Who kill my Bestfriend?

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 29

Oʀʟᴀɴᴅᴏ, FL 📍
Sᴇᴘᴛᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 14ᴛʜ

The next day...

Oᴍɴɪsᴄɪᴇɴᴛ

Hospital 📍

The next morning, the hospital was quieter than the chaos of the night before. The sun peeked through the blinds, casting a soft glow over the sterile white walls. Leo sat beside Imani's bed, Imani still exhausted but unable to sleep. Her mind had been on Chris all night, waiting for the moment she could finally see him again.

A soft knock on the door made both Imani and Leo look up. A nurse peeked her head in, smiling warmly. "Chris Evans is out of surgery and awake," she informed them. "You can visit him now."

Imani shot up from her chair. "Really? He's awake?"

The nurse nodded. "He's still weak, but he's stable and responsive."

Leo grunted as he pushed himself up, careful of his injured shoulder. "Alright, let's go," he muttered, moving slowly as Imani rushed to his side to help.

Together, they made their way down the quiet hallway, Imani's heart pounding with every step. When they reached Chris's room, she hesitated for a moment, her hand gripping the door handle. A deep breath later, she pushed it open.

Chris was lying in the hospital bed, looking pale but very much alive. His chest rose and fell steadily, and though his face was covered in small cuts and bruises, his eyes lit up the moment he saw them.

"Damn, y'all look like hell," he croaked, his voice rough but full of that familiar humor.

Imani let out a choked laugh, her eyes welling with tears. "You idiot," she whispered, rushing over to his bedside. She grabbed his hand tightly, her fingers shaking. "I thought you were dead."

Chris gave her a weak smirk. "Yeah, me too," he admitted. "But I guess I'm too stubborn for that."

Leo, standing at the foot of the bed, crossed his arms carefully, mindful of his injury.

"You scared the hell out of us, man," he said, shaking his head. "Took a bullet for her and still managed to pull through."

Chris shrugged slightly, wincing at the movement. "She's fam," he said simply. "Of course, I did."

Imani sniffed, squeezing his hand even tighter. "Don't you ever do something like that again?"

Chris chuckled weakly. "No promises."

Leo chuckled as well, shaking his head. "Yeah, well, next time, let's not get shot at all."

Chris sighed. "Sounds like a plan." He then turned his gaze toward Imani, his voice softening. "You okay, though? You safe?"

Imani nodded, her grip never loosening.

"Thanks to you." Her voice cracked as she looked at him, overwhelmed with emotion. "Chris, I don't know how to-"

"Don't," he interrupted gently. "You don't gotta say anything. We're here. That's what matters."

Imani bit her lip, then leaned down and wrapped her arms around him, mindful of his injuries. Chris hugged her back as best as he could, letting her cry quietly against his shoulder.

Leo watched them, a small smirk on his lips. "Alright, alright, let's not get too sentimental," he teased. "We all made it. That's what's important."

Imani pulled back, wiping her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah. We did."

Chris exhaled deeply, sinking into the pillows. "So, what now?"

Leo chuckled. "Now? We rest. And then we make damn sure this never happens again."

Chris smirked weakly. "Sounds like a plan."

And for the first time in days, Imani felt like maybe-just maybe-everything was going to be okay.

The room was quiet, the only sounds coming from the steady beeping of Chris's heart monitor. Imani sat beside him, still holding his hand, while Leo leaned against the wall, his injured arm resting in a sling. They had been sitting in silence, just soaking in the fact that they had all survived.

The door creaked open, and Detective Harris stepped inside, her expression serious but calm. Imani sat up straighter, immediately sensing the weight of the conversation about to happen.

"They're locked up," Harris announced. "Deven and Malcolm are in custody until their court date. No bail, no chance of getting out. You're all safe for now."

Imani let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her, but the way Harris emphasized for now made her nerves spike again.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "For now? That doesn't sound as reassuring as it should."

Harris sighed, crossing her arms. "Because this isn't over yet. Their trial is coming, and until then, you all need to stay off the radar. No media, no social media, no unnecessary movements. If people find out where you are, there's no telling who might come looking."

Chris scoffed weakly from the bed. "So, basically, we're still in hiding?"

Harris gave a small nod. "Until we can be sure there's no lingering threat, yes."

Imani swallowed hard. The thought of going back to a normal life seemed impossible now. But she knew Harris was right-Deven and Malcolm may have been locked up, but their influence, their connections, could still be out there.

Leo sighed, running a hand over his face. "Alright. Imani, you're going home."

Imani blinked in surprise. "Wait, what?"

Leo gave her a firm look. "You need to be with your family right now. It's not safe for you to be alone in your apartment. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Chris."

"But-" Imani started to protest, but Leo shook his head.

"No arguing, kid. You've been through too much. You need rest, and you need to be with people who can protect you."

Imani bit her lip, looking between Chris and Leo. She didn't want to leave them, especially not after everything that had happened, but deep down, she knew Leo was right.

Detective Harris stepped forward. "I'll take you home," she assured Imani. "Your family has been waiting for you. Your apartment isn't safe yet, so staying with them is the best option."

Imani exhaled, finally nodding. "Okay," she murmured.

Leo smirked slightly. "Good. Now, go home and let them take care of you."

Imani turned to Chris, squeezing his hand one last time. "I'll be back," she promised.

Chris gave her a tired grin. "I know."

She then turned to Leo, hesitating for a moment before wrapping her arms around him, careful of his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

Leo chuckled, hugging her back. "Anytime, kid."

As she pulled away, