Flaws ▪Embry Call [1.5]

03.

Mia stood quietly, amoung her classmates, her eyes stared ahead empty, her mind focused on one thing only. Grace should be here, she belonged standing between her classmates, the green cap and gown looking gorgeous on her like everything else. She was supposed to throw her cap into the air with the rest of them, and cheer loudly as it flew upwards. After seconds she would catch it along with everyone else, waiting to exit the gymnasium. She was supposed to walk across the stage, Paul, Embry, Quil, and Jacob cheering loudly along Mia. Yet Mia stood alone, her best friend not in the crowd with her. They wouldn't be able to take cliché graduation pictures, their sass levels through the roof in the images. They wouldn't be going out for a giant celebratory dinner in Port Angeles. All these dreams and goals the two had for graduation day wouldn't be coming true, a fact that brought tears to Mia's eyes.

She played it well, hiding the tears with a fake yawn, paying close attention to the valedictorian who stood on stage giving a long speech. She doubted anyone around her was truly listening and understanding what the girl on stage was saying, yet the adults focused closely. When it was her turn to walk across the stage, the brunette held her head high, shaking the hands of all those she was supposed to. She couldn't wait for the ceremony to be over, she couldn't wait to go home and just sleep.

As the ceremony came to an end, Mia found herself next to Embry, his mother pushing the two together for a photo. She felt awkward, smiling slightly as the woman captured photo after photo of the two. Quil and Jacob joined them shortly, popping up on the side and posing for the photos. Their parents began snapping photos as well, before Embry's mother turned to the brunette female, "Where's your parents? Surely they would like some photos?"

Mia stiffened, ignoring the worried looks from Embry, "They had to go out of town for work. It was last minute and they couldn't cancel." She answered, forcing a smile on her face. She felt odd, surrounded by all the families laughing and chatting with each other. Today was supposed to be a happy day, but it wasn't. She was alone, even more than she had ever been before, and that terrified her.

"Are you okay?" Embry questioned, a few moments later. He had been talking with Jacob and their parents, when he noticed the pain in her eyes.

Mia forced a smile, nodding hesitantly, "I'm gonna go," she said quietly, her eyes dancing over everyone around them.

"Really? We were gonna go to the diner in Forks?" Embry hoped she would join, he wanted her at his side.

Breathing in deeply, Mia shook her head slightly," I need to visit Grace. I promised her I would visit."

Embry nodded, moving forwards to hug the brunette, "be safe okay."

Mia nodded, "yeah." Giving a smile to everyone else she bid them goodbye, quickly heading to her car.

The drive to the hospital was blank, the brunette not even recalling driving. She was hesitant at entering the hospital, knowing the smell of bleach would overwhelm her senses. She knew the white everything would blind her, and she knew it would be painful to see her best friend laying flat once again.

The walk to Grace's room was long, the brunette lost in her thoughts and memories. She remembered when the two were younger, promising to never leave each other. She prayed that Grace wouldn't be leaving her, Mia didn't think she could deal if Grace left her.

Entering Grace's room, Mia let her eyes wonder over her best friend. The blonde was flat, her face still a deathly shade of pale. Once again Mia felt terrible seeing her friend, confusion and heartbreak filling her. She didn't understand how someone could attack Grace. Grace was the sweetest person ever, always being positive even when she only wanted to scream. She had never wished harm on anybody, not even Eve, after all the things she had done. Yet something, or someone, felt the need to attack her, draining her of almost every drop of her blood.

Mia shifted, placing herself in the seat next to the bed. Surprisingly, Paul wasn't here, more than likely getting chewed out by his father to finally leave. She reached forwards, gripping the pale girls hand, flinching at how cold it was. Grace's hand was frighteningly cold, a fact that terrified Mia. She stared blankly at her best friend, only breaking out of it when a beeping filled the room. Nurses rushed into the room, pushing Mia out.

"Her blood pressure is low!" A nurse shouted.

"We're losing her!" Mia tried desperately to find out what was happening. The nurses pushed her out of the room completely, leaving the girl with no idea what was happening. A doctor rushed by her, entering the room quickly, followed by more nurses carrying bags of blood.

Terrified, Mia stumbled backwards till her back met the wall and she slid down it, landing on her bum on the floor. The loud beeping noise seemed to be stuck in her mind, on constant repeat. Gasping the brunette cried, her body shaking as the voices of the nurses drifted to her. Bits and pieces of their conversation was heard, adding to the terror Mia felt.

"...slipping..."

"...clear!..."

"...blood loss..."

Thundering footsteps filled the hall, pulling Mia from her mind, she frantically tried to hide her tears as she looked up. Paul was marching down the hall, his eyes full of fear and pain.

"What happened?" He roared, stopping in front of the girl on the floor. Her body still shook with sobs, her breathing uneven as she gasped trying to respond.

"I-I" Mia hiccuped, gasping for air. "They-they wouldn't tell me-me. Blood-Blood pressure is-is low." Mia cried, "They-they said she's slip-slipping."

"No!" His scream was one of full pain, bringing Mia into even more tears. She sobbed loudly, wrapping her hands around herself to try and sooth herself. She shook heavily, her ears picking up on Paul's cries as he slumped to the floor near the door of Grace's room.

Mia begged silently, trying to sooth her sobs from the terror she felt. Grace didn't appear to be getting better, and this certainly wasn't looking good for her either. The chances of loosing Grace was higher than ever, and it terrified Mia more than anything. She couldn't even remember being as scared when she realized she would be staying alone for the first time in a long time. She couldn't remember being this scared when her father had been in a terrible accident.

Her fear was overpowering, leaving the brunette in tears as she curled in on herself. She just wanted her best friend back by her side. She didn't care what she had to do, she just wanted to see the beautiful blonde standing at her side with her smile. Only then could she find herself feeling better, only then could she smile for real.

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Mia sat in her living, staring silently at the wall across from her. Embry was at her side, trying his hardest to get her to speak to him. The brunette was still, scaring the boy next to her. He had never seen her still, she was always moving somehow. Yet here they sit, the brunette still as can be, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He didn't know what was going on, she hadn't spoken a word except for the initial words that led to him sitting next to her. His heart raced as he recalled her words, the words that sent an aching pain through his body.

"She died."