ALEX

Leah's urgent call cut through the chaos, drawing the attention of Abigail and the others. Tears glistened in their eyes as they hurried over to us. "Where is she? Is she okay? How did you guys get here?" Alice's urgent questions pierced the tense atmosphere, her concern palpable.

Leah's response was sharp, tinged with frustration. "Calm down, but first, why do you care? I thought you didn't care about her," she retorted, her words laced with exasperation. I couldn't help but feel a surge of disgust as I glanced at Alice. She was one of the reasons for our breakup, and seeing her now, claiming concern for Zoe, left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Alice's plea cut through the tension. "I do still care about her; she's my best friend," she insisted, her tone filled with desperation.

But Leah wasn't convinced. "No, she isn't. That's not what you said," she countered sharply, her words holding an edge of accusation. "CUT THE CRAP, BOTH OF YOU!" Ava's demand for answers breaks through the tension, and everyone turns their attention to Zoe's condition.

As accusations fly, Yash's anger boils over, and he grabs me, demanding answers. "It's all your fault she's like this. Why did you let her get shot? Why aren't you the one in there?" His accusations cut deep, and I struggle to hold back tears.

"I didn't mean for it to happen, okay? Do you think I wanted her to get hurt? Do you think I wanted her to get shot instead of me?" I choke out, tears streaming down my face. "And yes, I'm too wondering, why isn't it me in there? Why her? It hurts to see her like this. You think I wanted any of this to happen? I know It's my fault. I should have known she was going to do that. It's all my fault!"

"And why the fuck do you care about her? And if you really cared about her you should have saved her," I shot back, my frustration boiling over. Why did Yash care about Zoe so much? She was mine, and mine alone. No one else had the right to care for her like I did.

Yash's response was heated, matching my own anger. "Oh, I don't know, maybe because I'm her friend and I do actually care about her, unlike you?!" His words stung, questioning my sincerity in caring for Zoe. How could he assume that I never cared about her? He had no idea what I felt for her.

"I didn't trust anyone back then, okay? When I heard those rumors, I believed them, and it hurt so much," I confess, my voice cracking with emotion. The weight of my past mistakes presses heavily on my conscience as I recall the pain I caused Zoe. "I hadn't even thought about it before lashing out on her. And I recently got to know it wasn't true, okay?"

The remorse floods over me, threatening to drown me in its intensity. "I accept it was my fault," I continue, my voice trembling with regret. "But I'm telling you, I never stopped loving her and I do care about her." The words spill out of me, each one a testament to the depth of my feelings for Zoe.

Every memory of Zoe with her friends cuts through me like a knife. "Every time I saw her with you guys she seemed really happy, and I was happy for her," I admit, a bitter pang of jealousy tainting my confession. "But at times I really wished it was me instead of all of you."

I sink into the nearby chair, overwhelmed by the weight of my remorse. My apologies spill from my lips, each one a desperate plea for forgiveness, a futile attempt to atone for my past mistakes.

"Hey, it's okay, man. She's going to be alright. Sorry if I was harsh, but it's okay; she's going to be fine," Yash's reassuring words reached me, his presence a comforting anchor in the storm of my emotions. As he knelt down and offered his shoulder, a wave of vulnerability washed over me, breaking down the walls I had built to contain my anguish.

Tears streamed down my face unchecked as I buried my face in Yash's shoulder, the weight of everything I was feeling crashing down upon me. In that moment, it didn't matter that I had never broken down before. All that mattered was Zoe, and the overwhelming desire for her to be alright.

"How do you feel?" Ava's voice cut through the haze of my thoughts, drawing my attention back to the present. I lifted my gaze to meet hers, feeling the weight of my emotions reflected in her concerned eyes.

"Not okay, as you can see," I replied hoarsely, my voice trembling with the raw intensity of my feelings. And then, without hesitation, I poured out everything that had been weighing on my heart, each word a desperate attempt to convey the depth of my remorse and love for Zoe.

"Hey, I'm sorry for everything, but you have to consider my point of view too, you know?" I began, my voice thick with emotion. "Imagine you heard that from someone else. I felt so hurt at that time, but I agree, I was an asshole for not trusting her and not believing her. But you should know that I truly loved her, and I still do. I never stopped loving her."

