After days of staying at the hospital, Carmen had managed to make up a lie about Karter being family. Getting to see Miguel was suppose to be reliving, it was suppose to maybe let her sleep after being awake for so long, make her appetite come back, stop the ache in her heart. But, it didn't. In reality, seeing him with wires connected to his body and stuck in a coma made it worse.

So, so much worse.

"Migeul." Karter spoke, sitting next to him as she grabbed his hand. She was never a cryer, it was never her thing, always a lot stronger. But, this hurt. This was different, and her voice was breaking. "Please wake up."

She brought his hand to her cheek, her tears and heated cheeks giving a form of cold and warmth all at once. She wondered if he even knew it was her, he'd never heard her cry. Karter liked to imagine that he could actually hear her, that he could know she was there, despite it all. She placed a kiss to the top of his hand. "I don't wanna be here all by myself. You're the only person that likes me enough to stick around long."

She brought her sleeve up and rubbed her eyes, sniffling. "I don't mean to make this all about me....but who am I suppose to talk to? What am I suppose to do if there's no you? I need you. We're suppose to talk everyday, even in Arizona. You're all I feel like I have anymore, man."

Karter looks back, seeing Carmen and Yaya waiting outside. She didn't want to make them stay away from him too long, but they were kind enough to give her a second alone. Karter sniffled, squeezing his hand a second longer. "Okay, I gotta get out of here soon."

She stood up, her fingers dancing up his arm before laying a kiss to his forehead. "I miss you, Somalia."

Karter took one more look at him, nodding her head as she turned and went to the door. Carmen hugged her outside, and Karter cried again. Being close to Carmen felt like Migeul, being wrapped in her arms was too similar to being in his. She couldn't decide if the feeling was heartbreaking or comforting.

"Baby, I really don't like leaving you here." Rebecca spoke as she got Karter set up at the hotel. After refusing to leave The Valley after Miguel, it was clear that Karter couldn't continue to live with her cousin any longer. "Maybe I can see if your aunt will take rent and you can stay with them again?"

"They need the extra space, mom." Karter unpacked some of her clothes into the dresser. "I'll be okay here. It's the best hotel in The Valley, a city view, it's close to the hospital. And, online school will be good for me."

Rebecca looked toward her computer, the online school Karter had enrolled in for the time being. "Are you sure you don't want to come home? I know you're worried about Miguel, so am I. But, we can always come back when he wakes up."

"That'll take too long." Karter shook her head, exhaling as her curls started to feel heavy. Or it was her lack of appetite that was starting to make her feel like she had a pounding headache. "I wanna be here for him, mom."

"Okay." she caved in. "We'll come back on the weekends to check in, and you call us every single day. I want you to eat three meals, and do school each day. I have Carmen's number, she and your aunt have agreed to check in on you as much as possible."

Karter nodded her head. "I'm gonna be okay."

"I know." Rebecca exhaled, pulling her into a tight hug, kissing her on the forehead. "I just love you."

"I know." Karter hugged her back, her head pressing into her neck as her chest got heavy. "I love you too."

"Tory?" Karter asked as she ordered in that night, Tory being her driver. "Hey."

The Nichols girl blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, i'm living here for a while." Karter cleared her throat. "Do you-do you wanna come in?"

"I shouldn't, i've gotta get back." she shook her head, pushing the bag of take out her way. "Are you not coming back to karate?"

"I don't think so." Karter shook her head. "Look-"

"We don't have to do this." she cut her off with a shake of her head.

Karter ignored her though. "Whatever shit went on in the past, right now it doesn't matter. I know that it was messy, and actually kinda messed up to have a fake girlfriend but then keep your real one a secret, and i'm sorry. For what it's worth, I never wanted to disrespect you, or your relationship with Miguel. This whole plan started before you came into the picture, and it's my fault for caring too much about Miguel's reputation to not end it fair and square."

Tory laughed slightly. "You really don't get it, do you?"

Karter gave an odd look. Tory looked bitterly. "Look, I don't know what Miguel ever wanted to date me for. But, what i'm assuming? He didn't want to be in a fake relationship with someone who clearly had no intention on making it serious."

"What are you even talking about? Miguel and I both agreed to fake date, I wasn't leading him on." Karter shot back at her defensively. "Maybe you should get both sides of the story before just attacking one person."

"So, what? You were just that clueless?" Tory laughed in disbelief again. "No one can fake date each other, act like a couple, and not expect to have feelings for each other. Miguel got with me because he wanted a real girlfriend, but what he really wanted was for his fake girlfriend to get off her high horse and realize how much she messed with his feelings."

Karter blinked, guilt swarmed in her gut as she shook her head. "That's not true. He kissed Sam at the party."

"Yeah, I know." Tory said back with a shake of her head. "I don't know what that was. But, I can tell you right now, our entire relationship only took place because he wanted to do the relationship thing for real. You really think it's a coincidence he ran to me right after the two of you put on some little show then went your separate ways?"

"Tory, i'm sorry." Karter held the door with a serious look. "You don't deserve that."

"Right." Tory exhaled. "I'd talk to Sam LaRusso if you really want the full story. All I can tell you is mine."

"Tory." Karter stopped her before she could walk away. "For whatever it's worth, I really am sorry. For all of this. I should have never even brought up the idea of faking a relationship. Because, you're right. It never ends well."

Tory exhaled, shaking her head. "I'm not mad at you, Karter. I think you're kinda stupid, but I don't hate you. I didn't want to hurt you."

"But, you wanted to hurt Sam?" Karter frowned her eyebrows.

"It's different." Tory shook her head. "Sam knew that you were with Miguel, she's a cheated and she knows it. No one knew about me and Miguel, but everyone knew about you and him. The way I reacted looks like I did it for you, but I just want to make it clear that I didn't. I was upset and angry at her because he was my boyfriend, my real boyfriend."

Karter nodded her head. "I understand that."

Tory exhaled, looking down the hallway. "I've gotta go."

"Wait." Karter leaned back to grab her wallet. "Here. A tip."

"I don't need charity." she said back, thinking Karter did it out of guilt.

"I know." the Coast girl gave a small grin. "You still got my food here faster then any other delivery driver has before."

Turns out, eating a lot and having a comfortable hotel bed put her to sleep relatively quick. Karter didn't dream, she rarely did, especially when she was going days without sleeping properly. Though, four hours felt like four days when she did wake up. Only, her phone had been going off next to her head. "Hello? Carmen? Did something happen?"

"Hey, Rwanda."

Karters heart fell to the pit of her stomach, having a wave of dizziness echo around her head as she sat up quickly. "Miguel?"

•

kylie speaks

tory said let me just expose
miguel right quick after
dropping off this take out.

karter is gonna wheel miguel
around literally everywhere,
i can see it so perfectly