Is this plausible? "Do you want someone to talk to about it? Or we could just sit here and do nothing , just whatever you want.." Flynn offered, propping himself against his elbows in the sand dune behind him. "I got the whole day before my mates will come by to surf ." Skye gazed out at the glare of the ocean , then look back at Flynn with a spark in her eye. "How about you teach me to surf? I just need a distraction right now and this would be perfect" . Flynn's laughter seemed to embody the daylight hitting the water as he beamed in amusement. "I think I can manage that. I'll share my board ..but are you sure you're up for it" Shy nudged him in the ribs , winding him momentarily. "Yeah , that's if you are."

How about this "Do you want someone to talk to about it? Or we could just sit here and do nothing , just whatever you want..." Flynn offered, propping himself against his elbows in the sand dune behind him. "I got the whole day before my mates will come by to surf ." Skye gazed out at the glare of the ocean , then look back at Flynn with a spark in her eye. "How about you teach me to surf? I just need a distraction right now and this would be perfect" . Flynn's laughter seemed to embody the daylight hitting the water as he beamed in amusement. "I think I can manage that. I'll share my board ...but are you sure you're up for it" Skye nudged him in the ribs , winding him momentarily. "Yeah , that's if you are." Flynn's tanned complexion shone against the polished surface of his freshly waxed board, as he hoisted it out from underneath his legs. "Help me carry it, and I'll have you dropping in on Ethan's wave in no time. He'll be so jealous huh? " Skye laughed and headed for the water . "I'll be waiting in the surf , don't keep me too long " . In a few strides Flynn was behind her , hanging his legs over the board , as he leaned down into the water to rest his hands on her shoulders . "I could just..kiss you right now . " he trailed off as she leaned in to run a sand coated finger across his chapped, salt stained bottom lip. Outlining his crooked smile , she then trailed the wet sand , leaving a tingling sensation in her wake as she took his lip between her teeth. He bit back at her tongue , as they stayed like that for a second , before his hands drifted lower to her waist , and he lift her up onto the board. "C'mon cutie, we have a lesson ahead of us. "

Please tell me if my characters are real and believable? "Carter ..you can't miss this pizza, it's actually semi-edible tonight." A raspy voice , loaded with fatigue , carried across the yellow-lit cafeteria , leading to a haggard yet young man sitting with a styrofoam cup and plastic tray . Wearing a faint smile , his hollow eyes greeted Carter with a spark of enthusiasm and warmth. "Hey , Ethan , sorry I disappeared earlier. I just, you know how it gets . " Carter's sheepish smirk replied as he slid into the booth , Victor joining the two and handing Carter his hospital robe , which he shrugged himself into with a yawn. Ethan's worn expression mirrored Carter's , baring a similar , gaunt and angular set of cheekbones , and blackened circles under his faded khaki green eyes . "Oh hey Vic , good seeing you here man" Ethan grinned between bites of piping hot pepperoni that barely touched the sides of his mouth as he ate , head balanced on his left knuckle. "Smells good" Victors nostrils filled with the smell of cheese and enticing processed meat. Ethan's enduring posture was relaxed against the wall, a cannula present in his fist , his muscles straining to hold him upright against his skeletal frame as he ate . As if the subpar food was morphine, he inhaled deeply before devouring another slice at an ungodly speed. "Hey Ethan how you holding up, bro?" Victor grabbed a slice of the impeccably square pie and began to chew appreciably despite the papery texture against his tongue . "Eh , I've certainly had brighter days, Victor...hell I was a quarterback before spring break. Now I can't even take on a flight of stairs. I'm barely keeping afloat" . He threw a glance at the humming light of the cafeteria in incredulousness, "But this life , it's just the way things are. " Carter glanced away , silently returning to picking at the threads of his jeans , his knuckles shaking. "Utter rubbish is what it is Eth.." His tone caught Ethan off guard as he lowered his head to meet Carters void stare. "Hey, at 3am when they start playing the home shopping channel on repeat, you're the one who tells me to "buy those steak knives for that wife I don't have.." Victor snorted at Ethan in amusement , his arm falling over Carters shoulder in a honing motion, gathering him together . "Yeah that sounds like Cart. Remember the ridiculous things you said to me in Russia? " Carter nodded , his face still etched will melancholy. Suddenly Ethan slammed down a fist, barely disturbing his dense meal as he missed the inside reference and unknowingly changed the subject . "You know what? We should get our useless hands on a football. Maybe kick it around , I miss that ..." Ethan gazed down at his access line , and stifled a congested cough , his chest echoing the emptiness of his thoughts. With vacant eyes he contemplated "Maybe those days are gone , huh? Maybe it's all just pipe-dreams after all." Carters fingers , previously preoccupied with his jeans, suddenly came to rest on Ethan's shoulder . "You remember spring break ... you remember all those girls .. tonight just buy the steak knives in case she calls. " Ethan laughed , light returning to his eyes as his back straightened in his chair . "Shut up , no one is calling up this dying man" They fell silent , finishing their meals as the sobering reality sank into their wearied bones , the beeping of machinery haunting their souls.

