Charming In Handcuffs

Chapter 30: Who Are We Talking About?

-Juliet-

"Juliet!" James burst in my room.

I sat up in my bed and rubbed my eyes, "What?" I groaned and squinted at him through sleepy eyes.

"There's an ambulance next door."

My eyes were opened now. I scrambled out of bed and ran, bumping into James in the process, "What's wrong?" I flung the door open and I heard James behind me.

"It's Jack."

And everything fell and crashed all at once.

No.

The ambulance was loading the gurney into the back of the van and Jack's parent's stood behind it. His mom was in tears and his dad also. My chest tightened with fear and anxiety as I neared his parent's. "What happened?" I rushed, putting a hand to my chest to calm my breathing, but that wasn't going to work.

Marie turned her face into Jack Sr.'s chest and sobbed.

Jack Sr. sniffled and spoke, "We don't know. Marie came out here and found him unconscious surrounded by his own blood." He choked on the last part.

My hand flew to my mouth and I choked on a sob. James was behind me with a hand on my shoulder. I dropped my hand so I could talk, "Is he...okay?"

"He was barely breathing when she found him." He took a deep breath, "We're heading to the hospital now, and you can meet us there."

I nodded and they walked away. They quickly got into their car and took off after the ambulance. I could still hear the sirens echoing through the neighborhood as they drove farther and farther away.

I shrugged James's hand from my shoulder and ran to my house. I ran back upstairs and I could still hear James following behind. I pulled open one of my drawers and plucked out a pair of sweatpants and went to my closet for a t-shirt.

My hands were shaking so bad and a sob escaped my throat.

"Juliet." James was standing in my doorway now.

I covered my mouth before another sob could come out and my knees collapsed. James's arm was around my waist before I could fall to the ground. "It's going to be okay." James assured in a fragile whisper.

I clutched his shirt and let out a cry.

Everything was hurting. It felt like a bad dream. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to go back to school in the fall and live the rest of his life how he wanted. He was on the right path and now it's being taken away from him. "I can't lose him." I sobbed, "I can't...lose...him." I repeated and hiccuped.

"I'll take you to the hospital." James continued using a soft tone, "It's going to be fine, okay? He's going to get out of this and...you guys can be together."

I squeezed my eyes closed, thinking maybe this will tear me away from this nightmare that seemed to follow me when I opened my eyes. But when I opened my eyes, James was staring at me. His eyes were dark and full of worry, "Could you?"

He nodded and lifted me up from the floor. He sat my feet on the ground but kept an arm around my waist, "Are you okay?"

"No." I answered honestly. "I'll get dressed and meet you downstairs."

He didn't say anything and left.

I quickly changed out of my pajamas and into the clothes I had picked out. I threw my hair into a ponytail as I ran down the stairs and found James standing next to the front door. He opened it the second he saw me and I ran out. We decided to take his car instead of my grandparents' car.