Chapter 2

4 years later:

"How is she doing?" Andrew slowly turned his head to where the voice came from and found Kevin standing in the doorway, with a sad smile on his face. His bright coloured clothes stood out against his dark skin.

"Same as always." Drew stood up and leaned over her bed. He twisted his body so he could look at Kevin, before speaking. "When is she going to wake up? Kev, it's been four years. Lydia has been in a coma for four years! And no one knows why."

Kevin licked his lips, "Look. I know it's not easy. I miss her just as much as you do, but be happy that she's still alive! At least she can still hear us. She's going to wake up one day and it may not be today, but one day. You have to be patient." Kevin didn't know how much his voice had raised, but the shock on Andrew's face was evident. He didn't care. Kevin was hurting too.

Drew looked away, realising that Kevin's anger was justified. He ran a hand through his hair, and sighed, "I'm sorry. You're right." His voice became softer, "It's just not the same. It almost feels like she's..." He trailed off.

Dead, he thought, but he couldn't say it out loud. It would make things so much more real.

Kevin put a hand on Drew's shoulder. "I know. I know, Drew. But we can't do anything. We just have to wait. We don't know when she could wake up. It could be in 2 days or 2 months."

"Or 2 decades" Andrew muttered under his breath, low enough that Kevin couldn't hear him.

"We just have to wait." Kevin repeated, while walking towards the door. He looked over at Lydia, before walking out, and took a shaky breath. Then he was gone.

"Since when did he become so wise?" Andrew said to no one in particular. A part of him couldn't help but think that he was being childish. The other part knew it was okay to feel like this. Lydia hadn't woken up, and it was slowly killing Drew. For the past four years, he had thrown himself into school, his job, and did everything but live. It was unfair that Lydia couldn't do anything, he thought, but he also knew that Lydia would want him to live, and have fun.

In the beginning when it first happened, everyone around Drew used to come up to him and say sorry. Like she was dead. He wouldn't do anything, but walk away.

Since the night it happened, he hadn't shed a single tear. He couldn't. Every time he would come home from MIT, he would spend all his time with Lydia, in the small, but cosy hospital room. He would beg her to wake up. He wouldn't sleep, or eat, just sit there, holding his little sister's hand. He would get lost in all his memories of her.

Andrew wasn't the same and he knew it. But he didn't know how to go back to the way things were. When Lydia was awake.

A few minutes passed, and Drew realized he had to leave. His parents were expecting him home for dinner. He didn't want to leave, but he would be back the next day. As always.

He got up from his chair and kissed Lydia's forehead. "Bye, Lyds. I love you." Rubbing his eyes, he opened the door, and left, worry brewing in his gut.

~ ~ ~

While driving, Andrew became lost in his memories of Lydia. It was all he could do. It was better than nothing.

5 years ago:

***"Drew!" Lydia whined, "Give it back." She ran around the couch to try and get the card back from her annoying brother, but he ran to the kitchen before she could get to him, and she followed.

"Dear Lydia, you are the most beautiful girl on Earth, and I really like you. So, would you do me the honour of going on a date with me? Could a lad like u more?" Drew said in his best lovesick voice, while trying to keep a straight face.

"What?! Is this guy asking you out or proposing? Would you do me the honour! And why would he say lad? Oh my gosh! I can't breathe!" He burst into laughter, and fell onto the floor. Lydia walked up to him, snatched the Valentines' card from his convulsing body, and glared at him.

Once Andrew had contained his laughter, he put on a wide smile, and asked an embarrassed Lydia, "So, do you know who it's from?"

Lydia hid the card behind her back. "It's from, um, uh. It's from Callum."

Andrew's face fell. "Wait. Callum? As in Callum Fisher." His voice rose. "The idiot jock who's been – "

"Out to get you, ever since you humiliated him in front of the whole school, at the Homecoming game, by putting shaving cream and paint in his lacrosse jersey, and itching cream in his underwear, so he wouldn't be able to play." Lydia finished off, summarizing the hilarious incident perfectly, and speaking really fast.

It took Drew a minute to process what his sister had just said. "Couldn't have said it better myself. And yeah, the same. Isn't he a junior? Why is he asking a girl 2 years younger than him out? Also, how do you know it's Callum? The card wasn't signed." Drew rambled.

