"Karl, are you alright?" || Karl Jacobs angst || high school au

Chapter 16

Karl POV

What on earth was everyone talking about—?

And why am I here?

I stared at my hands. Anxiety welling up inside of me. I could feel the nervous energy bubbling up inside of me.

It spread to my fingertips as I picked at my nails, not noticing the red liquid seeping out.

I could hear talking outside of the room, and a nurse was doing something in the corner.

My fingers started to hurt, and were bleeding more.

I couldn't pull my eyes off my hands, but I wasn't really looking at anything. I was too focused on "why?" to see.

I heard someone walk in the room.

I silently prayed that it was Darryl, hoping to not have to talk to one of the other guys.

Especially not the one who always wears a beanie. That guy is scary.

I honestly think he hates me or something. I've only seen him in here a couple of times though.

Everytime he looks at me, he has a look of...guilt and anger?

I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but I know the look isn't a good one...

Who knows how long until the nurses stop watching, and the looks turn into punches?

The footsteps of whoever was by the door got closer, until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"You're bleeding," they said.

I blinked a few times. Oh...

Looking up, I saw the boy with the with white bandana, staring at me with concerned amber eyes.

He told me his name was Nick earlier, after the angry beenie guy left.

From what Darrel had told me, Nick had carried me out of the fire, and saved my life.

I didn't want to believe that that had happened, but after seeing the burns on his arms, as well as mine, I couldn't deny it.

How I had gotten into the fire, I don't remember, but all I knew is I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to pull myself into a flashback of...my parents.

MY PARENTS—

I shook out of my thoughts, looking away from Nick, and back to the white covers.

I flung them off of me, desperately trying to get out of the bed.

They were going to kill me. I was actually going to die.

"Woah! Where are you going?" Nick frantically asked, grabbing my arm.

I yelped, as he touched one of the burns.

"S-stop! D-don't hurt me—" I pleaded, tears flowing to my eyes.

Images of my parents flooded past my eyes. I shut them quickly, trying to get out of Nick's grip.

Even with my eyes closed, I could still see them. I could hear them too.

A glass bottle broke behind me. My parents were here...

Breathing was getting harder. In fact, almost impossible.

"Karl, I know you're there..." my father said as he walked slowly to my room.

Using my arm that Nick wasn't holding onto, I reached a hand towards my throat.

I put a hand over my mouth as I sobbed, trying to muffle the sounds as much as possible.

"Karl... there you are—"

"Karl! Listen to me!" Nick yelled desperately.

"Oh Karl, should have listened to me when I first asked," my dad said, grabbing onto me.

He held my close, almost choking me.

Sobs racked my body as I desperately tried to get out of Nick's grip.

He wouldn't let go though...

The burn on my arm was getting really painful with Nick's grip tightening.

"Karl, you're going to pay," he said, holding his lighter closer to my skin. The flames burned my arm.

I screamed, trying to get out of his grip.

"ALEX!" Nick yelled desperately out the door.

A muffled voice that sounded like it said: "no Nick, he doesn't need me anymore," could be heard from out the door.

"Please Alex, he's having another flashback, and won't stop mumbling about his parents—"

A pause, then Alex came running in. Sure, he had mixed feelings about the situation, but he would always care for his friend.

Banging pounded in the background as the front door was knocked on.

"Karl, can you hear me?" Alex asked quietly.

"MR. AND MRS. JACOBS! I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME!" Mrs. Bianca the neighbor yelled from the door.

"Karl please, just listen to what I say," Alex pleaded.

"YOU BETTER BE LISTENING TO WHAT I SAY, BECAUSE I WILL BE CALLING THE POLICE IF YOU DONT QUIET DOWN!" The old woman complained.

Alex carefully lifted Nick's arm from the boy, and held his hand instead.

My dad let go in frustration, so he could go reassure the woman. I held my hand to the wall to stop from falling .

"Listen to my breathing okay?" Alex tried. He moved his hand down, held the boy's hand to his chest.

I stumbled slightly, my hand moving off the wall briefly. I was able to catch myself just in time.

Alex began to breathe in and out, exaggerating all his breaths.

I could hear my dads footsteps pounding up the stairs, almost like a heartbeat.

I could hear someone's breathing as well...and a quiet voice telling me I wasn't there, and I was real.

What?

"Please Karl, just open your eyes for a moment."

Open my eyes? But they weren't closed...

"Just try...please," Alex pleaded.

I can try, but it won't do anything...

I opened my eyes slowly. I blinked a few times. The voice was right... I wasn't there, I was in the hospital...

...holding the angry beenie guy's hand, as he reassured me that I wasn't there.

"Karl, can you hear me?" Alex I believe was his name said.

"Y-Yeah..." I stuttered out.

Did he really just save me?

"Karl it's alright, your parents can't hurt you anymore," Nick said from beside me.

What? What did they mean? Did they...know?

"Karl, you told us about a week ago..." Alex said, still sad about the whole memory thing.

I did?

+++++

GUYS IM SO SORRY I DIED—

this is my fav chapter so far<3

Love u guys!