Aria's Story

~ Chapter 16 ~

"Aria," Chris says as I answer the phone. We haven't spoken since he yelled at me for basically ruining Reagan's life, which was almost a month ago. I haven't talked to either of them since then. I guess it was my fault because I wasn't exactly the good sister in the family and I don't do good with talking to people after we have fought about something. I barely spoke to anyone at that time so that could be another reason why I never made an effort to call them. "I need to tell you something. It's an emergency."

I sit up on my bed and listen more clearly, making sure I can hear everything he's about to tell me. The way his voice sounded made me feel like this was something I didn't want to hear and I knew from what his voice sounded like that this was such a huge emergency. "I'm here, I'm here. Tell me."

"It's about Reagan," He starts with, and I can tell he's on the verge of crying, "She was driving to school this morning with some of her friends. She was paying attention and everything but she ran through a red light and a car was coming her way when that happened. The car smashed right into her side of the car and the car kinda got destroyed, real badly."

"Oh my," I say, trying to comprehend everything he just said. "Are all of them okay? Is she okay?"

He stays quiet for a second, not saying anything and barely making any noises. I could still hear him whimper in the background but now it's gotten to the point that he was full on crying, and that broke my heart. I look down and for minute I thought I was going to cry but then I heard him make a noise and I had to decide to be strong at this moment. "Hey, hey, it's okay."

I can hear him take a huge deep breath and then he sighs before talking again, "I know you probably hate me right now because of everything that happened almost a month ago but it would mean a lot to me if you could come here. You can even bring Hunter and Nicole if you want. I just really need someone here," He stops, and I can feel his pain and what he's feeling right now, and it's so deep that it literally breaks my heart to hear him in this much pain. "Reagan and her friends are still in hospital and I haven't heard anything yet. Please come, I need you."

I knew no matter what I was feeling at the time towards him, angry, sad, I had to go and see him and be there with him through this difficult time. "I'm coming, okay? I'll be there as soon as I can." I tell him as I try my best not to cry.

"Thank you," He pauses, and I look towards the door to see someone opening it. I see Hunter walk in and I give him a weak smile before focusing back on my brother. "I love you, Aria. I'll see you when you get here."

"I love you too. I'll see you then." And with that, we both hang up the phone and get back to our normal every day life. Hunter comes towards me and gives me a peck on the lips and a quick hug before asking me what that was about. Taking in my face and the tears that were still on my face, he knew something bad had happened. So I told him, everything.

~~

Hunter and I were already on the road, heading to the highway, half an hour after the call with my brother. Chris and I have been texting back and forth since then; him asking me how far we are from where he is and asking me how I'm feeling at the moment. He's been at the hospital since he found out what happened with Reagan and he's so scared that it's starting to really worry me but then again, I understand what he's feeling right now.

I can see cars passing by us as we drive in a straight line through the middle of the highway on at least above the speed limit at 55. I sit back in the seat in the car and watch as people in the back seats of other cars look over and give me a slight smile. I smile back at them and notice that some people know when others are hurting and they generally want to help them, and sometimes a smile can help so much.

As we reach New Haven, Connecticut, we search for the hospital all of them are waiting at. We walk through the entrance when we finally get there almost half an hour later. I spot Chris sitting down in the waiting room near some of his friends, looking completely exhausted and scared. He looks over towards me and smiles when he notices me. "Oh my god, Aria!" I don't have much time to process what comes next because he came running towards me and gives me a huge hug before releases me and telling me what's been going on since he's been here.

He admits he shouldn't have let her drive to school in the kind of weather they were having in the morning. He said it  was snowing and the roads where pretty much covered in ice. He's blaming himself for everything that had happened to Reagan and her friends and none of that is his fault. It's her fault and the other driver's fault. She shouldn't have ran that red light and the other driver should have stopped when he saw Reagan crossing. It's both of their faults, sadly. I wish this wasn't happening but it is and I have to be strong and I have to be here, in such a frightening situation that could leave more depressed or it could leave me with the feeling of happiness that my sister was okay. 

At this point, I have no clue what's going to happen but I hope my sister and her friends are going to end up okay and alive. Reagan's way too young to leave the world and I guess thinking this way made me realize that I was also too young to die. Nobody deserves to die this young and I just hope with everything in me that her and her friends are okay and are going to be okay.

I look over at Hunter and wave him over, "Chris, do you remember him?"

"Ah," He pulls Hunter into a hug and does a handshake they used to do when we were in middle school and when Chris still lived at home. "Hunter, my mam," Hunter smiles at him and gives him a sweet and supportive look before wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. "How've you been? And how have you been treating my little sister?"

He chuckles at that and says, "I've been treating your little sister very good. It's been rough lately but there's nothing we can't handle together. I've been okay but the important question is; how are you doing?"

Chris sighs, looking down, "I'm doing a lot better than I was before," I see Hunter nod his head and he pulls Chris in a tight hug before I notice Chris about to talk again, "I'm doing my best. I'm glad you two are here though."

We all circle around once another and get a group hug before walking back over to the waiting room. We sit right by each other and I smile, knowing that something could easily bring us all together, even if that something could end up leaving all of us hurt and confused. I lean my head on Hunter's shoulder and relax.

We all stayed quiet throughout the whole time we were waiting for some answers, none of us really knew what to say at a time like this. We saw the door open and a doctor came out. She looks around the waiting room and calls out, "May I see the family of Reagan McAndrews?" Chris and I stand up and grabs my hand in support while we walk up to the nurse.

"I'm her brother, and this is our sister. Our parents are out of town so they couldn't make it." He says to her as he asks her to continue on with what she came out to say to us.

"All of the people in both of the cars were injured in a way, some more than others," She looks at us sympathetically and frowns at us before continuing, "Reagan was one of the unlucky ones," When she says that, it was like everything went into slow motion and I suddenly had problems with my breathing. "Reagan didn't make it through the car accident and there was nothing we could do. I'm so sorry."

The pain that I was feeling at this time was so much and it hurt to just cry. Chris starts sobbing as he grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me in a hug, sobbing into my chest. I start crying and lean into him, staying as close to him as possible. Hunter and Chris's friends comes over to us, noticing what was happening. "She's gone, you guys." Chris explains to them, trying his best to keep his voice from cracking but failing. Chris's friends pull him into a hug before walking off and leaving the building. Hunter looks over at me with so much sympathy and concern that it makes me want to look away and cry. I can feel the tears slip down my face, and as the minute passes by, I burst into tears. That was when Hunter pulls me into a hug, not saying anything. He just hugs me and that was enough.

I don't know what's going to happen but I knew one thing for sure; nothing was ever going to be the same again, and that was something that scared me so much.