Forlot: The Car on the Side of the Road - Book Forty-Two

Chapter Ten

I flung the door open and scurried down to the vehicle, careful to not trip and fall on my face like a clumsy oaf. I have fallen flat on my face only once - in front of Rick and his brainless friends. How did they ever manage to gain popularity in school? How do nitwits not knowing what a woman is gain any fame and fortune? If you are popular, chances are that you might be a nimrod. Since that I am unpopular, I am a genius. Fine, fine. I am not a genius, but I do possess common sense. You and your friends leaving your girlfriend or boyfriend alone in the middle of the woods at night is certainly not something that a person with common sense would do.

He or she would not continually crawl back towards his or her toxic partner either, Ella. I just could not help it. I had too much of a good nature for my own good. How I wanted to stand up for myself and say that one simple word. N-O. No. No way, Rick. I am not joining you and your friends on some insane trip. In fact, I am breaking up with you. I do not want you to be my boyfriend. You are not yet mature enough to be in a relationship. Until you can put someone's needs above your very own, you will never mature. No ifs, ands, or buts. We are done.

Why am I discussing my struggles when Orion was just shot? Why would a person shoot him? Was it a horrible accident? I needed to watch my back.

I could not put my foot down now. Just like his friends, Orion was pretty much braindead, but he definitely did not deserve to be shot and bleed to death.

"Petra, are...are you positive that Orion got shot?" Rick asked, his voice and body quivering a bit.

She pointed to her ears. "Did you stuff cotton into your ears this morning to avoid listening to Ella's nagging?"

My phone still gripped in my hand, I forced out a sharp breath of air through my nostrils. Why had she thought that it was totally necessary to mention my nonexistent nags when her friend was dying in the car next to us? If he had not already died.

"A loud, popping noise was heard," Petra continued. "If you had parked only inches away from this spot here..." She pointed under the car. "...we would have gone deaf. But Orion might not have been shot then."

Going deaf would not have been a bad thing for them. I know deaf people on the Internet - not personally - way more deserving of hearing and other amazing blessings that Rick and his crew take for granted.

"Where was he shot?" Cash demanded.

"In his chest or his stomach. I do not know exactly. But he slumped right when that popping sounded off. He is not moving. He is not breathing, I believe. His stomach is not going up and down. Somebody must check him."

"I will call the hospital," I said, opening the phone icon.

Gage clutched my arm and tugged me to the backseats. "Check Orion, Ella. Please."

My phone nearly fell out of my hand. "Why must I have to check? Why not you or somebody else instead of just standing around and panicking like idiots?"

I called them idiots. This felt really good. It cheered me up a little.

"You are the only person in our group with a cool head. You will be able to see if Orion has kicked the bucket."

I grunted as I jerked my arm free. "Do not grab me like that again, or I will slap out your brain." I showed Gage my thumb and pointer finger an inch apart. "Your little brain."

How can I throw insults, but not grow a backbone?

Cash pushed me closer towards the back. "Not the time for the jokes, Ella. An innocent man's life is hanging by a single thread."

Innocent, yes. Man, no. Also, how come I cannot speak truth about Gage's brain yet Petra can happily lie about me nagging? 'Cause I would not be popular if I was not Rick's girlfriend? I smelled a double standard.

"Do not push me! I will kick you in the family jewels!"

Ignoring me, Cash gave me one more rough shove. I let out a startled shout as I was sent flying into the back of the car. My long hair flung over my face. Despite falling on the cushion seats, pain stabbed my belly and spread through my body.

"Sit up," Petra ordered.

I slowly did and rubbed the area on my stomach where the pain started. "Thanks for pushing me in against my will and hurting me, Cash. Jeez."

Petra crawled in, followed by Carrie and Mavis.

"You decided to help me check Orion?"

Orion was slumped next to the window, his head on his shoulder and his hands in his lap. His stomach was not moving up and down. Was I sitting next to his corpse?

I was closest to him - by force. I had to check his status. I stretched two fingers to his neck.

"Alright, Orion," Petra said. "You can cut the act."

"'Act'?"

Orion straightened up and laid his hands on his thighs. He grinned.

"You are alive." I looked at the three girls. Then back at him. "What is going on here? Petra told us that you got shot."

Mavis, sitting at the other end, slammed the door shut. "All set, Rick!"

"Set for what?"

"Glad that you could join us, Ella," Orion said.

"Let me out!" I leaped on the girls' laps and reached for the door. "I do not wanna go anywhere with you!"

The girls grabbed my upper body and dragged me back to my seat. Then Orion buckled me in and pushed open his door for Cash.

"You tricked me! You are all sick!"