"I've just been sober too long and I've never wanted anything more than a drink right now. It's horrible because I'd probably never get drunk as hard as I would if I were alone too," Ethan said, his eyes cast downwards, avoiding Victor's gaze with shame. Victor leaned in closer, his gaze intent and sympathetic as he contemplated something in the foreground before speaking. "But you ain't gonna be alone, Eth, buddy. I'll keep you in line, just like always. You know I'd never let you hang out alone, drinking as a last resort. C'mon, that last frat party we crashed at Stanford... ah, those really were the days. And there'll be more of them, many more nights just like that one. I promise." Ethan's faint smile reached his sunken eyes, warming them with a smirking glow. "Yeah, good ol' Victory boy here never lets me down." Ethan's laughter lingered in the air for just a moment as he slung an arm around Victor's shoulder, relaxing against the bench, the smell of the late fall air enlivening his exhausted body. After a while, a tranquil silence enveloped the two, the familiarity of the moment placating their uncertainties of the unknown and highlighting their camaraderie in an underscore of shared reminiscences. As the silence and mellow twilight bathed their bodies, Victor spoke with a raspy tone, his voice filled with exhaustion as he watched Ethan with mild concern. "Hey , let me know if you need anything, you really don't look well, and you must be on a lot of medication?" Ethan's gaunt features replied for him , the circles under his eyes already darkening by the minute. "No , I just want to stay here a little , I'm alright for now" . Ethan reassured himself , missing Victor's direct look and shrugging eyebrows . "If you say so , bud, but let me know when you've had enough, alright" . "Will do " Ethan's resolute reply hit back without missing a beat . Victors' gaze eased a little as he leaned back against the bench , silently letting Ethan off the hook if only momentarily, giving a unsatisfied sigh of acceptance at his sheer defiance. He then stared out into the distance, his hand absentmindedly reaching into his jeans for a lighter that wasn't there. "I know it's hard to imagine, but I just really needed to smoke once, and I'd only just met Carter. The guy stopped me because , well , he wasn't having it that night, wasn't having me off the rails. Thanks to him, I've never gotten high again." Ethan smirked a little, a knowing look crossing his face. "Dude probably knocked the blunt out of your hands and thwarted it with his bare feet, I bet." Victor simply nodded before adding, "It was a classic Carter tantrum. He's a legend though." Ethan, listening in a sleepy haze, agreed. "Oh, he sure is." Falling into a slumber, his head resting against Victors shoulder , Ethan surrendered to his utter exhaustion, his features awash with peace. Feeling the weight against him, Victor adjusted to allow Ethan's body to rest comfortably. "Get some rest ,Eth, we'll get you to a hospital later ."

