Fractures

15 || Family

Chapter 15: Family

He wasn’t breathing.

Why wasn’t he breathing? I asked myself as the sudden fear hit me. I could feel my legs shaking as Angie, Justin, Alex, Jessica and I rushed to catch up with the nurses who’d began taking Ashton out the arena, to an awaiting ambulance.

“How is he?” We all chorused unanimously.

“Stay back, this’s an emergency,” a nurse said, rushing to put on a breathing mask on Ashton.

“Tell me something, is he going to be okay?” I asked, tears battling its way down my eyes.

I couldn’t get an answer before the nurses stepped into the van, driving off with Ashton.

I’d been so lost in the moment until I heard the click of a camera and the blinding light that followed. We all turned to find a crowd of students I assumed where from schools press standing right outside the arena, taking pictures of what had just happened.

Ashton had gotten hurt and they were already thinking of how to make a headline out of this, it sickened me. They saw these boxers as nothing more than commodities.

“That’s enough of that!” Angie, who’d become a bit more verbal, immediately grabbed one of the cameras, pushing it out her face and clearing the path.

There stood Mr Malik, taking out his car keys, a calm expression on his face, almost like a smile. Like his son wasn’t just rushed to the hospital.

“You guys should come, Ashton would need you,” he said to us, opening the doors as the gang rushed in. He stopped me right on my tracks as I made my way to the car. “I think you’ve done enough, Maddison.”

“I don’t care whatever you have against me, I’m going to see him,” I hissed, staring back up at Mr Malik’s frame, feigning bravery.

Mr Malik’s face remained neutral, he casually slipped his hand into his suit pocket, picking out his iPhone. “Your concern for my son is endearing but remember–” he flashed the phone at me. “–You can choose to keep this scholarship or lose it, the choice is just a call away.” He finally turned and made his way back into his BMW once he was sure the threat had settled in.

I stood in that spot as he drove, taking everyone else with him. Both Angie and Jessica threw me a look, sympathy written all over their faces.

I wasn’t going to be pushed around, I didn’t care if he wanted me there or not, Ashton was my boyfriend, he was doing this for me so I needed to be by his side, even if I lost my scholarship.

I sped to my worn down Mercedes, mumbling a silent prayer just to make sure I didn't become road kill when this car inevitably broke down. I quickly sped after Mr Malik.

•••

I hadn’t been able to catch up with Mr Malik. What were you expecting? A worn down old Mercedes which was barely hanging on to life could catch up to a slick BMW that drove so fast, it could put Fast and Furious to shame? Yeah right!

I’d texted Angie and she’d shared the location of Ashton’s hospital, it had taken me another fifteen minutes to finally get there, exhausted and determined to never trust Google maps again.

I stormed into the waiting room, my denim shirt soaked in sweat as I drew in deep breaths. The nurse at the desk stared at me like I was a freak, I probably did look like one.

“Where’s he? Where’s Ashton?” I asked in a fine stream of sentences, barely able to manage my composure. I needed to see Ashton, he had to be alright.