into the tears begging to come out. “How could you?”

“Honey, I know what he is. Okay, you don’t need that in your life. He’s not good for you! He’ll put you in danger and I can’t stand it if I lost you. I already got close in the last couple of days.” He defended his actions.

She sat up, “And what about me!”

“He’s just a boy, Kim! You’re 17 years old, you’re still a baby!”

“No! Gerald has understood me in ways no one has ever had! He was there, Daddy, when you weren’t; when no one was! You think you can you can just start acting like my father? Where was all of this years ago, Dad?! You’ve been in a car accident, and you realize all your short comings – including me – and now you’re the Father of the Year? You think you can tell me what to do with my life, tell me who to see, who to love?” Kim shook her head wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Well guess what, I don’t need you, Dad. I didn’t need you then, and I don’t need now.” There was a heart breaking silence between them. “Everything you did was to benefit you. YOU couldn’t bear to lose me, YOU didn’t want me in danger. YOU want, YOU need, only thinking about yourself. I don’t care how noble the choices were, you only did what was best for you. Well guess what, Dad. Congratulations, because now you’re responsible for your daughter’s misery, her unhappiness, because of your selfishness. Give yourself a pat on the back. Get out.” Kim her side and hugged the pillow tightly, closing her eyes tightly.

Her Father walked to her side and kissed the back of her head, “I know you’re hurting, but I did what’s best for you. And I do love you.”

The next couple of days went by in a blur. Doctors entering and leaving her room, tests being done on her, a lot of medical terms she didn’t understand being said in front of her trying to explain her diagnosis. And finally, by the end of the week, she was discharged. She wasn’t speaking to her Dad, despite him talking to her.

The entire ride home was in silence. Erich was in the back seat beside Kim, holding her hand. Apparently she was forgiven for taking her out of the hospital without permission.

They all walked to the kitchen, towards the staircase, and Kim caught a glimpse of the now-empty pool house. She stopped and stared at it with wide, tired, teary-eyed. She needed to bite down on her lower lip to keep it from trembling.

From the corner of her eye, she saw her Dad staring at her. She met his gaze with her angry and hurt one, but looked away immediately after. Erich held onto her by the shoulders, and pulled her along to her room up stairs.

Erich’s been a wonderful friend. She didn’t push Kim into telling her the details of that night or the night Gerald left. She kept shut, and only spoke about random things to keep her mind off the bigger problems. Erich helped her onto her bed and took a seat in front of her. “So what do you want to do? We can watch a movie, order in food…talk.”

“I’d like to…take a shower. I haven’t in a couple of days, and I feel extremely, beyond dirty,” that was her way of cracking a joke but she didn’t smile. Great, along with him, Gerald stole her smile also, her sense of humour.

“Okay, I’ll call the Chinese place we love, maybe invite Mel and Beauty…Empress?”

“I don’t think I’m ready for a pity party yet. Maybe tomorrow. But yes to Chinese. I’ll be back,” Kim stood up, groaning. Her ankle was almost better, just a bit bruising, but her body still had its aftermath ache pains.

Erich stood, but Kim held out her hand, “How do you expect me to get better if you’re there whenever I fall?”

“That’s what people who love you do…” And she realized what she said. “Oh God, Kim, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”

“It’s okay, really. I’ll get over him, right? One day?”

“And I’m going to be here to help you, I promise.” Kim pulled her best friend into a hug. She needed this more than anything; someone supporting her, someone who promises to stay by her side no matter what, someone to help her in any way possible. Something someone promised her a month ago.

Kim was out of the shower in a tank top and sweat shorts. She already felt a little better, or maybe she just felt clean. The water washed away all the dirt, the physical reminders of that night. If only the water could do the same to the emotional ones which were the real problems.

She walked out of her washroom and saw Erich already digging in to Chinese take out. So, I’m not sure what kind of movie you want to watch, Romance?” Kim’s face stiffened. “Maybe not. Um…Comedy? We do need a laugh.” Kim shrugged. “Just throw one in. Who cares anymore.”

