Past Lives - Strangest Feeling Continuation

Chapter 4 - In My Head

"So, what's she like? The sister?" Liv asked the group.

"Sam? Sam is so cool," Chad replied with enthusiasm.

"You only say that because she let Y/N stay over," Mindy teased as she lined up a shot on the pool table.

"That's true. That's a true statement," Chad laughed in agreement.

"No, trust me, Sam is not cool," Amber said, her tone serious. "Her dad left her mom, walked right out when Tara was eight, and Sam was 13. Sam started acting out, getting in trouble with the cops. And then, on Sam's 18th birthday, she left. Ghosted them all. Maybe Sam's changed. I just don't want to see Tara hurt again."

"So, what, you're protecting Tara from her own sister now?" Wes asked.

"Well, someone has to," Amber smartly replied.

"Okay, so Y/N isn't good enough for her, and now her family's off-limits too?" Wes questioned.

"Mm, motive. 'If I can't have her, no one can,'" Mindy chimed in.

"What?" Wes seemed confused.

"We all know you have a crush on Tara," Mindy replied. "You even try to steal her from Y/N."

"Okay, come on, Mindy. Y/N's my friend, I would never..." Wes began.

"But we're all suspects except maybe Liv," Mindy told the group.

"Thank you," Liv responded.

"You're way too boring to be a psycho," Mindy joked. "Plus, I have my money on someone else."

"Who?" Liv asked.

"I think it's Y/N. I mean, he hardly fought the intruder off," Amber spoke up. Everyone looked at her, confused. "Tara even told me she turned the knife at him. Even she thought he was helping."

Everyone's faces turned to shock. Tara hadn't told anyone this except Sam and Amber. Could Y/N have helped?

"Yo, Liv. You want a real drink? Or are you happy sitting at this kids' table?" a guy the group recognized as Vince asked.

"Listen up, Uglier Michael Myers, it was a summer fling. It meant nothing," Chad got up in the guy's face. "Don't you remember last year? My bro Y/N beat your ass for trying it on his girl."

"Was I talking to you? Plus, look where that got him," Vince replied.

"I don't care who you're talking to," Chad retorted.

"Get out of here, or I'm calling the cops," the bartender shouted.

"I'll see you soon, sweetheart," Vince blew Liv a kiss before leaving.

"Hey, man, fuck you," Chad shouted back. The group was kicked out of the bar and went home.

Back at the hospital

Y/N had stayed in Tara's room the whole day. Despite attempts from the staff to move him back, he stayed put. Eventually, they moved his bed into the room with Tara, yet Y/N remained rooted to his chair. Richie had been sitting just outside, watching "Stab" on Netflix. Y/N had slept the entire day, waking only once to check on Tara.

"I've got to go find something to eat," Sam told Richie as she walked out of the room. Y/N lay still until, like a light, his eyes flicked open.

"They're here," he said, standing up. He was weak, his body leaning one way. Yet, he stood in front of Tara's bed, staring at the door.

"Y/N... What's happening?" Tara groggily asked.

"Nothing. You can sleep," he replied, still staring at the door. Suddenly, on the counter, there was a phone call. Y/N hobbled over to it, saw the number was Amber's.