Apartment 311

Ch | 49

Brooklyn Noelle Brankovich

Chapter Forty-nine: "The most platonic way possible"

12:42 AM Noah rushed to the hospital, rolling very stop sign and running through almost every red light. How he didn't get pulled over? I don't know.

My leg shook in the passenger seat as I listened to Gael's failed attempts at waking up their friend. I learned from a phone call to Terrance that AJ is his nephew, so I understood that this was personal to Noah and Gael, too.

Noah and Gael both looked defeated. It was obvious they were in the brawl. Gael, a bloody nose, busted lip, and a scratch. Noah, a bruise under his eye that would probably go away in no time. And I noticed him limping. It was his thigh again, I think. In fact, I remember him limping a few weeks ago.

They hopped out and quickly devised a plan. I jumped out, too, flailing my arms. I wanted to help but no one was telling me anything. Asking questions was annoying, I'm sure, but it's hard not to when you're at a hospital after midnight with an unconscious body in the backseat.

The nurses ran out right away to take AJ inside. Gael rushed along with them and Noah almost did but I pulled his arm. He peeled his hoodie off and gave it to me since I wore next to nothing for work and didn't have a change of clothes.

Noah didn't say a word, just ran inside after the stretcher.

I raided Noah's Hummer to find my things that I thankfully had the right mind to grab from the locker room as soon as the fight broke out.

Courtney sent out a text that I saw on my phone that had ten percent battery left. It read:

After tonight's events, The Playroom will be closed until further notice. Due to the NDAs you all signed, if anyone hears anything you are not to share it. If anyone knows anything about the men who did it, please come forward.

I'm sure Cassie saw it by now, if she's awake, so I called her phone.

"Brooke," she answered, "hey."

"Cassie," I quickly talked, happy she picked up, "I'm at the hospital. Can you come get me?"

I looked around and flinched at every sound, the people and sirens of the ambulances.

"What? Are you okay? What hospital?"

I didn't have time to ask for the address. I shook my head in stress and talked into the dying phone. "I'm fine, it's not me, it's the boys. I'll explain later, I'm sending my location, can you just hurry, please?"

From the background noise I could tell she was getting ready that fast and wasting no time. "Okay," she said, "I'm on my way!"

*

What was once a quiet white waiting room turned into a occupied lobby that hosted a bloody Gael, Noah, and myself.
Because Noah's hoodie was black, he didn't notice the blood that stained it and I didn't either or I wouldn't have put it on, but I had no choice and already wore it long enough.

I looked down around at the boys. Gael's sweats and hoodie were now red, too. And Noah, his light jeans were stained like his white Nike Air Max 720s. His good leg trembled frantically, making me nervous. I put my hand on his knee to stop it but he brushed it off and stood up to pace to the opposite side of the room. I signed and looked over at Gael who wasn't holding up well.