-HIATUS- ᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇᴍ - ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀᴡᴛʜᴏʀɴᴇ ʟᴇɢᴀᴄʏ (ꜱᴇQᴜᴇʟ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɢʀᴀᴍʙꜱ?) -HIATUS-

Chapter 44

I can't think.

I can't breathe.

The pain spread around my body.

I feel numb all over.

I can see the darkness of the sky and blurry figures as they lean over me.

I can hear muffled sounds as the sound of gunshots rings in my ears.

I close my eyes tightly as a sharp pain stings my arm.

The shock of the moment starts to calm down as the ringing quietens.

Slowly the feeling of dizziness, and panic clears.

It is still there.

I can make out the sky.

The people around me.

I can make out his face. 

The face of the one who carries me.

He's okay.

Grayson is okay.

There are others as well

I breathe through my teeth.

Slowly I focus my eyes on the boy who leans over me.

I try to move but he blocks me.

He holds my body down and covers my arm with a cloth.

Oren leans over me now, a phone in his hand.

Putting it away he moves his hands on my body.

He moves away after nodding and the medic moves.

Injecting me he pulls out a needle.

They're going to stitch me up.

It doesn't even hurt.

I still feel it though.

My mind is aware it is there.

---

The soft covers of the bed are luxurious in my current state. My consciousness returns in layers, and worst of all the numbness in my body. It reminds me of everything that had happened whenever what happened- I can barely think but I let my eyelids flutter as I tried to open them. My eyes hurt in the light of the room and a cold hand squeezed mine. 

"Amber? Can you hear me?" A voice asked and I barely heard it. "Please," The voice choked and it was followed by a sob. That brought me back and I opened my eyes. The room was just blobs of color. "Amber! You're awake!" I turned my head to look at Avery and she looked at me with puffy red eyes. Her tears were coming down in streams.

"Hey," I call out softly. "Avery, I'm fine. Don't cry," I ordered, and sniffling she wiped her tears with her sleeve and took out her phone. "I'm fine." I said it more to myself than to her but I wasn't convinced and neither was Avery.

"Are you sure?" she asks sitting on the side of my bed. "It looked really bad. You were lucky though." How could I be lucky?

"Lucky?" I ask and she nods.

"The bullet skimmed you- Well- It wasn't in you. So we didn't have to take anything out but- It went through the side- There was a lot of blood," she shuddered with wide eyes as she replayed those terrifying moments in her head. "You don't know how lucky you were," she says. Lucky? Sure I escaped death but why was a gun pointed at me already anyways? Why was someone ready to abduct me? Why were people willing to kill me?  All of those things aren't considered lucky. Everyone watched her take the bullet. What do they think? How is Grayson?

"Grayson," I say his name, and Avery's expression drops. Dread fills my body as my mind is flooded with scenarios. Did something happen to him? Let's not skip to conclusions... Avery began typing on her phone and put it away. Texting someone? "Is- he okay?" 

"Physically he was fine," Avery adds emphasis on the word 'was' and looks away from me. "Mentally never, and now it is worse."

"What do you mean he was fine?! What happened? I need to-" I panic and try to get up but a sharp pain fills my arm and I let out a cry of pain. Falling back down Avery stares me down with panic in her eyes. 

"Amber?!" She asked panicked and I gave her a weak smile.

"I'm fine. Really. I just shouldn't have done that- What happened to him?"

"He's been at the pool all the time. If not at the pool then at the roof I think," Jameson says joining our conversation as he walks into the room. Being at the pool all the time means swimming until he goes numb and further than that. The roof means revisiting old memories. "I didn't hear your usual 'where the f*** am I?'" he laughs. I smile for just a second but it drops from my face.  "Xander's with him don't worry," Jameson assures me as he notices my reactions.

"It's just- he probably thinks it was his fault again, doesn't he? When in truth it was mine," I sigh and Avery shakes her head. Shaking her head about it being my fault or him thinking it was his? Probably about it being my fault because if he has been swimming all the time there is no way he doesn't blame himself.

"Let's not talk about depressing topics and focus on positives! We have a gala in two days?" she says more like a question. How is a gala fun? It is tiring and plus I was just shot... sooo...

"How is that positive?" I ask and Avery shrugs but gives me a knowing look. She looks at Jameson then at me then back at Jameson with a devilish glint in her eyes. "Any other positives?"

"We're going to be holding a celebratory party after not having you for whole three days!" Avery smiles and my jaw drops. Three days?? The bullet only skimmed. I open my mouth to talk but no words come out. "Yeah, it's been three days. It's the sedatives they've been giving you, said that the bullet did a lot of damage even if it was just deep without being deep," I look at them confused. None of that really made sense.

"The damage was quite large so it needed some time to heal and they had you on a lot of sedatives," Jameson clarifies and I give a thank-you nod. "Well feeling up for that party?" I groan. I just want to continue the game. "Come on Mystery. Live a little."

"Maybe- Any updates? On Toby?" I ask and Avery and Jameson both shared a look as if to say Who should tell her? "Okay."

"Nothing yet," Avery sighed. "We've been holding everything off until you are ready because we don't want you missing out." How dare they? That was nice of them! But we need to find him! "And you're mad."

"I'm not mad- And I'm not happy. I'm conflicted. I don't know... It's nice of you guys- Really... But we need to find him," I choked out feeling dryness in my throat. "Sorry haven't talked in a few days-" I grumbled and cleared my throat but it didn't help. And all of a sudden Avery held a glass of water at my lips and I jumped in surprise. I drank it down and feeling relief I nodded. She gingerly placed the glass down on my bedside table and smiled. "Thank you," I smiled and a loud trumpet sound started from outside my room and Xander walked in. But no Grayson. "Uhh-"

"Amy Bear has been awoken!!  The ceremonies will commence!! Don't worry the doctors told us you can get out of bed once you get up!!" Xander announced and Avery helped me sit up in bed. I gave her a thankful smile and pulled the covers away. I am in pajamas- Okay well- I need to get changed. I sat on the edge of the bed and stood. The sudden head rush and bed rest go to me as I wobbled on my feet. Thankfully strong arms caught me. I turned to look at Jameson's face. So. So close to mine. Mere inches. "Come on!! We'll give you time to get changed," Xander said and Jameson and I snapped out of it and turned away from each other. Avery took my arm and walked me over to the closet. "We'll be in the bowling alley!!"

(1291 words)