ASHTRAY'S POV

I NEVER had a family growing up. Never knew my mother, never knew my father. Fezco and my grandma was all I knew for fifteen excruciatingly long years. Surrounded by drugs and violence, never having a moment of peace.

I finally got that moment of peace when Leilani arrived in town. I no longer felt the need to lash out, do rational things that would fuck me over for life. She is the one good thing I have, the only thing keeping me together any longer.

There's wires wrapped all around her body as she lays in the hospital bed, an IV stuck in her arm and a breathing tube shoved down her throat. The doctors said she had lost too much blood, and that she's probably not going to make it.

The worst part is that Rio doesn't know.

He's still out of town, and nobody's heard anything from him. Not a text, not a call, nothing. He hasn't even been active on social media; and he loves to go on Twitter and troll people. He's completely disappeared.

Alex is sat next to me, gripping onto Leilanis hand for dear life, and it's a painful sight to see. I know the love they have for each other is unmatched, and I know she loves him more than anything in the world.

To see the man who's always smiling, even when he's been shot twice, sitting here with tears rolling down his face; it's scary. It's scary because I know there is no possible way that he's going to recover from this if she doesn't make it.

And Joseph, he hasn't said a word. Not a single one. He's been sitting in the hallway of the hospital for the past seven hours, just staring at the wall. He hasn't moved, I don't even think he's gone to the bathroom.

"Hey, here. Go get something to eat." Alex nudges my shoulder, handing me a fifty dollar bill. Sniffing, I nod as I push myself off the small hospital chair, taking another look at Leilani.

Even with the wires and tube shoved down her throat, she still looks just as beautiful. Like a goddess. Like something out of a fucking fairytale. A twisted, fucked up fairytale.

Opening the door to her room, I step out into the hallway. Joseph is curled up on the chair, his jacket thrown over his body and he's knees pulled to his chest. Nudging his shoulder, his head pops up and his bloodshot eyes stare back at me.

"Do you want anything to eat?" I ask as I hold up the fifty, noticing the far gone look in his eyes. He nods once, a small smile on his face.

Nodding, I walk down the hallway and turn the corner, Alo sitting in the waiting room with her phone in her hand. Her head snaps up at the sound of me approaching, she stands up instantly.

"Nothing yet, still the same. Do you wanna come get something to eat with me?" I tell her, stuffing my hands in my pockets of the joggers I'm wearing. Alo nods, grabbing her purse and phone and following after me.

"Do you-do you think she'll be okay?" Alo asks me as we walk through the hallway, staying close to me. Looking at her, I see the mascara running down her face and her pale look.

"I don't know." I shake my head, Alo nodding in response with a small sniff. Walking into the cafeteria, she walks up to the lady behind the counter and starts ordering.

"You know, the doctor said she has a one in a million chance of surviving. The bullet hit all her vital organs." Alo says as we sit down at the table in the corner. Grabbing a plastic fork, I take a bite of the macaroni and nod.

"So what are you going to do about Brayden? He's just walking around out there, no consequences or anything." Alo says as she stabs the salad in front of her, an angry look on her face. Her eyebrows are knitted together, and there's a scowl on her lips. I understand her anger.

"Trust me, there's gonna be consequences." I say solemnly, taking another bite of the macaroni. Alo raises her eyebrows, looking up at me as she takes a bite of the salad.

"I know me and you never really talked, but I'm happy that Leilani found you. And I'm happy you found Leilani." She tells me, and I notice the amount of sincerity behind her words in her eyes. She's telling the truth.

"Do you love her?" She continues, pausing all her movements and looking at me straight forward. Setting my fork down, I look back at her.

I've never really experienced love. I don't know what it feels like. But I know that I care about Leilani a lot, maybe too much. When she's sad, I'm sad. When she's angry, I'm angry. I would kill for her, no fuck that. I would die for her, a thousand times again if it meant she would be okay.

"I do." I nod, using the napkin on the table to wipe my mouth. Alo smiles, nodding as she cleans up her mess; standing up and throwing away the empty salad container.

"I'm going to get the boys' food." Alo says, walking away with the remainder of the fifty dollars and standing at the counter. Pulling my phone out my pocket, I notice seventeen missed calls from Fez and Rue.

Texting them, I tell them what happened and where we are. My phone immediately vibrates, Fez saying they're on the way. Stuffing my phone back in my pocket, Alo returns with a bag of food, for both Joseph and Alex.

"Let's go short stack." She laughs, throwing her arm around my shoulder and pulling me into her body. Groaning, I roll my eyes as we walk, exiting the cafeteria and into the hallway.

Alo is a good friend. Like a really good friend. I know she's know Leilani longer than me, but I see the way she cares for her. She's like her sister that she never had, and Leilani deserves that in her life.

The melancholy beeping fills the hospital room as Alo and I walk in, Leilani's condition not changing. Alo sets the food on the small counter, handing Alex his food. Joseph walks in behind us, with Rue and Fez behind him.

Fez is quick to run toward me, throwing his arms around me and holding onto me. Returning the hug, I sigh into his shoulder. He lets me go, patting my shoulder and then looking at Leilani. His eyes seem distant, like he's not really believing what's in front of him.

I don't blame him, I did the same.

"So what are we gonna do about Brayden?" Rue questions, standing next to Leilani's bed and holding onto her free hand; but being careful about the IV in her hand.

"I want the motherfucker dead." Joseph finally speaks up, looking at Leilani's body in the bed. Alex nods in response, patting Jospehs back and smiling sadly.

"Then he's dead." Alex says, looking at his sister. His bloodshot eyes aren't leaving her. Her pale, lifeless body.

We're doing it for you Leilani.

authors note
hi:)