She pushed away the options and handed Kim a plate. “I’ve been trying to be really nice and give you space, but I can’t anymore, Kim. Can you please talk to me? I’m your best friend, there’s nothing you can’t tell me.”

Kim stared down for a really long time, breaths escaping her moth in quick and uneven gasps. She closed her eyes and tasted the salty tears she grew accustomed to in the last couple days. Her hands were trembling and she looked up and then met her friend’s gaze, “I don’t know what I did wrong. I thought…I thought he’d finally realize that I could handle his life, but…”

Erich grabbed hold of her hands staying supportive while Kim told her every detail of what happened. “Wow…he’s like…superman.” She chuckled at the stupid metaphor. “I meant the super strength and speed. You really loved him.”

“It’s funny, this was the last thing I thought he’d do. Maybe he’d scream, fight; we’d have this huge argument over my safety. He’d say some things, I’d say some things…maybe even break up…but eventually get back to normal. I never thought he’d just walk away…especially after my Dad told him to. I thought I meant more to him.”

“Maybe leaving was his way of saying that he’d rather you be here and hate him, rather than loving him and not being here.” Erich smiled, “I’m always going to be here for you, and I’m always going to be on your side even if I don’t necessarily agree with you…but Kim, they’re just trying to do what’s best for you.”

“He was what’s best for me. Erich you know me, I’m this girl who gets pushed around and who gets left behind. Who’s taken advantage of and who doesn’t know what I’m worth. But being with Gerald, he changed all of that. He put me first, above everything else. I’ve smiled more in the last seven months than in the last seven years. The way that he held me in his arms…the way he made me feel, the way he looked at me. I know this might sound really selfish, but it’s not necessarily him I’m going to miss, you know? Its way that I feel when I’m with him that I’m going to miss even more.” She sobbed.

Erich started to cry too, and laughed it off. “We’ve watched a lot of movies and read a lot of books to know that if it’s meant to be, you’ll see each other again.”

Kim laughed, “That’s the thing, this isn’t some sort of movie being watched or book being read. This is reality. And reality isn’t the same as fantasy.”

She sighed, “Your parents are going to hate me even more for saying this to you, but once you’re better and you still feel this way…they can’t stop you from looking for him. Whether its to be with him or get some sort closure, you’ll have the chance to do it on your terms. And I’m going to be right behind you, supporting you. But, as much as I agree that Gerald was the best for you, I can’t help but wonder if he’s the best for your future.”

“I just wish I knew what to do. I love my Dad, but I hate what he did. You know, my mind is telling me to get over it; he left, he walked away and now he has to live with his choices. But my heart is begging for me to hold on to that desperation, that last piece of hope because I can’t live with his choices. I know I’m young and there’s so much more out there. But deep inside I also know that none of it will matter if I don’t share it with him. So do I listen to my head that’s thinking with reason and logic, or do I listen to my heart which is following a whole different science beyond our own understanding?’

SO THIS MAY BE A TEMPORARY CHAPTER. I’M NOT SURE, I WAS SORT OF RUSHING WITH IT BECAUSE I CAME BACK FROM AN EXHAUSTING DAY AT WORK AND I WANTED TO WRITE A CHAPTERR FOR YA’LL. BUT RIGHT NOW THIS IS IT, AND I’M SORRY TO SAY AGAIN BUT AFTER A COUPLE MORE CHAPTERS, IT’S GOING TO BE OVER. BUT DON’T WORRY KIMERALD FANS, YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED, I HAVE A KILIG ENDNING PLANNED THAT I HOPE WILL WIN YOUR APPROVAL AND MORE OF YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT. AND STAY TUNED FOR MY NEXT FANFIC !!!! AND NOW, PLEASE COMMENT :P…..XOXO ROSE <3