People were slowly leaving the venue as Chris watched every single person who walked out the door. He then spotted Trinity's purple crewneck sweater and grew anxious.

"It'll be cool one day if we can collab—"

"Hold on bro, I have to do something real quick," Chris said interrupting his peer as he watched Trinity leaving the venue.

"No problem, I'll be here."

But Chris already ran off after her before the boy could even finish his sentence. He saw the perfect time to finally tell Trinity how he felt. He wasn't going to let anyone or anything interrupt him this time. This was long over due he thought.

There were a few people lingering outside of the venue. He swiftly maneuvered himself throughout the crowd and caught up with her.

"Trinity, I need to talk to you real quick!" He said grabbing her arm before she could get any further.

Pow!

Tires screeched, people screamed, and a lifeless body dropped on the cold pavement.

Trinity came back with her father and sat in their previous seats. Her face stained with dry tears and blood. She sat there staring at the white wall ahead of her, in a daze. The waiting room was filled with silent crying and distinct sounds of hospital machinery and beeping. It was driving her crazy.

"Stay with me, stay with me, okay? Help! Someone, call an ambulance!" She yelled the loudest she could.

Trinity didn't know what to do. She was in a state of shock and panic. It seemed like the world was moving in slow motion and it was only them two in the world.

The dim street light shined over them as cars drove past them oblivious to what was going on over on the sidewalk.

"You're going to be okay, alright?" She said to him holding his cold face in the palm of her hands. "Where is the ambulance?!" She yelled out again moving her hair out of her way as the sweat caused it to cling to her face.

Tears cascaded down her face as she put her head on his chest, listening for a heart beat. Listening for a sign that he's still alive. Everyone who was loitering in front of the venue vanished for safety leaving Trinity all by herself.

Her friends then quickly rushed out and ran to her side, and from there on, everything was a blur.

"Any updates?" Kae's father asked sitting in between his daughter and wife, resting his arms around them both.

"No, but he was breathing." His wife responded tiredly.

A doctor then entered the waiting room as everyone head shot up anxiously. They were all disappointed as the doctor walked past to speak to a middle aged woman who sat in the corner of the room.

"I can't take this anymore, my poor baby." Chris' mother mumbled pulling her younger daughter closer to her.

She tried to be strong for her daughter, but it was an impossible task. Her eldest son is currently fighting for his life right now. She couldn't believe this was happening. Chris is such a smart and well-behaved boy, how could this have happened? Why did this happen?

"Chris is a strong young man Joyce, he's going to make it." China's mother said grabbing her hand.

Shania knew Chris since he was a little boy. He was probably the only boy she let around her young daughter, aside from Michael of course.

"You don't know that Shania," Joyce responded back staring at the receptionist desk helplessly.

A young female doctor with green scrubs on approached the group of guests looking down at her clipboard. "Family of Christopher Brown?" She looked up surprised at a number of people who came to support Christopher.

Everyone stood up but only Chris' mother stepped forward. Michael, Kae, China, and Trinity all huddled together holding hands praying for good news. They hoped their best friend is going to make it.

"I'm doctor Mathews and I'm apart of the trauma team. Right now he's in critical condition. The bullet missed his heart, but right now it transected some major pulmonary vessels. There's a lot of bleeding in his chest, we're still trying to stabilize him."

"Will my baby be alright?" Joyce asked in a shaky tone.

"Honestly ma'am, we don't know yet. I'm sorry. We will keep you updated."

Joyce watched the doctor as she left the waiting room. She turned around facing her close friends and family who were all obviously upset at the news they have just received.

"Seems like it's going to be a long wait 'til we hear back from the doctor. Thank you so much for stopping by to check up on Christopher." She stopped to catch her breath. She was on the verge of breaking down in front of everyone and she really didn't want that to happen. "I can't keep you all hostage here and most of you have work in a few hours, so go home and get some rest. I'll be sure to reach out to each and every one of you once I get word that Chris is okay."

