Thick and Thin [l. hemmings]

forty-eight

"Kels! Come on!" Nina yells.

I groan, flipping the covers off me and sitting up. They all know I still feel off. They all know I only get out of bed for work and class. Yeah, I'm doing better, I just feel drained. I'm so tired all the time. Trudging down the stairs, I was so ready to just immediately start complaining.

I finally look up, my eyes filling with tears the second I see the three of them standing there.

"Surprise."

"Guys!" I sniffle, a weak smile on my lips, looking at them, then to the pile of things on the kitchen counter.

They'd clearly planned something to cheer me up. They bought a cake, and there were a bunch of chocolates as well. There were a couple gifts, some makeup, some books. There were painting supplies, which really meant the world to me.

"You've just been- you've been so fucking strong, Kels. You've been going through a lot. We just, we want to try our best to cheer you up." Nina tells me, shrugging her shoulders.

"You really didn't have to. I'm getting better. Things are... okay." I reply, not only trying to convince them, but myself.

"We know, but let us treat you, okay?" Kyle says, weakly smiling at me.

"Kels, I'm taking you to get our nails done." Nina tells me, smiling over at me.

"After that I'm taking you shopping." Ashton adds.

I sigh, shaking my head, "Guys, no, you don't need to do this. I'm okay. You've gotten me enough here. I don't need this." I gesture to the pile of things sitting on the counter, not needing them to do anything else for me.

"Will you just let us spoil you? You deserve it!" Nina replies.

"You guys didn't let me tell her what I got her! It's kinda the greatest." Kyle groans, making me laugh.

"Right. The one with the extremely rich parents bought you something." Nina says, trying to not seem petty.

"Anyways! Kels, we just thought this would be best for you. You even said so to Nina. So, here." He tells me, handing my a folded up piece of paper.

I give him a confused look, before I begin to unfold the paper. Skimming over it, my jaw drops, "Kyle, you didn't."

"I did." He laughs.

"This is so much money. I can't accept this." I mutter, my eyes scanning over the paper again to make sure I read it correctly.

"You have to. I bought it already. I can't return it."

"I'm paying you back."

"I don't need the money. But you need to go back to Seattle. You said yourself that you wanna go home. So, I bought you a ticket to go early."

That's when I start sobbing. I rush over to hug him, holding onto him tightly as I cry.

"I don't know what happened last time you were there, Ashton was worried about me getting you a ticket home. But Nina said you wanted to. I know you've gotten pretty close with your friends from Seattle again. I think you need to see them."

"Thank you so much, Kyle. Oh my god!" I wail, tightly clinging onto him.

"Hey, it's okay. You need this. You're only going two weeks earlier than you originally wanted to, I couldn't have you missing exams or anything." He chuckles, rocking me in his arms.

"I love you. I love all of you. Thank you for getting me through everything. The breakup, the miscarriage, just everything else... I really don't know what I'd do without you. Truly."