Chapter Twenty Two

*Andi's P.O.V*

I woke up the next morning due to the sun rays spilling in through my blinds attached to my window. I had spent the night before crying, which resulted in a major headache. So, as you could probably tell, I didn't want to get out of bed.

Pulling the soft comforter back over my head, I pull a worn out and faded tee shirt out from under the pillow next to me. Holding it close, I take a small sniff and snuggle my bed head into the fabric. I had stolen one of Niall's shirts when he gave it to me to wear when I spent the night. And it just happened to be an accident that I never gave it back. But I think at this time, I needed a part of him with me.

I laid still for a few more minutes before deciding to go downstairs and eat something. Stretching my arms out, I yawn and slowly fold the shirt back up and return it to its hiding spot. Swinging my legs over and off the bed, I make my way to my door as I hear a set of feet run up the stairs and into the room across from mine. Must be Becca, I thought. Sighing, I exit my room and lightly tap on her thin door.

"Leave me alone mom!" She screamed out from inside. Rolling my eyes, I enter anyway. Becca was sitting at her desk, typing furiously on her laptop, clearly telling what just happened to her friends. "I said leave me-, oh," she said as she spun around in her chair.

I smiled and closed the door behind me, "What was that all about?"

She blinked and shook her head, "Nothing," she mumbled as she stood up and gave me an awkward hug. Sitting back down, Becca waved her hand out, offering me a seat on her bed.

"So, how was it?" She questioned.

"Uhm, fine I guess. It helped," I said dully, not meeting her eyes.

"Oh," Becca replied. It was silent then, other then our breathing. We hadn't exactly left on good terms, so it was bound to make things uncomfortable now.

"So what happened down there?" I asked again.

"Nothing Andi," she said with a hint of annoyance.

"Well I'm going down there to eat soon, and I don't wanna step on a land mine with her," I say raising my eyebrows.

Becca sighed and rubbed her eyes, messing up her mascara. Swearing, she wiped it on her jean shorts and returned her gaze to mine. "I asked her if I could go out today with my friends and she didn't want me to leave you here alone."

I coldly laughed, "Suicide watch?"

"That's not the case Andi," se said quickly.

"It's fine," I flatty. I didn't expect everything to go back to normal. "So how did that cause a fight?"

"I don't wanna talk about it anymore."

"We already are," I replied.

Becca laughs softly, "She told me I needed to stay here and work things out. I said that you didn't wanna talk to me anyway," she said glancing at me. "Then she said that I was one of the reasons you, did that," motioning to my legs.

I opened my mouth to reply, but no words came out. I wasn't about to agree with my moms accusation, but I didn't want something like that resting on my sisters shoulders. "Your not the reason," I lied.

"Your shit at lying," she said with a tiny chuckle. "I know we aren't the closest of all sisters, but I wanna fix that, okay?"

"Okay," I responded. It was still an awkward moment between us, as we don't usually have these kinda heart to heart talks, but at least she was trying. Sliding off of her bed, I bend over to give her a small hug before exiting her room and closing the door behind me.

Slowly moving down the carpeted steps, I prepare myself for my mothers 'ray of sunshine' attitude. Shuffling into the kitchen, I see my mom with her head in the fridge, looking for something. "What are you looking for?"

Jumping, she turns around and flashes me a white smile, "I'm making you your favorite breakfast! Pancakes and eggs," she goes on as I jump onto a bar stool seat. "But, I cant seem to find the eggs," she says sadly.

"That's alright, I'll just eat this," I say off handedly as I grab a green apple from the center dish on the table. Taking a bite, I see my mother look and the clock multiple times. "Gotta be somewhere?" I ask.

She sighs, "I have to work today, so you get to spend the day with your sister, is that okay?" I thought back to the conversation me and Becca had earlier. I wanted to be nice and let her off the hook, but you cant fix a past like ours so quickly.

"It's okay, I'm hanging out with Faith today," I said hoping she takes the bait.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I texted her before I came down. We're going to the mall and the movies. Becca can do her own thing today," I said taking another bite of apple to busy my mouth before I say something to give myself away.

Thinking for a brief seconds, my mom smiles, "Well, okay. I'll tell Becca she can go with her friends. And I'm sure Faith is excited to see you again."

I smile back weakly. None of my friends had bothered to text me or call since I had left. They must have been bothered by my mothers out burst at the land. I would be too, so I don't blame them.

"Well, I'm leaving down, but before I go, I wanna take sure you take these," she said reaching into the cabinet above the stove. Pulling out a bottle, she shakes out two pills and rolls them into my hand. Noticing my puzzled face, she explains, "Anti depressants. The hospital sent them to me to give to you every morning and night," while filling up and giving me a glass of water.

Trying to look interested, I stick the two pills in my mouth and swallow a big gulp of water. They tasted funny. "Have fun at work," I said quietly as she hurries with filling her purse up with her every day needs.

"I will, and you have fun with your friend!" My mom says cheerfully as she strides over to the garage door. "I love you, and try to wear something cute to the mall, you might meet a cute boy there!" She says, adding a wink before leaving the house.

I sigh and speak aloud to myself, "I only go for the drug addicts. Sorry mom."