Mia stood by close to her mother, holding her hand. Hearing how hoarse her mother voice is, and how many times her voice cracked hurt her. She never witnessed her mother cry before or even being in a state of sadness. She knows her mother is a strong woman and she always looked up to her because of that.

Her big brother who annoyed her any chance he got was hurt, and she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to comfort those who were hurting around her. She watched as her aunt guided her mother to the chairs as everyone began to clear out of the waiting room.

Everyone wished their best and said goodbye to Joyce. Knowing the teenagers were going to stay as long as they could at the hospital, their parents said their farewells to them, and left the hospital also.

Mia then walked over to Trinity, holding her hand. She watched as her mother cried in her sister's arms. Trinity, Michael Kae, China and Mia took a seat in the corner of the waiting room. They weren't going home until they find out their best friend is going to be okay.

Trinity pulled Mia close to her, softly running her hands through her braids.

'''

Joyce noticed the same young doctor walking in her direction, she tiredly but quickly met the doctor half way.

"Hi, so the good news is that he's stabilized. We were able to get him into imaging. The CT scan showed that he had an aortic dissection, which we can manage medically."

"That's good, right?" Joyce asked with hope in her eyes.

"But, the problem is the bullet passed through the chest cavity and landed near his spine. Right now, there's considerable swelling."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, there are two options. Neither is perfect. We can take a wait-and-see approach, treat him with steroids, see if it works. But if it doesn't, he risks the loss of function. Possibly from the waist down."

Joyce's stomach dropped, this was all too much to process.

"Or, we can try to operate, to clear the bone fragments and relieve the pressure on his spinal cord. This offers slightly better odds on the paralysis front, but he's in critical condition. And surgery comes with real risks. You can take some time to decide, you can go and see him whenever you're ready."

The young doctor gave a last look at Chris' family who were all mentally and physically drained. She sighed and walked away from his distraught mother.

Joyce walked back and took a seat next to her twin sister.

"What do you think?" Jennifer asked hugging her sister.

"What do I think? I think this should've never happened." Joyce said laying her head on her twin sister's shoulder. "I'm gambling with my son's life right now. I don't know what to do."

"It's not my place to tell you what I think you should do, but think about what Christopher would want."

Joyce nodded thinking long and hard to herself, "Doctor." She called as she caught Doctor Mathews' attention.

'''

"I'm going to go the vending machine real quick," Trinity told her friends who were minutes away from passing out in the uncomfortable hospital chairs.

She slowly eased Mia's head off of her lap and got up, sneaking past the receptionist desk.

Trinity peeked in his room and her stomach instantly dipped. Seeing him hooked up to the machine with all those needles scared her. Seeing him laying there made her want to cry, but she had to be strong. She slowly walked over to him, watching him sleep peacefully.

"Hi." Was all she could get out at the moment. She sighed taking a deep breath staring at his pale, freckle covered face. "I overheard your mother speaking with Doctor Mathews and I think you're about to have surgery. I'm not gonna say goodbye because I know you're strong and our story isn't coming to an end just yet. After this surgery, you're gonna wake up, and you're gonna be okay. We're gonna go out to eat, or maybe this once I'll probably make your favorite meal, I know you like chicken or shrimp alfredo. Either one is fine. We can watch one of your many favorite hood movies, probably Poetic Justice because I like that one too." She smiled sniffling.

She didn't realize she was crying until she quickly wiped away her tears. "I know you love when we go on those spontaneous road trips, so we can definitely do those more often. We'll have Fan of a Fan playing while we have a little picnic in my car since it's too cold to be eating bacon egg and cheese with green tea Arizona in this weather." She said laughing to herself. "We can go on dates if you want, I don't mind if we don't really, actually we can go on a formal date once in a while you know?" She stopped herself for a minute realizing that she was rambling on and on. She snuck in his hospital room for a reason.

