"Come on, Newt! It doesn't take that long to finish a bowl of fruit slush!" Sophie exclaimed, watching her boyfriend from across the table.

Newt swallowed his mouthful of slush. "Soph, I know you want to get back to check on Bella but Troy is there," he reasoned. "I'm sure he'll let us know if we are needed. Now just sit back, relax, and eat your raspberry cheesecake."

Sophie sighed. "You're right," she consented, grabbing her plate of cheescake that had been pushed to the edge of the table. "He'll call us if Bella needs us."

The couple sat in comfortable silence for a few seconds before Newt began to speak again. "About that party at the country club, my father asked if you could wear black and red. Its our family colors," he informed, taking a bite of his slush.

"Is it a step forward in our relationship for me to be asked to wear your family colors?" Sophie wondered out loud.

Her boyfriend thought for a moment. "More like an honor. If you were asked to wear our family crest, now that would be a huge step," he responded. He placed his spoon in his dish and slide it to the side.

Sophie was just about to say something when the two heard glass shatter and a snap. They looked to where the sound came from. The giant chandelier in the center of the dinning room of the fancy restaurant began to swing, being attached only on one side. Before Sophie had time to even think, Newt told her to dunk under the table. She obeyed, closing her eyes when she was safely under.

She heard screams from the other customers and shouts from the employees as well as the sounds of glass shattering. In horror, she realized that Newt was not next to her. She picked her head up long enough to see that the chandelier was a foot from their table. She suddenly felt sharp pain in her back and legs. The last thing she remembers is seeing and unconscious Newt across from her.

"Where am I?" Sophie thought, opening her eyes. She let her eyes adjust to the light. Suddenly she remember Newt. "Newt!" she exclaimed in a weak voice. She tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. Pain shot through her body and bottled up in her head.

"Lay back down Soph," came Pepper's soft voice. Sophie looked to her left to see Sawyer and Pepper walking to her bed from some chairs.

"The doc says that ya need to rest," Sawyer added as they approached.

Sophie consented and laid her head back down. "Where's Newt?" she asked, her voice a little stronger.

"He's in a room down the hall," Pepper replied, holding her friends hand. "You're in the hospital."

"What!" Sophie exclaimed, once again trying to sit up. Sawyer gently pushed her shoulders back down.

"There was an accident last night," Sawyer reminded. "Do you remember?"

Sophie closed her eyes as the memories flooded back. The snap, the crashes, the screams, and unconscious Newt were all extremely vivid. "Yes," she uttered quietly.

Meanwhile...

"My parents said they would come to visit again around two," Newt was telling Troy and Bella. He stared blankly at the wall across the room.

Bella's phone dinged and she glanced down. "Pepper says Sophie is awake," she informed from the right of Newt's bed.

"Sophie," Newt whispered softly, closing his eyes.

Troy sat on the left edge of Newt's bed. "We won't tell her. You can. When the nurse gets back with your wheelchair," he said.

Newt sighed. "How am I going to tell her? What if she wants to break up with me? I can't loose her too," he opened his eyes and once again stared blankly ahead.

Troy and Bella shared a worried glance before the nurse came in with a wheelchair. She explained the rules, gave Newt a tag, and reminded him that he needed to be back in bed in thirty minutes. Once she was gone, Troy and Bella helped their weak friend get into the wheelchair. They pushed him down the hall a little and then stopped. Bella knocked softly and peered in.

Sophie looked to the door. "Bella," she said happily.

"And Troy and Newt," Bella added, opening the door so Troy could push Newt inside.

Sophie seemed to perk up at the mention of Newt. Pepper had adjusted her bed to where she was propped up so she had little to no problem looking around. She smiled for the first time since she woke up when she saw Newt come in.

"Sophie," Newt said, almost as a question.

Sophie knew that something was wrong. Newt wasn't looking at her. He was looking to the right of her head. "Newt, I'm so glad you're okay," she responded.

Troy closed the door as everyone became silent. Sophie looked at everyone's solemn expressions. "What's going on?" she asked, worriedly.

"Soph," Newt began shakily. "During the accident, I got hit in the temple by a piece of glass. I-I'm blind. Permanently."