"First of all, I'm a junior too...just a young, overachieving one. And second, yes, it was signed. It was just written in invisible ink." Lydia scoffed. "I know it wasn't signed! Callum was trying to be smart. Look closely. 'Could a lad like u more?' Take the first letter of each word and it spells – "

"Callum." Drew finished, sitting down on top of the kitchen counter.

"It was that and the fact that his sister couldn't keep her mouth shut and told me the second she saw me." Lydia let out an exasperated sighed. She wasn't going to go out with Callum or anyone for that matter. People needed to understand that. She also didn't know how to gently let Callum down.

"If you're worrying about how to gently let Callum down...stop worrying." Drew practically read her mind. "The guy's a jerk. Just say no."

Lydia considered this for a moment. "Yeah, ok. Fine." She sat down next to her brother. "I mean there's nothing wrong with saying no. I'll text him right now." She reached for her phone and took it out of her back pocket.

Andrew suddenly stood up and narrowed his eyes at Lydia. "How the hell do you have his number? And WHY?!"***

Andrew opened his eyes. He didn't realize that the car had stopped, and that he was home. When he reached the porch, he noticed a car that didn't belong there. It was a blue Prius that looked strangely familiar to him. He shrugged and ignored it.

Someone must be visiting, he thought to himself.

He swung open the door and stepped inside, kicking the brown door shut, behind him. Andrew took of his jacket by the door, and yelled, "Mom! I'm back from – "

"Hey cuz." Andrew's face fell when he looked up to see his cousin, Lea, standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at him, smiling haughtily.

"The hospital." Drew finished, his jaw set. He sighed, mustering up all the energy he had left. He was going to need every last bit of it.

~ ~ ~

Lea Mitchells. With shoulder-length blonde hair, light green eyes, a short frame, and a thin, almost pure, looking smile, she looked like an innocent teenager. But then you saw the piercings, the tattoos, and the tight clothing. Not so innocent, anymore.

Lea was 21, like Andrew, and her mother was Drew's mother's sister. Unlike Drew, Lea didn't go to a prestigious ivy league school. She went to a university nearby; the Minnesota State University. It was a good school, and she was lucky to get in. Lea was always known as the 'problem' child. She drank, smoke, and partied like crazy. She didn't sleep around, but acted like she did. But she had calmed down since high school.

Wanting something she could never have, was also one of Lea's many wonderful qualities. It made her jealous of Lydia and Drew. Lydia more-so than Drew. Lydia ignored her, whereas Drew tried to. Tried.

"So, Drew, where'd you come from" Lea innocently asked, hands in the pockets of her really short denim shorts, while she walked down the stairs. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her white shirt barely covered her. Or at least, that's how Drew saw it. Compared to what Lea used to wear, her current outfit wasn't bad at all.

Drew rolled his eyes. "You see, when a mommy and daddy love each other very much – "He shut up when Lea glared at him.

"The hospital." He tried walking away from her, but somehow, she ended up in front of him. "Where'd you come from? They send you back from hell, already? Was it too good for you?"

"No need to get all rude. My parents sent me here. Something about my behaviour, and stuff. I'm here for a month, before it's back to school." Andrew scowled. "I'm not too excited about being here either. There's only one thing I want. It's to get my hands on that Kevin guy again."

"Only to have him reject you seconds later...as per usual."

"I'm starting to think he's gay. That's the only reason someone would say no to me. I mean, come on."

"That or they have better taste. Just like Kevin does. He's also Lydia's best friend and he's just not an idiot. Oh, and, he's not gay, he's bisexual.

"Well, best friend or not, he has to say yes sometime soon." Drew rolled his eyes, and let out a silent laugh. He walked backwards, away from Lea, with his hands in his pockets. "Keep dreaming. Cuz." He mocked, before turning around and walking up the stairs.

He went up the flight of stairs and just as he reached his room, he noticed the door to Lydia's room was slightly ajar. It was usually always closed. He inched towards it and pushed it open. Inside, were about a dozen suitcases scattered around the room, all open and overflowing. Lydia's closet was thrown open, her clothes strewn across the floor. Her typically clean room was covered with magazines, shoes, and clothes. All the books she had collected, that were piled on her desk were gone, replaced by glittery makeup. In the corner of her room, by her window, there was a vanity next to the window seat. It was all pink and shiny. Andrew looked around the room, confused, before his eyes widened with realization. He gritted his teeth, while silently fuming. Unable to remain calm, he swung open the door to Lydia's room, and much to his distress, found a smirking Lea behind it.

