DENIAL

23

I never got an Uber so fast in my life. I was practically holding my breath the entire time until I got to the hospital. I was on the phone with Hayden the entire time, giving me updates about his condition and how severe it is.

He had severe head trauma, bad spinal cord injuries, multiple fractures, and internal organ damage.

Hayden said that the doctors couldn't determine anything else as it is a trauma hospital and they can't disclose anything else until after they've started working on the patient.

They had to ask Jamie and Hayden a bunch questions about Leighton and what happened so Hayden had to hang up, but I was already outside when he did.

Luckily for me, I arrived at the exact same time his parents and their 15 security guards did.

"What happened?" Erik Valak asks his children in his usual stern and strict manner.

Mia's eyes are looking out of her eye socket with how wide they are with horror, Jamie's holding her with Hayden on the side of them, still talking to the doctors.

Alec is accompanied by his same blonde hair friend from the dinner, his face expressionless.

"I-I.. I don't know." I'd never heard Mia's voice shake before. She's the definition of unshakeable. It's completely unreal seeing her so shattered.

But of course she is.

It's the most human thing in the world to be so afraid for someone else. Not knowing if a person you love will live or die.

I've been pushing back my tears for a while even though everything in me wants to collapse onto the floor and wither away in my sorrows.

I can't.

I have to be strong— if not for myself than for Mia and Alec and everyone else.

"How do you not—" Mr. Valak seems to stop himself from saying anything else. His eyes are ones of anger and sadness.

He almost seems surprised to be saddened by the fact his son is in the hospital, in surgery as we speak.

He gives a sympathetic look to Mia before rubbing her arm in slight reassurance before him and Mrs. Valak go off to talk to the doctors just as Hayden gets finished.

"Alea." He sighs out of relief as he greets me with a much-needed hug. It takes everything in me not to collapse into his arms.

"I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too." I smile, a dull smile.

"You should sit down, Mia." Jamie suggests, moving her to a sit in the waiting. The waiting room where you wait and see if the person you love lived or died during surgery, or has to live with some horrible deflect from some complication made.

I never had the luxury to have to sit in one of those. Fortunately for me, both times they were dead on the scene.

"Alec, how are you holding up?" I ask approaching him and the blonde. He hasn't said anything this entire time nor can I make up his expression.