The crimson line seared across the horizon, suffocating the air as Ethan's voice tore through his clenched jaw in a guttural , incoherent plea for mercy. His rasping voice tore through the atmosphere with fury, his breathing punctuated with violent gasps as he growled in despair. His convulsing chest wrought another agonising scream from his throat as he gritted his teeth, the force overwhelming him. As his jaw locked with an involuntary wrenching , he felt his teeth grinding together , disjointed in his crooked bite. Then as the acrid, metallic tang of blood coursed across his tongue , he yelled into his own mouth for relief . Victor's calm, yet urgent voice cut through his blinding assault of incarceration , pulling him back into focus . "Ethan, I need you to concentrate on breathing. Help's on the way . Hang in there for me." With Victor at his side, he struggled for his next breath, his airways consumed by a fiery hell. With his nostrils flaring in protest, he fought for his lungs cooperation , dragging in a stuttering breath , his lungs seemingly bound together with sandpaper. "Ethan , slow down again , now breathe in. You can do it " Victor's voice instructed from somewhere above him, and Ethan battled the constraints of his throat as it closed in on him , the world fading away in an airless haze. Victor yelled out in panic, as Ethan's moments without respiration rushed by, flagging down his fellow teammate from across the field . "Mason, get the oxygen , his pulse is strong, but he's foaming at the mouth!" . As voices fluctuated in and out of his awareness, Ethan felt the cold rush of adrenaline scathing his eyes as oxygen rushed through his chest. "Ethan, deep breaths, stay with me." Mason's voice sent shocks of relief to his shattered core , Victors firm grasp on his shoulder reassuring him as he resisted the urge to convulse. "Please-" he pleaded with no one in particular, opening his eyes a sliver to see the front of Victor's grass-stained jersey by his side . "Oh God Vic I'm on the field?" The faint smell of the tailgate smoke razed through his senses as he registered the impact of the football to his skull moments earlier. "Yeah Eth, you took one hell of a hit to the head, but just concentrate on the breathing, an ambulance is almost here." Victor replied, his voice even as he anchored Ethan's ribcage with his palm. The veins in Victor's arms glistened with perspiration as he interlocked his forearm around Ethan's torso , bracing him in close proximity to support his weight as he spasmed . "I've got you Eth, Mason and I will stay with you until help arrives , they mentioned a transfusion because you're losing blood . Hang tight. " The strain, clear in his tone , caused Victor to adjust his position so Ethan's body could lay securely in his lap. In response , Ethan's shoulder relaxed and his head lolled to the side , scintillating grains of static smattering across his vision as his eyes grew heavy. The next moment, sirens pierced through Ethan's ears, causing him to groan in the deafening whirlwind as his body was lifted from the ground and everything tilted on an axis , ebbing away from reach. Three months had passed , and Ethan gazed out at the angry bloodied orange horizon from the edge of his hospital bed, another day casting its shadow on his features. A constellation of pulsing stars flickered behind his eyes as he closed them for a moment, his eyelids red-rimmed from his tears. An intravenous catheter served as a stark reminder of his desolate new existence . Despite the images that flashed through his mind like a haunting slideshow of his former freedom, the very presence of the medical incision made his stomach churn. And upon the return of his urge to retch , he placed his hands either side of his head. Not even a breath escaped him before there was a yet another intrusive thought plagued his battered psyche, taunting him. Before he could even reflect on his isolation, his phone rang from his pocket. Not thinking twice, he unlocked the screen and swiped the caller onto speakerphone . Mason's familiar tone filled the frigid air with a palpable warmth. "Hey Ethan , how are you holding up , you have had us all worried , man." Ethan's guilt rose in his stomach , his fingers unsteady as he fumbled with a loose thread on his sleeve, searching for equilibrium . "I've been struggling with it, just trying to process the consequences y'know?". Mason's voice carried a serious inflection as he spoke. "Well, I can stop by tomorrow if you need to talk in person , It's alright Eth, whatever you need ..." . Ethan sighed , gratitude salving his frayed nerves. "Thanks Mace, I need to speak with you in private, and I appreciate you taking the time ." Unfazed by the effort , Mason's reply was like an ice pack on an open wound . "It's no trouble , I have your back, just like always , no matter what , that ain't changing anytime soon, take care of yourself alright?" . Ethan's unsteady sigh flooded his thoughts as he ended the call , alone again in the clinical , bleached linen of the room. Then as he recovered from the effort of speaking , he hauled himself from the stringent bedsheets and reached for his duffel bag , unearthing his jeans and wrangling them over his legs . Pulling