Looking for a Lifeline

My vision blurred quickly as the tears spilled out again. I had been selling my best friends out for a solid five hours, my phone ringing non stop the entire time.

"You can answer it, you know." Dan sighed as he clicked the recorder onto pause.

I nodded and stood up, not looking at the name since the same one had called a million times already: Matt.

"What do you want?" I asked in a harsh tone, feeling no remorse for the fact I was spilling all their lives to the media... one thing I never thought I'd do.

"Corinne where the fuck did you disappear to last night?!" He shouted, almost sounding worried.

"HA!" I laughed loudly "For a split second, I actually believed you wanted to know. So what? I'm picking my shit up tonight-"

"It's tomorrow, Cori." He took a deep breath.

"Like I said, tonight." I hissed "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go."

"Wait, why.... why are you leaving? You have as much right to this house as any of us do, Cori. You.. you should be the last person moving out." There was a pause "I'm sorry."

"Well sorry doesn't take everything back that I-" I Looked over at Dan as he wrote down facts and ordered them to his own liking.

"That you what?" Matt asked "Corinne, where are you? We're coming to get you, right now. Where?" He repeated over and over. My heart melting at his voice.

"Matt I'm-" I stopped as Dan placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Come on, I'll take you back. We have enough information now anyways." He smiled and handed me a check.

"Corinne!" Matt shouted over the phone "Who is that? What's he talking about? What did you do?!" He shouted.

I stepped out of the office, half a million dollars to my name "Dan, a reporter." I paused.

"Corinne..." Matt breathed "Don't... please don't.."

I nodded to myself as Dan opened his car "I want you to know how bad it hurts, Matt. Ok? So uhm... here's my revenge on a silver platter." I hung up and climbed into the car. Dan handed me a small tape "What's this?" I asked.

He took a deep breath "Our conversation." He paused at a red light just up the street from my house "I saw," He ran a hand through his hair "I saw how you talked about them for the past few hours and I know you're gunna regret doing that."

I tried handing the tape to him "No, no I won't."

He gave me a smile "You will. So hang onto it, burn it.. I won't publish anything I-"

"OH MY GOD LOOK OUT!" I shouted and pointed infront of us as an eighteen wheeler veered onto our side of the road. Dan shouted as I covered my eyes. I felt an impact, and that's all I remember before waking up, here.

I felt something lying on my stomach. I moved and it only moved a small amount. I groaned, opening my eyes. I rubbed my fists over them, groaning at the pain in my left arm.

"Cori?" I heard a familiar voice and I looked around, still feeling something on my stomach. My eyes adjusted and I looked down.

"Baker, get your fat head off me." I shoved Zack's head as he woke up. His eyes widening along with his smile as he looked at me.

"Oh Rin!" He shouted and wrapped his arms around me tight "We thought.... you flatlined... we..." Tears formed in his eyes.

"Ok ok ok," Someone pulled him back "Give her breathing room idiot."

I looked up at Brian as he smiled sadly "I'm sorry..." I whispered, my throat coarse and dry as he handed me a water bottle. I sucked it down and skillfully tossed it into the trash can.

"Still got depth perception, good thing." He smiled, lightly kissing my cheek.

"What's the damage?" I asked as he sat down with me.

"Broken leg, broken arm, cuts and bruises, and some burning." He pointed at my arm. The skin was slightly burnt "Nothing too too bad."

I nodded and felt something fall into my lap. I looked down at the small tape and up into Matt's eyes. My face hardened at him as he stared at me "You were going to sell us out?" He asked, less harsh than I'd expected.

"Well I was but... " I stopped as Brian took my hand "Which of you listened to it?" I asked.

"All of us." Matt stared at me. I bit my lip, all of Dan and my conversations were on there. From me ranting about their bad habits to yelling at the top of my lungs how much it hurt to see Matt with Val, how much it tore my heart up seeing "The man I love with another woman who doesn't understand how lucky she fucking is!".

Matt's eyes softened as he looked at me "I'm still moving out."

"Nope, no you aren't." Jimmy bounded in, running to give me a tight hug "The doctors said I get to take good care of my little Corinne bud. Annd..." He looked from me to Matt "I'll make you soup and we can talk all night."

I laughed and started coughing, taking another bottle of water that was handd to me by Zack "Thanks." I coughed and downed it "Is... Dan ok?"

"Yah, he's fine. He might have more injuries now than when he came in..." Brian glared at Matt "He didn't know what was going on and he thought-"

"Shut it Haner." Matt hissed.

I rolled my eyes "I didn't... I didn't want you to hear that." I looked up at Matt "Why did you listen to it?"

"Dan... that guy, said we should. He said he wanted us to know exactly how much you cared that you didn't throw it at him and make him publish it." Matt sighed "Thank yo-"

"I didn't have time to give it back." I hissed "We got into the accident before I could give it back to him. If none of this happened, I'd be packed and gone and your lives would be circulating the media." I smiled.

"And that makes you happy?" Zack asked "You understand that gives you a horrible name, right? Like... no one would trust you. Ever."

"Well, no one trusting me again felt so much better than dealing with this asshole all day." I pointed at Matt "You know what I mean."

"Cori I-" Matt started but I kicked my foot, causing him to move a little.

"You don't. Don't do it, don't talk me out of it, don't play that card with me, Sanders. I know better now, I know... I know you're going home to her, and I'm not sticking around to have my heart broken everyday for therest of forever." I hissed and reached for the red button next to my bed.

"Don't." Brian glared at me "You have some talking to do, and you'll do it here. Now. We're all listening." He placed the tape in my hands and I glared at him "Corrine Marie Gavern."

I huffed and began talking, about what? Whatever they asked. I felt like I was back in Dan's office, being interrogated once again. Haha...