It was a normal August afternoon in Summer Springs, Texas. At least, until I got the phone call.

I had just gotten home from volleyball practice, more casual and not caring a bit about much of anything at the moment. It was sophomore year, with new hopes and new adventures. Not quite a big fish, like the juniors and seniors, but not the smallest fish in the tank that we call high school.

Anyways, I had gotten home to find out that my parents had taken my older sister, who was a senior, to go car-shopping. They figured since she would be the one that was going off to college next fall, that she should be the one to get the new car. It makes sense, I guess. And hey, I wasn't complaining; my sixteenth birthday happens to be tomorrow and when they find Ashlynn her new car, her old car is mine.

My younger brother, who was only fourteen, had decided to go with them for some odd reason. They had gotten out of junior high football practice early, so when he got home, he apparently threw his stuff down and hopped in the car. I say that because his football gear is strewn over the entire staircase, which leads the way to my mega-awesome room that I just re-decorated this summer.

The kitchen table provided more sunlight then the desk in my room, so I just decided to get started on my homework in there. I had a math assignment that had like fifty questions, some science worksheet, an art sketch, a worksheet for Spanish, and a social studies assignment. Yes, choose one of the nicest days when I would rather be outside lounging on the deck to assign all this homework, teachers. That makes a whole lot of sense. I would work out there, but it was too windy and my papers would fly everywhere.

With my auburn hair tucked in a high ponytail and my spandex from practice still on, I dumped my book bag by my chair and plopped down, glaring at my bag with loathing in my eyes. I am not the biggest fan of homework, let me tell you, but it was still necessary. I was born to impress, after all, and that called for stellar grades.

Just as I cracked open my math book, the home phone started ringing, which struck me as odd. Generally, if somebody wanted something, they would call one of our cell phones.

What really started freaking me out was when the caller ID read Summer Springs Hospital.

Slowly, I stood up from my chair and walked over to the phone, picking it up off of the hook. I hit Answer and held the phone up to my ear.

"Excuse me, are you Emma Summers?" this lady asked me. Her voice, though it had calm overtones, had frantic undertones.

"Yes, I am. What's going on?" I asked, my nerves hitching into high gear. They would ask for my parents if this was not something very important. Unless... are my parents involved?

"Your family had gotten into a very serious car accident, Ms. Summers." the lady said, now her voice becoming entirely too calm. A very serious...

CAR ACCIDENT?!

"No, they couldn't have... they are too careful... what?" I asked, my voice becoming panicked as the news slowly started to sink in. I could feel the shock already coming on; hyperventilation, fast heartbeat, stuff like that. Oh, and I was starting to cry.

"Will you please come over to the hospital?" the woman asked. "If you want to, of course."

"Yeah, yeah. I will be there as soon as I can." I said, my voice choking up because of my tears. I clicked the end button, placing the phone back on the hook. My now-shaking hands clasped the counter tops, my eyes searching everywhere. My vision slightly blurred, but blinking cleared them up.

A car accident? That couldn't have happened! My parents are very careful drivers. They couldn't have gotten into a car accident!

Even so, I had to call my grandparents. And my uncle. They are the only three that live in town and they need to know.

My hands quickly found my cellphone, an IPhone 4S. I unlocked the lock screen with shaky fingers and scrolled to my contacts frantically, before clicking on my grandma's cell phone number and holding the phone up to my ear.

It rang a couple of times, which felt like years instead of seconds, before my grandmother answered.

"Emma! Hello, sweetheart!" my grandma said in her usual happy, cheerful voice. God, I am going to be the one to break her happy spirit!

"Grandma, there's been an accident." I said in the calmest voice I could manage. As in, not calm at all. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, with new beads of sweat forming at my brow-line, not from volleyball practice.

"An accident? Em, what's going on?" Grandma said, her voice now confused but concerned. I heard her shift around, and in the background, the mixer was shut off. She was probably baking cookies, like she has done a lot of afternoons since she retired.

I gulped loudly, wiping off the sweat from my forehead. My fingers started drumming nervously on the counter-top.

"The hospital just called me," I said as slowly and as clearly as I could, "And they told me that Mom, Dad, Ashlynn and Austin got into a car accident!" I stumbled over the words. So much for clearness. "A serious one!"

"What?" Grandma screamed, and I could hear Grandpa's frantic voice in the background, though I could not make out his words. I think I heard Uncle Joey there, too. Good. That would make it easier.

"They got into a serious car accident, Grandma. That is all they told me." I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "They want me to come to the hospital. I don't know if I can drive..."

Which was the honest truth. I already had my school permit from when I was fourteen (I lived far enough away from the school to get one) and I probably could have driven myself, but driving was out of the question. I could feel myself start to hyperventilate, I was crying my eyes out, and my hands were shaking so much that I almost dropped my phone. Nope. Definitely not driving.

"Honey, we will be over there in a nanosecond." Grandma assured in a much calmer voice then I could have ever managed, and I heard the jingling of her car keys. "Just stay calm, and wait by the door."

"Okay." I said, taking another deep breath. "I'll try."

Grandma didn't bother with a goodbye. She just hung up the phone.

I stared dully down at my screen. Though covered with apps, I could still make out the picture behind it. It was my entire family (with Uncle Joey, Grandma and Grandpa included) camping this summer. We were all sitting around the campfire, with the sun just setting. Marshmallows were roasting over the fire as we hastily prepared s'mores and talked about nothing and everything. That was just this summer?

"Please hurry, Grandma." I whispered to myself, sinking to the ground and putting my head in my hands, my tears starting to soak my cheeks. "Please hurry."