*A Few Hours Later*

I had to do something to get the current situation off my mind, but it was hard. Instead of texting Faith to actually make plans, I just went for a walk around my town. I lived about 2 miles away, so it gave me time to think of some kind of plan to help Niall. I hadn't seen him for a week, and I was worried sick. I didn't know if they questioned him or not or whether or not he was let free. But I figured he would have called me if he was, I thought.

As I walked, a few cars honked their horns at me, and whistled at me. Each time I startled me, like a reminder of Tony. For once I was really glad my parents didn't talk to me about my life. I didn't want them to know about Niall, or Tony for that matter. They probably do, they just wont bring it up yet, I figured.

Approaching a Starbucks, I inhale the scent of coffee beans and enter with causation, I didn't wanna see anybody I knew here.

It was quite busy for a Thursday afternoon, so I glanced around before entering the line to order. I order a hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin, as I had only taken a few small bites of my apple earlier. Paying when I had to, I took my order and sat down in the far back corner of the shop and sipped at my still hot beverage.

Turning on my phone, I launched the internet app and began to search information on Tony's case. As far as I could tell, there was no evidence found yet to support Niall's side. Shit.

Scrolling through Tony's background information, something caught my eye. "Tony Valeroso, divorced, and living alone, working as a janitor before his murder." I laughed and took another sip, "No wonder he's divorced, he's a fucking douche bag."

"Who's a douche bag?" A high voice asked me, causing me to drop my phone onto the dark brown table.

"Heather?"

"And your names Andi? Long time no see, what the fucks up with that? And why are you eating alone?" She said happily as she sat down across from me.

"I uhm, I was just leaving," I lied picking my phone back up.

"You didn't even touch your muffin, you dork," Heather said laughing, take a chuck off for herself.

I didn't understand this, why is she acting so friendly now, but didn't even try to get ahold of me when I was at the hospital? "How come you never tried to talk to me? I never heard from any of you guys," I said, talking out our other friends.

"We tried, we all did Andi. But the people at the main office said that you couldn't talk to outside people that weren't relatives. And its not like you didn't try to talk to us either," she replied taking another bite of my muffin.

I pushed to toward her, which she happily took. I guess she was right. I was so wrapped up in Niall and Tony that I totally forgot about my friends. "I'm sorry...guess I seem like a bitch now," I mumbled.

"You always did have that bitchy side," she said, causing me to shoot her a hurt look. She help up her hand, "You didn't let me finish. You always did have that bitchy side, but we love you anyway," Heather finished with a smile.

I allowed myself to laugh and take a drink of my hot chocolate. Offering some to Heather, she shook her head, "I don't want your nasty backwash."

I laughed again. It felt good to be happy for awhile, but soon memories of Niall were chased back into my mind.

"Hey," Heather said, "You alright?"

I nodded, "Just thinking of some stuff, that's all."

Heather nodded with me and motioned for me to lean in, I did. "I know you don't wanna talk about it, so we're not. But all I'm going to say is that I'm almost positive you guys will find a way out of this mess alright? You always do," she said, pulling away.

Standing up, Heather wipes her mouth and bends over to hug me. "Thanks again for the muffin Andi, and you better text me soon," she says with a grin on her face before turning to leave Starbucks.

I was still in shock. How did she know what was going on? I know the news was carrying the story, but it wasn't that popular yet. But how the hell did she know about Niall and me? Sure, that might be in the news story, but how was she suppose to know that I was trying to help Niall? That girl is a wizard, I swear.

Returning to my hot chocolate, I take a drink and start a text to the girls. In the message, I added Courtney, Heather, Lola, and Faith. Texting a quick message, I read it over before I press send, "hey guys. sorry I never got in touch. lot of drama. miss you all, were hanging out soon xoxo." Sending it, I close out of the text app and wait for their responses.

Lola was the first to text back, "HELL YEAH OUR BITCH IS BACK!" miss you loads." I smiled and began to write back, but something stopped me. It was something I had seen earlier when I was adding the girls to the group message. Switching over to my contact list, I scroll down through each contact before stopping at the only person in the M section.

My heart instantly stopped.

Pulling up the dial pad, I finger in the phone number for the hospital and wait for the pick up. My fingers and feet were tapping so hard that other customers were taking glances at me.

Finally, someone at the front desk answered, "Hello, Saint Annabelle's Rehabilitation Center and Mental Institution, how may I help you today?"

"May I please speak to the teen nurse assistant? It's urgent," I say as my heart pounds against my chest.

"Is there a certain nurse you wanted to talk to miss?" The lady asked in a slightly worried tone.

"Yes," I say, "I need to speak to Mindy."

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Who's Mindy?! Did you guys forget who she was? If you did, you might wanna know that she'll be a big part in these next few chapters! What did you guys think of this chapter anyway? Good, bad, to short, to long? Tell me in the comments! I read every single one and fangirl over the really cute ones :)

And I really want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone that got me to 20.5 K reads and 800+ votes. I've always wanted to be a writer, and this is literally the best thing that's happened for me since joining Wattpad. You all are the greatest fans ever, so give yourself a pat on your adorable back, because you deserve it!

As always, I love you guys, so keep reading and voting! Stay beautiful

-TaylorMarie