"So? Like what I've done with it? I think I've done quite a marvellous job. It was really drab before, don't you think? All that boring black, those boring books, and ugh. Those hideous clothes. I mean really, she could've at least tried to make an effort. Did she really think -"

Andrew, not wanting to hear her talk, grabbed her arm and cut her off, "She didn't care! Now tell me, where the hell is all her stuff? And why is your stuff in her room?"

She rose a perfectly groomed eyebrow, then yanked her arm from his grip. "I don't have to tell you anything. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish unpacking." She turned towards the door to Lydia's room, about to enter, when he spoke again.

"Lea. Why. The. Hell. Are. You. In. Her. Room?" Drew lowered his voice and spoke slowly, anger seeping into his voice. His face was unreadable. It showed how hard it was for him to keep his temper in check.

Lea stood silent for a moment, trying to analyse Drew. She pressed her lips into a straight line, then stood up taller, with her arms crossed in front of her chest. "Aunt Carly said I could. Uncle Dan agreed. Something about the guestroom being too full." She said, trying to intimidate Drew. Little did she know, that when it came to his sister, nothing could scare him.

He narrowed his eyes and licked his lips, before storming away. His room and his parents' room were on opposite ends of a long hallway, with empty guestrooms dividing them. Lydia's room was opposite Drew's. It was a big house. They had money. He walked down the long hall, until he reached the end, and barged into his parent's room. They were sitting in their king-sized bed, white, fluffy pillows surrounding them, while watching a movie on the large T.V, mounted on the wall. They turned their heads towards their son, almost robotically, and smiled.

Daniel and Carly Marshall. They weren't perfect parents, but none are. Still, they tried doing their best. They did whatever they thought was best for their kids, although their best always turned out to be the worst. What they thought was encouraging, was in reality, pressuring. Try harder next time, was really, I'm disappointed. Being prideful, was being egotistical. And their kids, were their prizes. Their trophies. Objects they could show off to other people. Objects they could polish, fix, or tamper with whenever they wanted. They weren't satisfied or happy with their lives, so they felt the need to elbow their way into their children's. They hated their lives because they didn't achieve their own goals. They weren't merely just proud parents. They were narcissistic, self-loathing, bastards. They were so engrossed in their own problems, problems they couldn't see past, that they forgot that their children had problems too. Andrew and Lydia tried ignoring this for so long, but soon realized that they couldn't escape their parent's clutches. They simply had to bear with it.

Every parent has a favourite child, no matter how much they deny it. Sometimes, it may not even be their own. Andrew was that child, but he didn't care. He didn't need their parent's validation because nothing would ever be good enough for them. He had everyone else's. That was something Lydia was grateful for. She admired that about Drew because it was something, she wasn't capable of.

Andrew was upset. No, he was more than upset. He was furious. That vein that everyone talks about, was bulging. He was very close to letting his anger explode. Mrs. Marshall, seeing that, hurriedly got up from the bed and went to Drew.

"Hon, what's wrong?" Carly questioned, placing one hand on his arm and the other on his cheek, her diamond ring glittering in the bright lights of the large room. All the plain white gave the impression that the room was larger and brighter than it really was. Carly seemed genuinely worried. Mr. Marshall, on the other hand, had turned his attention back to the television. Unless it was about business, money, or showing-off his trophies, he didn't care. When it came to his kids, his attention span was shorter than a 3-year old's.

Andrew wasted no time. He shrugged his mother hands off, and practically growled, "Why did you tell Lea she could stay in Lydia's room?! Why is she here at all?" He was speaking very loudly. So loud, that even the one painting in his parents' bare room, shook.

His mother, startled, jumped back, a delicate hand against her heart. She wasn't a very strong woman. She acted like it, but it was just a rough exterior. Something that would protect her, when her husband wouldn't.

"Andrew, calm down." She placated. "Calm down and then we'll talk like adults." She tried playing the tough-mom role. Minus both the tough and mom part.

Andrew shook his head and scoffed, "Adults. Really? Okay. I'll play your game." A game he was tired of playing. He stood back and cocked his head to the side. "Tell me. Why is Lea in Lydia's room?" He questioned again, this time without yelling, but just as scary.

Carly exhaled. "The guestroom has no space. It's full with boxes. We've been using it for storage." She gulped quickly and looked anywhere but Drew. He could tell she was lying. And his patience was wearing thin.