Sophie sat in shock. Why did this have to happen to Newt? He was the sweetest, smartest guy in the world. Sophie's eyes teared up. She grabbed Newt's hand and pulled him closer to the bed. She leaned forward and gave him a hug.

Pepper tiredly made her way to the table that her friends were sitting at. She smiled when she saw Sophie helping Newt with his ice cream. It had been almost a week since the accident and Newt was starting to get the hang of living without his sight.

"Hey Pep," Sawyer greeted her with a peck on the lips. He handed her a waffle cone with mintchip ice cream piled on top. "I figured you'd want your usual."

Pepper took her seat next to her boyfriend and greatfully took the ice cream. "Thanks," she replied with a lick.

"Where have you been?" Troy asked, licking the cookie dough ice cream off his spoon.

Pepper sighed in exhaustion. "Cleaning our dorm. It was my week to clean and we just found out that our new room mate is moving in tonight instead of next week."

"We offered to help," Sophie reminded. She gently guided Newt's hand to the cup of water that he was reaching for. "But you refused it."

Pepper was about to reply when a girl about their age walked up to the table. She looked like she didn't belong there. She was wearing an expensive looking, leaves-little-to-the-imagination red dress. She wore red, sparkly pumps and ruby earings and necklace. "Hi! I'm Catrisha," she introduced, whipping her brunette hair with blue streaks. "I hate to bother you but I was wondering if you gentlemen could help me change my tire," she asked in a flirtatious tone.

Troy immediately looked interested in this Catrisha, Sawyer looked a little creeped out, and Newt looked solemn as he stared aimlessly ahead. But of course, being the gentlemen they were, Troy and Sawyer got up from the table to help her. Newt briefly explained his situation before Catrisha thanked them for their willingness to help. She, Troy, and Sawyer headed outside the ice cream parlor to where her car was presumably parked.

"Do you think she's our new roommate?" Bella asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"I hope not," Sophie replied, nonchalantly helping Newt find his spoon again. "She was clearly trying to flirt with the guys just so they'd help her with her car."

Pepper winced as she noticed an employee carrying tubs of ice cream come from the back of parlor. "We might have to find a new place to hang," she informed, nodding the the employee.

Bella and Sophie looked in the direction their friend was nodding. Bella sighed and looked back at Pepper while Sophie explained the situation to Newt. "Pep," Bella began. "It's been a week. I'm fine with seeing Zach. And besides he hasn't talked to me since our first meeting because he still thinks Troy and I are dating."

"Aren't you going to correct him?" Newt questioned.

Bella shrugged. "Let him think what he wants. I really don't care." Her friends were silent for a moment before Sophie raised an eyebrow. "I'm fine, guys. Really," Bella assured.

Troy and Sawyer came back to the table and took their places in between Pepper and Bella. "Did you amaze her with your fabulous tire changing skills?" Pepper asked, a little mockingly.

"Well I did," Sawyer put emphasis the i. "Troy either doesn't know how or thinks flirting is more helpful then actually helping with the tire."

"Hey! I was calming her down," Troy defended himself weakly. His cookie dough ice cream was pretty much gone so he reacted to his side and took a bite of Bella's butter pecan. He noticed Zach looking toward them. "Hey QB. I think someone's jealous."

Bella's appatite dwindled when she saw him. She pushed her cup with less then five bites of ice cream left over to Troy. "Ugh. I wish he would just leave me alone."

"Well in his defense," Newt began. "Coming back to your home state to find the love of your life apparently dating one of the guys who used to be one of your friends, is hard to ignore."

Sawyer placed his empty cup in Troy's. "Add that little ice cream stunt that you just pulled sure didn't help matters."

"Okay first of all, Troy always eats the last of my ice cream because I never can. Second, can we please go back to ignoring Zach's existance," Bella replied. She gazed down at her lap sadly.

"OH! Did you hear about Jake's new car?" Sophie piped, quickly changing the conversation for Bella's sake.

"Yeah," Newt replied. "It's like way out of his league."

Bella tried to pay attention to her friends but she couldn't help stealing a glance at Zach. "I hope I don't have to talk to him any time soon."

Second chapter down! Hope you enjoyed!

PLEASE REVIEW!

~ Pickles