Lahat ng Kabanata ng Second Chances Under the Tree : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

CALLIE I swiped to answer, pressing the phone to my ear. “Mrs Reynolds?”“Callie, oh my God!” Her voice trembled. “Your house… your house is on fire! I called the fire service, but it’s bad. They’re here now, but… but so much is gone.”The room tilted. “What?” “I… I tried to help! I saw the smoke and called for help as soon as I could, but…” Her words trailed off into a sob.I shot to my feet, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. “How bad is it? Is it still burning?”“The flames are mostly out, but it’s… oh, Callie, it’s terrible. You need to come home.”My legs felt like jelly as I stumbled toward the door. Lucas stepped forward, alarmed. “What’s going on?”“My house,” I said, my voice hollow. “It’s on fire.”Lucas’s eyes widened, and without hesitation, he grabbed his jacket. “I’ll drive.”I nodded numbly, unable to think past the chaos swirling in my mind. Sebastian’s lifeless form behind me. My burning house ahead.The ride to my neighborhood was a blur, my heart poundin

CALLIE My legs carried me down the hallway, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. I followed the group of doctors as they hurried toward the stairwell. Lucas was right behind me, his heavy footsteps matching my own frantic pace.As we reached the top of the staircase, I gasped, freezing in place.Sebastian was there, at the bottom of the stairs. His body lay sprawled on the tiles as if he’d been tossed down like a discarded doll. Blood smeared the sides of the steps, and his shirt was stained crimson.“No… no, no, no,” I whispered, my voice breaking. My knees nearly gave out, but Lucas grabbed my arm, steadying me.The doctors rushed past us, barking orders. “Get the oxygen mask! We need a stretcher, now!”One of them knelt beside Sebastian, checking his vitals. “Oh my God, he’s still alive!”The words barely penetrated the haze of shock gripping me. My hands trembled as I gripped the railing, staring down at the scene below. Nurses were swarming around him, carefully positionin

CALLIEThe tears I’d been holding back finally spilled over, trailing down my cheeks in hot, stinging streams. I tried to swipe them away, but they kept coming, blurring my vision and choking my breath. “But he’s going to be fine, right?”The doctor gave me a smile. “Yes, surprisingly. He’s still unconscious, but his vitals are stable, and he’s breathing on his own now. We expect him to wake up soon.”Relief swept through me, leaving me lightheaded and dizzy. I leaned back in my chair, pressing a hand against my chest as if it could stop my racing heart.“He’s alive,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else. “He’s going to wake up.”The doctor nodded. “It’s remarkable, honestly. Given the severity of his injuries from the fall, it’s a miracle he survived. Most patients wouldn’t have made it through.”Sebastian had always been a fighter, stubborn and relentless. If anyone could pull through something like this, it was him.The doctor’s expression darkened, pulling me back to the mo

SEBASTIAN I watched Callie devour her burger, a smile tugging at my lips. She must have been starving. The way her shoulders relaxed with each bite made me feel a mix of guilt and gratitude. Guilt because she looked so worn out. Her eyes rimmed with exhaustion and worry lines etched on her forehead. Gratitude because, despite everything, she was here. She hadn’t left my side. How did I get so lucky? The truth was, I couldn’t remember much. The accident had wiped away the moments leading up to it, like someone had erased a chalkboard. I tried to dig through the fog in my mind, but the last clear memory I had was leaving the house with Lucas. Now the doctor had delivered the crushing news: I wouldn’t be able to walk. Not for now, at least. They were hopeful that with time and therapy, I might regain mobility, but nothing was guaranteed. I looked down at my legs, covered by the hospital blanket. They felt alien to me, heavy and unresponsive. The thought of being stuck in this conditi

CALLIEI scrambled to pull my top down, my face flushing as I sat upright. "Lucas!" I exclaimed, my voice more of a squeak.Sebastian, however, didn’t seem nearly as fazed. He leaned back against his pillows with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Ever heard of knocking, Lucas?”Lucas blinked at us. “You’re kidding, right? You’re in a hospital room. I figured privacy was implied.” He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “But no, I guess I should’ve anticipated this. You’re incapable of resting like a normal human being.”I buried my face in my hands, mortified. “This isn’t happening,” I mumbled.“Oh, it’s happening,” Lucas said with a chuckle. “Trust me, I wish it weren’t, too.” He pointed a finger at Sebastian. “And you… shouldn’t you be focusing on, I don’t know, not moving too much instead of trying to get into… hmmm?”Sebastian smirked, completely unbothered by the situation. “Don’t blame me, Lucas.”He turned his gaze to me, his eyes softening. “I’ve just misse