Path to Deciduous (Sequel to Road to Evergreen) | #Wattys2018

t h r e e

Songs for this chapter:
All I Want - Kodaline
Somewhere Only We Know - Keane

****
Adam's P.O.V

The sound of sirens fill my ears.

I grip the steering wheel harder, my blood running cold, as I turn the car into the parking lot at Jackie's.

"What the hell happened here?" Spencer asks. I instantly jerk the car door open and get out.

People are gathered around as police officers try to back them away. Two ambulances are parked and a body is moved upon a trolly. My throat turns dry. I grip the car door trying to hold myself still. Her chocolate brown hair cascades down and my heart fails to function.

"Lesley!" I scream at the top of my lungs and sprint toward her. A police officer tries to hold me back but I whip him away and grip the edges of the trolley, feeling the coldness of the metal. Two pramedics say something to me but I can't comprehed anything. Her hazel eyes are closed and what I feared the most came.

"How is she?" I bark toward the paramedics, wild eyes. They take a moment to look at each other but then the girl finally speaks. "She's shot in the shoulder. She lost a lot of blood and we need to take her to the hospital. So please step aside so we can do our job."

I nod and take few steps backward and watch as they lift the trolley up and in the ambulance. "I'm coming with you," I say and sprint inside in time before they close the door in seconds.

The paramedic instructs me to sit on the side and I follow. She notices my lost eyes of what to do and she offers a weak smile. "Hold her hand. She needs you."

I slowly reach out for her hand that is laying beside her, too afraid to feel the touch. But when I finally do, my heart jumps from it's place as I feel the warmth of it. I grab it and immediately wrap both of my palms on hers and place it on my lips, kissing it repeatedly. I can't make the tears stop and all my regrets about when I didn't see her when I could have, keep jumping out at me making me feel guilty.

"I'm so sorry," I sob as I tighten my grip on her hand.

"You're going to okay. You're going to be okay. I promise," I say and bury myself in her neck, inhaling her scent. Goosebumps rise on my arms as I hold on to this beautiful familiarity.

"No one can deprive me from you. No one," I repeat.

I wait for a sign of movement but there's nothing. She isn't moving. Deep down, I know who did this to her, who has motives that are crystal clear. And I will let him pay.

"We arrived." I flick my eyes open as I watch the two paramedics get down and pull the trolley to the concrete. I jump out of the car, hold her hand and run with them inside.

"What happened?" Someone asks. I look at her for the first time, like really look at her. Her skin is so pale and her lips are blue. I squeeze her hand tighter, assuring her in some way that I'm here.

"You need to wait here." The girl instructs. I kiss her hand one last time and let go. But I instantly regret it as my hand has a missing ache waiting to be filled yet again.

A nurse emerges seconds later and tells me she's in the ER, undergoing surgery. All I can do now is wait. I sit in the waiting room as my phone starts buzzing in my pocket. I dig it out and answer, without bothering to check the caller ID.

"Adam, where's my daughter?" Her voice comes out shaky. I lean forward and cover my mouth. How am I supposed to tell her?

"Adam, answer me!" She demands as if her heart already knows what happened. I run my hand through my hair, pulling hard on it.

"She's in the hospital," I blurt out.

I hear a gasp followed by a sob. And I immediately regret the moment I told her.

****
Spencer's P.O.V

I watch the ambulance drive away as I'm standing between the crowd, too confused to take what just happened in.

They say she's been shot. But the question behind all of this is who? Who would do such thing? And why? Why would someone shoot Lesley?

I search my surroundings in order to try to get a better look of the crime scene. My eyes widen as I watch Riley get in a police car. His hands are pulled back and cuffed while he bends his head down and gets in.

My heart beats accelerates.

"Riley?" My voice comes out as a whisper. "Riley!" I yell. His eyes flick in my direction as his face turns blank. He looks away directly as if he's ashamed. As if he was the one who actually shot her. No.

I want to go after him but my legs are buried in the floor. Instead, I rub my chin hard, trying to think of something else. Before I break my jaw, I make my way through the crowd but only to be stopped back by a police officer. His orders come faintly in the background as I watch Riley behind the glass, his head bent low.

"Look at me you coward!" I scream. He doesn't. I turn and walk away, my legs stomping on the floor. What the hell did he do?

The last time I spoke to him was two days ago and now he's taken for investigation. And out of all the places in the world, what was he doing here in particular?

He didn't like Lesley at first and was totally against my friendship with her. She eventually grew on him and he seemed to be the one interested with her life. But that isn't a motive to do such thing. Wait. Why am I thinking like that? Riley would never shot Lesley, practically killing her. He wouldn't do such thing. I shake those ideas from my head.

You know him, Spencer. You know who he is. Don't doubt that. But do I really? Because after this, I'm assuming there's much more to this story that I don't know of. And Riley is doing a darn good job hiding it.

I get in the car, grateful that Adam left the keys in. I debate whether to follow the police car or the ambulance. Would they even let me see him?

Am I even ready for the truth behind it? I always thought of him as an honest person. And I'm not ready for that image to be wiped away by some rumors flying around.

I turn the ignition on and make my way to the hospital.