Locker Love

What Happened?

The next day at school I was looking forward to seeing River, as well as Amy and Chris, so I hung around my locker for a while expecting him to show up as he usually does. It was 2 minutes until class started and there was still no sign of him. He must just be running late, I thought to myself but after first period he still wasn't there. I texted him asking if he was ok. I had just seen him last night and he didn't seem sick. I walked into 2nd period and made eye contact with Chris who looked at me sadly. I walked over to him, which earned me a few odd looks but Chris didn't seem to notice, he had a laser like focus on me.

"Lila, are you okay?" His tone was so concerned that I felt a nervous tightening in my chest and stomach.

"Yes, I'm fine, what's wrong?" His expression changed from concern to shock and sadness

"Oh god, you haven't heard...."

"Haven't heard what?" My voice broke slightly, I was desperate to know and fearing the worse

"It's River, he crashed his car, his in the hospital Lila" His face was back to concern and he went to grab my hand to comfort me but I quickly turned and ran out of the class. Chris was running after me in a second and I saw Amy running towards my class, tears streaming down her face.
"We have to leave, like now!" I told them and saw they were both nodding in agreement. As we ran towards Chris's car the loudspeaker turned on, announcing that classes had been suspended for the day due to the tragedy.

We were sitting in the car driving to the hospital in silence. So many thoughts were running through my mind and I felt like the slowest runner in the race because I just couldn't keep up with them all. I was terrified of him dying and confused on how this had happened or why it happened to him? I wasn't crying like Amy, maybe part of it was shock but I think I was overwhelmed by a feeling of determination to see him. I just needed to know he was ok. I couldn't lose him.

I pretty much leapt out of the car before it had even stopped, I ran into emergency and asked to see him. The receptionist moved in slow motion, tapping away at her keyboard with no urgency at all, as if my distress was of no concern to her. I was furious at her which I knew was completely irrational but I couldn't have cared less at that point, there was only one person who I cared about right now.

"He's currently in surgery, there is a separate waiting room on the 4th floor..." I don't know if she was planning on saying anything else but she didn't get the chance. Chris and Amy had just joined me and were running after me yet again as I desperately searched for the stairs. I bounded up them, adrenaline pumping through me. I knew I would just have to wait but I wanted to be as close to him as possible. When I found the waiting room it was full of nervous, sad, sobbing people and I froze. Chris and Amy bumped into the back of me and guided me to some chairs where I sat confused at my lack of tears. I felt this raw sadness and pain but I wasn't crying. I was envious of Amy's sobbing which I know is ridiculous but I couldn't help it. An older man came over to us and when I looked up at his face I realised it was River's dad. The resemblance was in the green eyes, except his looked dead and bloodshot.

"Are you guy's friends of River's?" He asked us with a weak, breaking voice.

"Yes, is he ok?" I responded.

"It was pretty bad...I don't really remember...he's in surgery." His sentences were coming out choppy as if he had lost all ability to form coherent thoughts in his distress. I understood completely and didn't push him any further.

"Would you like to sit with us?" I wasn't sure where my calm composure was coming from but my voice did not reflect my internal emotions at all.

"Thank you" He made eye contact with me and I could feel my heart breaking for him. He must have been terrified here all alone. I assumed River had no other family nearby and in that moment sitting next to River's dad with my two other friends, I felt like his family.That was when it hit me and I realised how desperately I wanted to be with him. I looked up and saw a surgeon walk in and make eye contact with River's dad. We all rose and walked over, my heart was pounding in my chest and that nervous tightening from before was so extreme I felt nauseous and constricted. I moved as if I was on auto-pilot and I tried to judge from the surgeons expression what had happened but his poker face was unreadable. We stopped in front of him and he began to speak.

A/N: I know it's short but so much happened and what a bad cliffhanger, please don't kill me. I promise a new update soon!