Alone

Chapter 4- Flashing Lights

The instant Maggie walked into Lily's house, she regretted coming. Colourful lights flashed dizzyingly bright, giving her an instant headache. She hesitated by the entrance, and Freya looked back at her. "What's wrong? You don't have to drink if you don't want to," she assured Maggie. Maggie shook her head. "No... doesn't matter. Let's go!" She tried to sound enthusiastic, but she was wincing. Freya grabbed her arm and ran to catch up to Jade, dragging Maggie along with her. Jade was driving Maggie and Freya home, so she had gotten her hands on a bag of cheezels instead of alcohol. Freya ran off to grab a drink, curly ponytail bobbing as she bounced with excitement. Elliot was here too, alongside Bella. Most of the senior grades were at the party, and Maggie was impressed with how big Lily's house was. Maggie bobbed along to the music awkwardly, hands in pockets. Suddenly, Freya screamed with excitement, making Maggie and jump. "This is the best song in the universe!" She grabbed Jade and Maggie, yanking them onto the dancefloor, yelling the lyrics. It was a popular song, and soon all three girls were singing (or shouting) the lyrics. Maggie had to admit, although it was too hot, bright, and smelled too much like alcohol and vape smoke, she was having fun.

Eventually, the song ended, and on the last note, Maggie saw Jade lean into Freya and... kiss her. Maggie stood, blinking in the shock and staring at them. It had been so quick, Maggie could've imagined it, but she was sure of what she had seen. Then two people bumped into Maggie, and she lost her friends in the crowd. She stumbled backwards, but regained herself before she fell over. Heat crowded in on Maggie, and she found a door to escape through. She burst out of the house into the cool July breeze, and scanned the area. The house was so big It had two driveways, and Maggie was on the one opposite to the door she had entered through. She held her breath as she walked past three guys smoking and felt a rush of relief as she saw Bella and Elliot. She ran down to them, concern replacing her relief as she noticed Bella was kneeling down on the ground.

"What happened?" She asked them, and Elliot looked up, surprised. "Her asthma played up a bit from dancing and jumping too much. She's fine now, just needed a bit of fresh air." Maggie nodded. "I was with Jade and Freya, but I lost them. "Let me call them for you!" Bella offered instantly, standing up. Without waiting for a response, Bella drew our her phone. "Ugh, no signal." She grumbled and held the iPhone up to the sky. When she found when it didn't work, she walked further onto the road, extending her arm and waving her phone around.

The next few seconds happened in a blur. Headlights lit up Bella's face, and Maggie screamed her name. Bella was hit with such force she went flying across the road, and there was a sickening crack as she hit the ground. Suddenly everyone was yelling, Elliot was crying, and the driver of the van was apologising. Maggie's brain was whirling, and hadn't processed what was happening. Bella's phone, screen smashed, land at Maggie's feet. She picked it up, hand shaking as she dialled triple zero, the chipped glass cutting up her fingers. Maggie only just managed to keep her voice calm enough to call an ambulance. She dropped to her knees and only then noticed the pool of blood around her friend. Jade and Freya found Maggie and screamed when they saw Bella. The world was blurry through Maggie's tear-filled eyes, and the flashing lights of the ambulance looked so similar to the ones inside the party. The ringing in her ears didn't stop as the paramedics loaded Bella into the ambulance and told Elliot and Bella they needed to come too.

They arrived at the hospital and her and Elliot sat in a quiet waiting room as Bella was whisked away on a stretcher. Maggie sat in silent shock for several minutes before realising it was 11 o'clock and she should tell her Mum what had happened. She used Elliot's phone to call her mum, and realised her hands were still trembling as the phone rang. Her Mum picked up the phone and demanded for Maggie to explain why she had missed the 10 o'clock curfew. Maggie started speaking, but only managed to get out two words before bursting out in tears. she explained everything, and even after she hung up 20 minutes later, there was still no sign of information about Bella. Maggie somehow managed to drift off to sleep in the uncomfortable waiting room chair, and the last thing she heard was Elliot talking on the phone. Maggie knew Bella could be dead. Elliot did too. A fifteen-year-old's life could've ended tonight. Maggie thought as she heard Elliot repeating the name. The name of the girl who might never again speak, laugh, or dance. Bella, Bella, Bella. Bella might never wake up, and it was all Maggie's fault.