Fiona's POV

Mum and I sat quietly during the drive home, which was typical whenever we visited the hospital.

She pulled into our driveway with ease, but there was a tension lingering between us. There hadn’t been any progress with my condition, and she wanted to hear some positive news about it. I, on the other hand, didn’t really care—at least not today. Some days I would, but today was not one of them.

As we entered the house, I headed up to my room while Mum stayed downstairs.

I played on my PC for the next two hours to distract myself from the events of the day. Around 6 PM, I heard Dad's car pull into the driveway. A few minutes later, after he came inside, I began to hear yelling and insults exchanged between Mum and Dad.

As the shouting escalated, I sat huddled in a small corner of my room, comforting myself by wrapping my arms around my knees. Since it seemed like the argument would go on for a while, I quietly took the car keys from the living room and left for the only place I could think of.

I raised my hand to press the doorbell but hesitated, nerves coursing through me as I stood there. Just as I was about to reach out again, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I turned, and there she was, an expression of pure confusion etched on her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, curiosity lacing her voice.

"Hey," I managed to say, my heart racing.

"I'm sorry, but I'm a little thrown off. I thought we cancelled our study session today," she said, studying my expression with concern. "What’s wrong? Are you... crying?"

Caught off guard, I quickly swiped at my tears, but my emotions had a mind of their own, and more spilt down my cheeks.

"Come on in," she urged softly, her voice soothing.

Stepping inside her cosy living room, I felt the warmth envelop me. She wrapped a soft blanket around my shoulders, instantly easing the chill from being outside.

"Are you okay sharing what happened?" she asked, her tone calm and inviting.

"I don't know... I just feel like crying," I confessed, my voice trembling.

"It's okay. Just let it out," she said, her embrace awkward yet comforting as she pulled me into her arms. "I’m here for you,"

We lingered in that embrace for a few moments, the warmth of her hug wrapping around me like a comforting blanket. I needed that solace more than I realized.

“Have you had dinner?” she asked, breaking the silence unexpectedly.

I shook my head, the answer simple but weighty.

“How about sandwiches? They’re fresh out of the kitchen,” she offered with a genuine smile.

“Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks,” I replied, feeling a flicker of gratitude.

She disappeared into the kitchen to warm up the sandwiches while I settled into the living room. It took me by surprise—her kindness, her willingness to cater to me. Tonight, she was sharing more words than I’d ever heard from her, and it was nice.

“Are you okay with orange juice?” she called from the other room.

“Yes, please!” I replied, smiling a little.

I wanted to help her, but the thought of barging into her kitchen felt intrusive, so I remained in my seat, half-watching a show while the smell of food drifted toward me.

Before I knew it, less than ten minutes had passed, and she returned with our dinner, placing it on the table. We tucked in, our only soundtrack the cheerful chaos of *Sam and Cat* playing on Nickelodeon. I sensed her curiosity about why I was at her house, but she kept it tucked away, choosing instead to just be present with me.

“My mom and dad… they fight a lot. Tonight was one of their biggest arguments,” I confessed, the words tumbling out before I could second-guess myself.

I was bracing myself for it- the two words everyone said whenever someone revealed their struggles.

“I… I don’t have the right words. I won't say I’m sorry because I doubt that’ll help,” she admitted, genuine concern in her eyes.

“Thanks,” I responded, appreciating her honesty.

“But I’m sure they’re looking for you by now,” she pointed out, breaking the heavy air just a little.

“And you know what’s harder? They’re not bad people, nor are they bad parents. It’s just that life has a way of ripping beautiful families apart. And I can’t shake the feeling that it’s all my fault…” My voice cracked, and suddenly, tears streamed down my cheeks, overwhelming me as I struggled to voice the pain I had been holding in.

She pulled me in tightly, her embrace wrapping around me like a warm blanket, the comfort I so desperately needed. "It’s okay, you’re not to blame. You’ll be alright," she murmured softly in my ear, her voice a soothing balm against my turmoil.

"Can I stay over?" I whispered, almost afraid of the answer. The surprise that flickered across her face made my heart race.

"I don’t want to go home tonight," I admitted, the words spilling out before I could think them over.

"Sure, no problem. There’s a guest room downstairs," she replied, her expression softening into a reassuring smile.

"Thanks. I should call my parents, though. Can you show me to the room?" I asked, already feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

Once she’d closed the door behind her, I pulled out my phone and dialled my mom's number, my nerves tingling.

"Hello, Fiona? Where are you?" Her voice crackled through, laced with concern.

"I’m at a friend’s place," I replied, trying to sound casual.

"A friend? Fiona, you don’t have any friends in this city that I know of," she pressed, skepticism clear in her tone.

"Thanks for the reminder, Mum. I just wanted to let you know I’m safe. Bye," I shot back, unable to keep the annoyance from creeping into my voice.

"Fio..." she started, but I ended the call before she could say more.

I went back to the living room to say goodnight to Kayla.

"Hey," I said as I walked in, catching her attention.

"Hey, you’re done with the call, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?"

"No, actually, I'm really exhausted from crying. I'm already feeling tired and sleepy."

"Oh, no problem. I'll be up reading. If you need anything, feel free to knock on my door. It’s the second one on the right."

"Thank you so much, Kayla."

"No problem. Good night," she replied.

"Good night," I said.