on his Nike air forces , left foot first, his head throbbed with an imperceptible feeling of weakness. All he could do was curse under his breath at his deficient new body, unrecognisable and covered in bruises. Free from his entombing hospital gown , he found solace in his own clothing, the worn fabric holding a sense of his identity . His hands dug deeper into his pockets , an absentminded gesture as he searched for a lighter that was no longer there. A nauseating feeling edged over his fingertips as he grasped at the open air, splaying his fingers in desperation, the urge to occupy his hands growing overwhelming. Eventually the unyielding hum of beeping machines and footsteps in the stretching corridors embraced him in slumber, despite his rigid standing position . His spine sought purchase from the wall as he lapsed into a vertical dream, his arms folded across his chest, unable to relax. As his mind drifted to weeks earlier , he was embalmed in the saccharine, yet bitter smell of the highway, dancing in his memories, the essence of summer warming his chest. Like a soft sheen of nostalgia against his skin, the faint July air lingered in his aching body, the feel of a steering wheel secure under his hands. Transported back to the last road trip he had taken with Victor and Mason, leaning out of his Volkswagen Cambriolet, laughing into the mild air of twilight, his muscles finally eased. A smile played on his pale lips, the breeze sighing in his chestnut hair, and the sunlight warming his khaki green eyes. Victor shot a glance of exasperation at Mason from the backseat, frustrated and tearing at the jerky packet. "Hey Mace, what's with you and garbage gas station food . I let you pack the provisions and you bring plastic ." Pelting the unopened wrapper at Mason's earlobe , he elicited a defensive laugh . "Hey , who's a hangry princess , huh? Calm down Vic, we'll feed you pasta and wine later , and give you a bubble bath so your cuticles don't fall out " . Victor sighed with dramatic sarcasm. "How does that even make sense ?" "And I can't even with this song, change the station already, Mace, before my skull caves in" Ethan rolled his eyes at the banter , this eyes fixated on the road "or you could both shut it , driver picks the music anyway. Shotgun gambles with his life if he doesn't shut up. Backseat doesn't exist because he doesn't have to see how stupid he looks in the rear view " he snorted in amusement, flicking the station over to a metal song, with guttural screaming and sighing with satisfaction. "This is so much better than listening to either of you" . "Hey Ethan, you can't drive, you indicated left" . Victor's voice teased from behind, and was met with Mason's howl along to the radio's soul destroying drone . "And you can't sing , shut it Mace" .. The shared, lighthearted camaraderie ignited a sense of hope that hazed out into sudden , harsh flashbacks to the field , of the nanosecond where his focus had slipped, the impact of the ball to his temple , sending his body to the ground. And the scorn of the crowd as he failed to defend the goal, his name being hurled at him in rage and disappointment . The heat of suffocation came rushing through his mind, as Ethan threw his head backwards , his internal screams reverberating through his chest, awakening himself in a clammy sweat. Finding himself against the wall , his back stiff from inertia, he groaned and ran a weary hand over his shoulder. As he registered his surroundings , he slid his hands into his pockets, trudging back over to his bed and then sinking onto the edge. The disconcerting insomnia gnawed at him as he wrapped his arms tightly around his torso and awaited the impending dusk in silence. Ethan's frail chest wracked with erratic coughs as he waited in the parking lot, leaning against the pale azure paintwork of the Cambriolet's gleaming bonnet . Seeing Mason pull up in a beaten down Cadillac sent a wave of relief down his spine, the anticipation masticating his nerves. "Hey, Ethan, you still up for that walk?" Mason asked as he approached, wearing his usual lopsided smirk , overlapsed with a more concerned expression underneath. "Yeah, I'm sure up to it, I just need to be somewhere private, yknow. Away from the bloody dismal place in there" . As Mason took in Ethan's haggard eyes, with their sallow lack of light, he draped a solid arms over his shoulder , joining him against the Cabriolet's bonnet. "What's going on, you don't look well , but I imagine you feel worse in there huh?" . Ethan's slackened nod replied for him, as he gazed upward at the eerie glow of the streetlight, icing his gaze with a distant film. "Mace, I don't even know who I am anymore, honestly I feel so lost " Ethan confessed. Mason , stretching his arm further across Ethan's sunken shoulders , looked up into the street light and sighed. "It's tough , i understand that , but I'm listening , take your time , let's just walk , it's still warm out". Mason reassured him, with patience and empathy in his response. As their footsteps ambled along in sync , they soon came to a bench, deep amber leaves rustling around their ankles as Mason helped ease Ethan down onto the wooden seat. He slid down beside him and waited for Ethan to continue , as