"Christopher, the first day I landed my eyes on you, I thought you were so gorgeous. You didn't pay me any mind but believe me when I tell you I thought about you all the time. You were so mysterious and it made me want to get to know you more, but you kept pushing me away whenever I got close to you. And then we shared our first kiss when you were supposed to tutor me over at my house. That whole day with you was amazing, but that kiss was something else. Then we kissed again, after China's um Christmas dinner when you walked me home. You had me head over heels over you, still, to this day actually. I feel like a little girl when I'm around you. You make my stomach flutter whenever you give me that look, whenever we kiss, whenever you touch me." She put her head in her hands, "what are you doing to me, Chris? I think I'm falling for you."

"Yes, the young man in that room is due for surgery right now."

Trinity shot up in her seat gathering her things. "I have to go Christopher. Be strong, I'll see you soon." She gave him a quick peck on the lips and snuck out of his room.

'''

"Chris baby you scared me," Joyce said sitting in the chair next to his hospital bed.

She hasn't slept in so long, but seeing her son well and alive before her gave her a little boost of energy.

"Ma, I'm a real ass nigga," Chris responded popping his hospital gown collar.

"Boy if you weren't laying in that hospital bed I would smack fire out of your mouth." She said scrutinizing her son. "Remember that gown expose your whole ass, I'll beat that ass black and blue."

Mia laughed loudly, "Chris, she's about to smack that ass in a coma."

Joyce quickly snapped her neck in her younger daughter's direction, "Little girl watch your mouth before I snatch your soul and your ass end up in a coma."

"Joyce, please leave Chris alone so his friends can see him, they've been waiting for a while now," Jeniffer said laughing at her twin sister interacting with her children.

Chirs mouthed a "thank you" to his aunt as Joyce sighed getting up from the chair.

"C'mon Mia lets go see how soon Chris can get discharged." Joyce left with her daughter and sister leaving Chris alone.

A few moments later his friends barged in running to his side bombarding him with questions. Trinity stood a few feet behind watching Chris smiling and laughing with his friends. She's so happy that he made it through the surgery, even though she knew he would.

Chris looked up, staring at Trinity who's staring at him with admiration by the door.

"We're gonna give yall some time alone, we'll be right outside," Michael spoke exiting out of the room with Kae and China following suit.

China smiled and waved closing the door behind her.

"So..." Christopher spoke up watching Trinity as she observed her manicure.

"So," Trinity said looking at him nervously.

Chris held his hand out and she took it with no hesitation. "Why you acting so shy girl? Tell me more about the bacon egg and cheese and green tea Arizona." He said grinning.

Trinity gasped "You heard what I was saying?"

"Every little bit. So you're falling for the kid?" He asked smirking pulling her closer to the hospital bed.

She rested her free hand on his leg not saying anything.

"Cus I know I'm falling for you." He continued lifting her head up forcing her to look at him. "For the longest, I've been wanting to tell you how I feel. It bothers me you beat me to it but I like you a lot, Trinity. You're special to me and I'll do anything to protect you. I'm happy I went to go talk to you after the listening party because if I didn't, I don't know how I'll live with myself seeing you get hurt. You're different from the rest and you're always down for whatever, you're always down for me. I can't lose you, and I want you to be mine, Trinity. Will you be my girl?"

Trinity stared at him for some moments processing everything he was telling her. "Of course I'll be your girl." She smiled resting her hands on his, it's finally official she thought.

Chris let go a breath he didn't realize he was holding relieved of her answer. He smiled pulling her face closer to his, landing a kiss right on her plump lips. Trinity smiled in in the kiss holding his face in her hands.

"So cute," Kae said wiping a fake tear

"It's about time," Michael added wrapping his arms around China.

Everyone laughed as the three of them walked over to Trinity and Chris by the hospital bed. They all started with small talk asking Chris how he felt.

"Bro you took a bullet, you're officially the realest nigga I know now," Michael said dapping up Chris.

"Michael shut the hell up," China said elbowing him.

Trinity sat back and watched her friends engage in conversation. She wanted to be as happy and relieved as they were but it was this one thought that picked her brain. Who shot Chris? Was she supposed to be the one that got shot?

She ignored the thoughts, pushing it to the back of her mind joining her friends on the random topic of going back to school soon mustering up a fake smile.