Drew pressed his lips into a line. "Really mom?" She finally looked at him and opened her mouth to speak, but Drew cut her off. Like a volcano, he burst. Nothing good ever came out of an explosion. "WE'RE RICH, MOM! WE HAVE MONEY! Which means we have big house!! And that means we have more than one guestroom!" He was screaming at the top of his lungs. By the time he was done, his face was a little red and he was breathing deeply. Mrs. Marshall looked guilty, while his father hadn't even removed his gaze from the television. It was like there was no one else in the room. Some father he was.

He took a deep breath and said in a gentler tone, "I don't want your lies, or any of your crap." He bit his lip, "Tell me the real reason." His shoulders sagged when she didn't answer right away. So, he stood up straight and pushed even more, "Can we please hurry this up?" He gestured with his finger, and went on, "I have someone to kick out." He gestured to the door behind him. His voice was cold. He was seconds away from walking out.

Carly, noticing that, met his eyes at last and stuttered, "It's just, uh, no-no one's been in her r-room, for," She drew in a breath, "for so long. I-I just thought, I don't know." She gulped. "I figured it would be nice to have someone in there again. Like before. Maybe then things would start feeling like-like they used to." Her voice faded to a whisper. Tears were brimming at the corner of her eyes. She felt guilty. She was sorry. She just wanted for things to feel normal again.

Drew stepped back and stared at his mother in disbelief. He fought his own tears and in a low, yet rough voice, said "She isn't dead, mom." Carly gasped. "Stop acting like she is."

"I'm-I'm sorry." She muttered.

Andrew chuckled and clicked his tongue. "No, you're not." His voice barely above a whisper. "You never are." With one last look, he turned around and walked to the door.

Just as he was about to leave the room, he stopped and twisted his head to look at his father. He called out, "Oh and dad?" His father turned his attention from the T.V to his son, his expression bored and uninterested.

Drew clenched his jaw, in silent fury. "Thanks for your input." He deadpanned. His father finally snapped back to reality, narrowing his eyes at his son. Andrew scowled, then walked out the door, slamming it shut, behind him.

~ ~ ~

When Drew was 9, he heard his parents fight for the first time. So did Lydia. She was scared, so Drew took her to her room and they hid in her closet. But it still wasn't enough. They could hear their father yelling and screaming at their mother, and their mother was sobbing. Soon, Carly had stopped crying and became angry herself. She started yelling at her husband, threatening to leave him and to take Andrew and Lydia with her. Lydia began to whimper in fear and huddled closer to her brother.

Minutes later, they heard footsteps nearing them. And so, Drew stood up and opened the closet door. Before he could go out, his father pushed past him and grabbed Lydia. She shrieked and tried freeing herself. Daniel's eyes were wide, his cheeks were flushed and he started shouting again, this time he even got physical, shoving Carly away. Andrew pushed at him, and cried out "Let her go! Let her go!" He finally freed Lydia and wrapped protective arms around her.

Daniel was still screaming. Drew remembered his exact words: "You think you can get away with this? Huh? This is my money. My children. You can't take them away. If you do, I will ruin you. Burn you to the ground. And I won't regret a thing."

Back then, Drew had thought his parents actually cared. That they were fighting over their children because they loved and cherished them. He quickly realized how wrong he was.

Since that day every one of his instincts had told him to always protect Lydia. That day, he was so scared that something would have happened to her and she would get hurt. So, ever since, Lydia always came first. He always put her first. He always protected her. Always cared.

Or at least he thought he did.

~ ~ ~

While walking back to Lydia's room, Andrew wondered what it would be like if she was here. He wondered how she would have reacted when they saw Lea at the top of the stairs. Or when Lea was talking about Kevin.

He tried playing it out in his head, but he couldn't focus. Too many things were in the way. Too many thoughts were fighting in his mind, trying to gain control over one another. It was overwhelming.

He stopped by the railing near the stairs and leaned over it, running a hand over his face.

Deep breaths, Drew. He thought, Deep breaths. Just get Lea out of her room and then you'll feel better.

He breathed in deeply and continued walking. As soon as he reached for the door handle to Lydia's room, the door swung open. Startled, Drew stumbled back a little. Much to his surprise, he found Lea carrying two, small, brown boxes. He raised an eyebrow and walked past her, into the room. Incongruously, most of her stuff had been put back into the boxes and/or suitcases. The room was no longer pink and glittery. A lot of it had been returned to its usual state.

