BROKEN/ ROSE

CHAPTER 20

Our exams are coming up in a weeks' time and I've spent every afternoon in my room going through my books and solving exercises. I was sprawled on my bed tired of getting formulas into my head so I went down the stairs. I needed to get out and get some fresh air. The boys were downstairs watching tv.

"hey, guys I'm going for a walk, be back in 30" I told them.

"k, stay safe" Ivan called. I grabbed my boots and walked out. The weather was warm surprisingly. I started to walk, didn't plan on going far though, I just needed to clear my head. I don't know how far I'd walked but the sun was setting and the roads where becoming deserted. I turned and started walking back home, I heard a shrill voice behind me and I froze.

"it's been long, Hazel" it said. Slowly I turned and my eyes met that of my stalker. He was a taller man, with brown hair and green eyes. It was Chuck, James' best friend.

My feet stuck to the ground, I was shivering even though the weather was hot. I watched slowly as he pulled out a gun from his back pocket and pointed it at me. I was still too shocked to move. He's hand came nearer to the trigger but as he pulled it I heard someone yell my name and I was pushed to the ground. That snapped me out of my daze and I looked into a familiar pair of eyes, Dylan's.

"What're you doing here?" I quickly asked, before he could answer 2 shots rang in the air just above us. He pulled me up and we darted into the alley. We didn't speak to each other because Chuck's footsteps were right behind ours. The sun had set so it was pretty difficult to see where I was going. We took a quick turn left and hid behind a small bush. Chuck came right in front of us and stopped. I felt my heart stop. He looked around for a bit then ran forward. I slumped unto the ground, Dylan beside me.

"who's that?" he asked panting.

"Chuck, you have to leave" I told him. He looked at me like I was insane. I wasn't going to let  Chuck kill Dylan because of me.

"are you crazy? I can't leave you with that psychopath, in the middle of nowhere" he almost screamed. I hushed him.

"and why won't you?"

"because I like you, hazel ever since you came here, it'll kill me to let that guy kill you" he replied. I heard the bush rustle behind us. We both went silent, then I saw Chuck's figure emerge slowly. We both stood up and started to run again.

"Dylan, you have to leave now" I yelled at him.

"no. hazel, I'm not going" he replied. This guy is so stubborn. We heard gunshots and a piercing cry. Dylan dropped to the floor. He was shot in the arm. He grasped the arm and groaned loudly. I yelled his name and knelt beside him. He was bleeding. I didn't notice when tears started to leave my eyes, I was crying.

"go hazel, run away" I heard him whisper faintly. I was scared I'll lose him.

"Dylan hold on please, don't die please" I said crying. I heard gunshots again, then I was pushed to the ground, Simon towered over me. I stood up and continued to run, but he soon caught me. His hands around my neck and the gun placed on my head.

"finally, this is my revenge hazel, you'll soon be dead" he said. I knocked his jaw with my head and used the heel of my boot to knock him down. The gun fell out of his hand, I reached for it and threw it further into the darkness. I managed to get up but soon he got me again, one hand over my face and the other around my neck. I screamed as his nails dug into my face. I stepped on his leg, he yelped and stumbled. Slowly he fell down and knocked his head against a rock and soon passed out.

I ran back to Dylan. I checked his pulse first. He had pulse, at least he wasn't dead. I tore my shirt at the bottom and used it to tie his wound. Then I helped him get up, he was so weak and could barely stand but managed to carry his whole weight. With his arm around my shoulder and my arm at his lower back, we started to walk home.

Alan p.o.v

It's been almost an hour since hazel left, I don't think the others noticed because they were still so concentrated on what they were doing. After about two hours I knew something was wrong.

"where's hazel? "Ivan finally asked. They all stopped what they were doing and glanced at each other.

"how long has she been gone?" Simon asked. I van looked at his phone and gasped.

"she's been gone nearly 3 hours" he announced. Everyone stood up and started to get their shoes and coats. Then we heard a knock on the door. We all ran to check who it was. I wasn't prepared for the sight in front of me. Hazel was soaked in blood with an almost unconscious Dylan leaning over her bleeding from the wound on his arm. We all froze our feet stuck to the ground. She walked past us carefully and took Dylan to the couch and laid him there. I just looked at her work, she the strongest person I know.

Hazel p.o.v

I laid Dylan on the couch carefully and ran to the kitchen for the first aid box and some hot water and towels. My brothers were all standing watching me, I could tell they were still in shock.

"Dylan seat up" I told him. I grabbed a towel, put it in the hot water and started to clean around the wound. He was squirming trying to get out of my hold but I held him tight.

"it hurts, stop" he yelled at me.

"it won't hurt much if you stay still" I replied still holding him tight and cleaning the blood out.

"this wouldn't have happened if you had just stopped arguing with me" Dylan replied clearly annoyed. Was he blaming me? Is he insane?

"excuse me? If you had just left like I told you to you never would have been shot" he managed to seat up and looked me straight in the eye.

"you wanted me to leave you with that psychopath waltzing around with a gun" he yelled at me.

"he's not a psychopath, he knew exactly why he came, that guy shoots ranges, there was no way he could have missed if he aimed for your heart" I was boiling in anger. This was the not the first time I'm seeing the stubborn side of Dylan.

"why would somebody be after you? Why would a sane person just leave his house and come to hunt you down?" he asked standing up now and glaring down at me.

"you don't understand" I exclaimed. I could be stubborn when I felt like.

"then explain it to me, hazel"

I looked him straight in the eye "I don't need another person dying because of me" I yelled before storming out of the room. He could clean his wounds for all I care.

Dylan p.o.v

I watched hazel as she stormed out of the room. It's pretty shocking that she expects me to just walk away when she's in trouble but what does she mean by she doesn't want any other person dying because of her and who was that guy?

"Dylan, seat down let me see your wound" it was Alan that spoke, I didn't even notice them there until now. I sat down quietly.

"you have to tell us what happened" Ivan said. I explained them everything that had transpired while Alan cleaned my wound carefully.

"Chuck? She's never spoken of anyone like that" Alan said finally. "let's call the police to pick him up, I just hope he's still unconscious" Ivan and Alan left whispering among themselves. The others stared at me.

"thanks man, for saving my sister" dale said and I smiled up at him.

Hazel p.o.v

I can't believe I just said that. I gave Dylan a hint about what happened in the past. My mind was fuzzy and I was too tired to think. I collapsed on my bed and soon I fell deep into the pit of sleep.

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