he gazed at his boots with avoidance. "I have something important to tell you , and you won't like it" Ethan's voice turned flat and emotionless as he spoke in one breath, scuffing his boots into the asphalt. "The transfusion had some complications, and I sustained serious damage to my kidneys. It's why I look like this , Mason". Leaves stirred around both their feet as Mason leaned forward on his elbows, his gaze filled with sympathy, yet his voice maintained its laid back inflection . I appreciate you opening up to me about this Ethan, and you can stop if you need to. It's peaceful out here and still early. We could go back to the Cabriolet if you miss her already?" A weary smile crept across Ethan's lips , reaching his hollow eyes and warming them with a haunted longing . "Nah I'm feeling worn out , I think I'll stick around here and recover a bit. I can't drive her anyway , but we had some good times in that car... " Mason, letting Ethan sink down against his arm , and leaned back against the bench in reassured Ethan in response "And you'll drive her again , Eth, you know we'll face this together , alright?" As Ethan nodded in silence, the revelation of the diagnosis crawled through Mason's skin, turning his complexion pale as he ran a hand over his face. "You just get some rest for now , I'll take you back to the hospital later tonight." A tranquil moment enveloped them both, as Ethan let his exhausted body fall away into a twilight slumber. With Ethan's sleeping frame against his arm, Mason rested his head in his free hand , disorientation paralysing his trembling knuckles . His eyes strayed off into the foreground, as he felt Ethan stir , his rattled constitution seized with coughing. "Hey, are you alright Eth?" Mason asked, continuing to drape his arm securely around Ethan's shoulder, supporting his upright return from unconsciousness. Ethan's hoarse rasp cut through the milky dusk , as he regained composure, straightening up and yawning . "Yeah, i need medication though, I apologise for passing out on you , Mace, I'm just tired , I haven't been sleeping since I found out..." His eyes , falling back to the comfort of his boots, glistened with tears. Mason interjected , as he gave Ethan a gentle nudge in the ribs ."C'mon, I don't have to spend the night alone in my dorm , watching YouTube and wasting my life,I can hang around till they kick me out . " Pausing and smirking with fatigue Ethan replied lifting his eyes from his clean white boots to meet his friends unwavering stare. "Thanks man, but what are you gonna do in a hospital ward..." . Mason's eye brows raised in mock defence as he threw his hands skyward . "I'll wear the spacesuit like everyone else, get all scrubbed up. No seriously , they'll probably just swab me and I'm in. Then I can annoy you with my problems, about dumb stuff like girls and exams and how I got another parking ticket for backing into a dumpster. And also, I brought food , if those cardboard meals are the reason you look so hungry..". Ethan folded his arms across his chest as he slouched, concealing the growl of his stomach consuming itself. "I'm not all that hungry, but yeah, I wanna hear about all the trouble you have already caused .." The air settled over their bodies as they both shot each other inadvertent grins of misbehaviour. "I'll bet I won't hear the end of latest antics you and Vic have pulled . Well, Vic would be the instigator and you just play along..." " And I won't even ask what Carter has been doing." Mason witnessed the light dancing across Ethan's eyes as he had recognised before, the heartening animation of Ethan's grained , haggard voice carrying its familiar lustre and joy showing him a glimpse of the friend he knew just weeks ago. His voice lowering, Mason dropped his eyes for a moment, taking a long pause as Ethan went silent alongside him. The conversation phased out into a mellow blanket of solace and ease , neither of them moving from the wooden bench that absorbed all their uncertainty of the unknown, placating their fears in its rigid form. "Thanks for tonight , Mace, it's not like I have my folks anymore , or people lining up round the block to see if I'm still breathing" . "Don't apologise , Eth, I get it. If anyone does you know it's me.." . "Yeah , Mace, true that. Ah , look at us" . Ethan's gaze , averting contact, was filled with trepidation, and acknowledgment of how little remained . "Mason, they wouldn't even care if you slept in the corridor , if it's safer than the alternative, you should , alright?." Mason , staring blankly ahead , shrugged in disbelief but didn't flinch at the prospect, his biceps stiffening as he gripped the bench tighter , before swinging an arm over Ethan's shoulder and hoisting him upwards. "Yeah, I won't pass it up, let's get you back for all the observations they probably need to do on you huh?" Ethan sighed , but didn't respond as he let Mason lead him to the Cadillac, his gait dragging with the propensity to collapse at any moment . "Man I just got tired all of a sudden " . "It's OK , Eth, I got you, man"

Are my portrayals of trauma and recovery not handled sensitively?

But I have these conditions myself so I feel I handled them sentsitively?

I didn't think I sensationalized Ethan