𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | Tyler Hernandez x Reader

| Ep 65 |

Y/N...

A faint voice calls out to me from the darkness. I try to speak but nothing escapes my mouth.

Y/N!

. . .

"Y/N!!"

My eyes shoot open and I gasp into consciousness. My face is cradled in Taylor's small hands and she repeatedly taps my cheeks to wake me up. My mind feels so groggy...

"Tay?"

"Get up!" She says hastily, hoisting me up onto my feet.

In a matter of seconds, I'm being dragged across the classroom by both Ashlyn and Taylor. I blink several times until the reality of our current situation sinks in.

The man that had been restraining me a few minutes ago was right on my tail. But Ashlyn shoves me toward Taylor and pulls one of the desks into the aisle to block the broad stranger's path.

Taylor takes my wrist and pulls me along with her. Ashlyn catches up and latches onto my hand. Suddenly, a numbness creeps through my blood, making me lose feeling in my legs.

I fall onto my knees just as Taylor stumbles onto the ground. Ashlyn gets dragged down with us and we try to scramble to our feet before Mr. Thomas or the armed men could lay a hand on us.

I manage to get up but Taylor doesn't budge. Ashlyn and I meet each other's gazes and rush to the brunette's side,

"Taylor, hey!" I shake her shoulders.

Ashlyn takes her by the arm, "Taylor, get up!"

She struggles to move and mutters, "...Can't..."

Soft footsteps thud down the aisle of desks. I quickly stand up and move in front of Ashlyn and Tay. I come face-to-face with Mr. Thomas, who's expression gives nothing away. I stretch my arm out protectively to the side and gesture for them to scoot back.

Ashlyn hooks Tay's arm over her shoulder and scurries to the back wall of the classroom. Over Mr. Thomas' shoulder, I watch the other two men drag an unconscious Ben and Logan out of the room.

"HEY!" I shout and rush right for them.

But Mr. Thomas doesn't hesitate to stop me forcefully. His hands find my shoulders and roughly push me, causing me to stumble back.

"Don't bother." He speaks calmly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Where are you taking them?!" I ask in a demanding tone, pushing against his hold on me, "Ben!! Logan, wake up!!"

I watch the two disappear out of the classroom and a wave of hopelessness hits me deeply. I stop struggling against Mr. Thomas and drop my shoulders in defeat.

Dammit...I couldn't do anything to save them.

Just like how you couldn't save Tyler...

"SHUT UP!" I shout at the voice in my head and bring my hands up to cover my ears.

Mr. Thomas sighs and pushes me down next to Ashlyn, who was holding tightly onto Taylor's now-limp body. The redhead is quick to interlock her hand with mine, ensuring she wouldn't lose me too.

I watch as the man we once trusted to be nothing more than our homeroom teacher kneels down before us. He looks us over with a relaxed face.

"...We aren't trying to hurt you kids. We're just trying to help-"

"That's bullshit!" I raise my voice, fighting the urge to pounce him like I did with Barron's goons in the alley.

"Y/N," His voice is authoritative, yet threatening, "We are doing what's best for you."

That numbness hits me straight to the core once again, but I fight to stay upright as I say through gritted teeth, "You have no idea what we've been through. What the hell do you want with us-"

"-You're sick." He says simply, not seeming at all unfazed by my bitter tone.

Ashlyn breathes out tiredly, her body shaking from Taylor's weight on her shoulder but also from whatever the hell they put in our bodies,

"Yeah, no...I'm pretty sure..." She sucks in a breath, sweat dropping down her pale face, "...You're the sick...one."

I watch her closely, noticing how her eyes squint and unsquint rapidly, trying to keep them focused. I reach a hand up to cup her cheek, "Hey, no, no...Ash, no! Come on, stay with me..."

She lazily shakes her head and her body drops to the side. I watch as she immediately passes out right beside Taylor's still body.

"Ashlyn!"

I roll her over onto her back and press my fingers against her neck, searching for a pulse.

Thump Thump

"Thank God..." I whisper, holding her face in my shaky hands.

Whatever she was feeling was slowly consuming my own body too. But I can't let them take my friends away. I let them get away with Logan and Ben, so I can't mess up again...

They're all slipping away...

"You..." I pant out breathlessly as I look over at Mr. Thomas, who's eyeing me closely, "...I am going to rip you apart...just like how phantoms do. You don't get to hurt my friends and get away with it. Mr. Thomas, I'll make you feel everything we had to feel. I swear, I will-"

My voice trails off as I stumble onto my hands and knees, barely able to focus for more than a few seconds. I hear him step closer and see his shoes come into my vision. He takes my face in his calloused hands, gripping onto me with too much force to let a word out.

"You always were one of my brighter students..." His breath ghosts over my pale face, but my eyes can only make out a rough blur of him.

He then rummages through his pant pockets and my eyes widen when a familiar cloth is pulled out. I shake my head sharply and try to pull away. But his hold on my jaw is too strong and I hardly move an inch.

"Wait-"

He presses the damp cloth over my mouth, forcing me to inhale the sleep-inducing toxins. My eyes flutter as I meet his cold gaze. I feel them roll back and return to nothingness.