The memories of Zoe's love and care flooded my mind, each one a bittersweet reminder of what I had lost. "The care she gave me was everything I could ask for. Her childish antics made my day," I confessed, a small, sad smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

But the regret weighed heavily on my heart, overshadowing any fleeting moments of happiness. "I had thought that I should never hurt her precious soul, but I did. And that too for a stupid lie and some bullshit rumors," I admitted, my voice breaking with remorse.

The truth spilled from me, unfiltered and raw. "And trust me, me and Alice were never in a relationship, that was all bullshit," I confessed, my frustration with Alice's lies simmering beneath the surface. "She had started spreading some crazy shit at one point, she went too far. I had gone up to her and questioned why she was doing this and told her to stop this bullshit."

But amidst the tangled web of regret and longing, one truth remained clear: my love for Zoe. "But let me tell you, I honestly really regret treating Zoe like shit. I regret using those harsh words. I just want her back, and I want her to forgive me for what I did to her," I pleaded, the desperation in my voice echoing through the empty space.

As I finished speaking, I felt a sense of release, as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. "Please talk to her. I feel really guilty for everything I did to her. I regret not pulling her back from the shooter. I should have known more. I should have taken the bullet for her. She doesn't deserve that pain. She doesn't deserve any pain in this world. I really regret it," I concluded, my voice trembling with emotion.

In that moment, Yash's comforting gesture of patting me on the back was all I needed to know that I wasn't alone in my pain.

Yash's reassurance brings a sliver of comfort, but the weight of guilt still hangs heavy on my shoulders. "It's okay. It's not your fault she's in the OR. It's not yours. It's all going to be okay," he assures me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I questioned Ava, feeling a mixture of confusion and gratitude at her unexpected smile.

"Because I'm so happy for Zoe to find someone like you. I've never seen this side of you, and I'm sorry I misunderstood you," Ava explained, her words warming my heart. "But what you did to her in the past was wrong. But I'm pretty sure she will forgive you, trust me."

A surge of hope welled up inside me at Ava's words, mingled with a renewed sense of determination to make things right with Zoe. But amidst the optimism, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease seeing Alice sitting nearby, her head buried in her knees.

"Why is she still here?" I asked Ava, my gaze flickering towards Alice.

"Who, Alice?" Ava inquired, her brow furrowing in confusion.

I nodded in response. "I don't know, I'm going to go check up on her, be right back. And it's going to be alright, man," Ava reassured me before heading towards Alice.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ava's concerned voice reached my ears, prompting me to eavesdrop on their conversation. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity, wondering what Alice had to say.

"No, I'm not. Why would you think I am?" Alice's response was heavy with sorrow, her words tinged with regret. "Ava, please, I'm really sorry for everything. I didn't know Zoe would take it seriously. It was just supposed to be for fun. I didn't really mean it. I should have known whatever she was doing for me was for my own good."

As Alice poured out her apologies, a pang of sympathy tugged at my heart. It was clear she was grappling with her own demons, haunted by the consequences of her actions. "I'm sorry, Ava. I was too immature back then. But I promise I've changed. I thought we would reconcile and go back to being friends just like always. I should've said sorry to her. It's all my fault for blaming her for doing something good for me."

The weight of Alice's guilt hung heavy in the air, her plea for forgiveness echoing in the silence. "I shouldn't have tried to get with Alex. I shouldn't have realized it after 5 months that I messed up so bad, Ava," she continued, her voice trembling with emotion. "I don't think she'll forgive me. Please help me," she pleaded, her desperation palpable.

Leaving Alice to grapple with her tears, Ava approached me with a knowing look. "You do realize she's lying, right? She said she changed? Wow," Ava's words cut through the air like a knife, and I couldn't help but scoff, a bitter laugh escaping me. "Changed my ass, she just came up to me two days ago and flirted with me. It's Alice we are talking about here, obviously she's lying," Ava's skepticism was palpable, her tone dripping with disbelief.

"Changed my ass, she just came up to me two days ago and flirted with me," I added bitterly, unable to contain the frustration in my voice.

"It's Alice we're talking about here, obviously she's lying," Ava retorted, her skepticism cutting through the tension in the air.

I nodded in agreement, stealing a quick glance at her. Frustration simmered beneath the surface, threatening to boil over. "Exactly," I affirmed, my voice tinged with exasperation at Alice's deceitful behavior. It felt like déjà vu, a painful reminder of past wounds being reopened. The pang of betrayal weighed heavy on my heart, and I couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment coursing through me.