Confused, he turned around to face Lea, who had put down the boxes and was looking at Drew expectantly. It seemed like she already knew she was going to get thrown out, so she went ahead and got a head start.

Rattled, Drew ran a hand through his hair, and spoke, "I came here to kick you out." He gestured to the room and then to the boxes by Lea's feet. "What is...?" He trailed off.

Lea leaned against the wall, and bit her lip for a second, before speaking, "The walls aren't soundproof cuz. They're like paper." She got off the wall. "And you're not exactly quiet."

"Oh, so you heard?" Andrew grimaced.

Lea scoffed, "Yeah. I did. I mean, I heard you. Aunt Carly? Not so much. But I can guess at what she said." She bit the inside of her cheek, hard enough to draw blood, before saying what she had to say. "Listen. I know you don't want me here. And I won't bother you, I promise. Just another month," She paused. "And I'll be out of your hair." She smiled timidly.

After that Andrew almost felt bad, but he quickly shook it off. "Yeah, okay. Great, thanks. Now," He huffed through his nose, "Get out." He smirked at her. Lea shook her head, and sighed.

"I'll even help you pack the rest of your stuff." Drew continued. He bent down to retrieve a box that was by his feet, and went to the door with Lea. Before they could walk out, Lea stopped him. "Andrew?"

He stopped in his tracks and twisted to meet her eyes. "Yeah?"

Lea faltered, "Cut you mom some slack, will you? This is hard for her too." She went on speaking, trying to convince her cousin to forgive his mother, but Andrew wasn't listening.

Drew immediately became rigid. His eyes became cold and his voice dropped an octave, "Lea, just stop. Mind your goddamn business. You don't know anything about my parents. Or my relationship with them. So, just stop."

Lea gulped and searched his eyes for...anything, really. All she saw was a wall of fire. Anger. So, she nodded and let it go. Andrew winced, when she brusquely walked past him, out the door, but ignored it and followed. Though this time, he felt bad for disregarding Lea's efforts. Even though, he didn't show it.

He had just put down the last of Lea's things in her new room, when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and without checking who it was, answered it. He went to his room, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Hello?" Unexpectedly, it was Dr. James calling. Drew started to panic and hurriedly asked, "What happened? Is something wrong?" He began listening to the doctor intently, his worried expression morphing into one of confusion.

Something the doctor said made Andrew's eyes widen, and he breathed sharply, "Okay. I'll be right there."

Drew hung up his phone and ran out of his room, straight into Lea, "Whoa! Watch it!" Lea cried, rubbing her forehead, where it hit Drew's hard shoulder. Drew pushed past her and went to the stairs, going down two steps at a time.

Lea, right behind him, grabbed his shoulder, when they reached down, forcing him to stop. "Okay, stop. You look like a dog whose bone was stolen. Where are you going?"

"Umm, uhh." Drew mumbled, not answering, but instead looking around the foyer frantically, for his jacket. He was anxious, meaning he couldn't think straight.

Lea cocked her head to the side, "Did someone steal your bone?" she questioned, mocking Drew with sarcasm.

Andrew finally found where his jacket was, and put it on, "What?" He turned to look at Lea, his eyes dazed. He rummaged around in his pockets for his car keys, "Uh, you know. Nevermind. I'm, uh, going to the hospital. Could you-uh-um." He tried gesturing to his parents' direction, but was distracted because he was still looking for his keys.

Lea noticed and finished off his sentence, "Yeah, yeah. I'll tell your parents."

He found his keys and pulled open the front door, ready to leave, "Thanks." Halfway out the door, Lea called out his name. He paused and waited for her to speak, not even turning around. "Is...everything okay?" She asked, seeming genuinely concerned.

Drew, not knowing how to answer, stared at his feet for what seemed like minutes, before turning his head slightly and shaking his head, "I don't know." He broke off. "I don't know." Then he rushed out the doorway, not even closing the door behind him, and sped off to the hospital in his car.

Lea sighed and went to the door. She leaned against it, watching Drew's car, until she couldn't see it anymore. She looked around, saw the trees, the birds, the people. In his car, Drew was doing the same thing. And in that moment, the two of them thought the exact same thing:

*What on Earth is going on?*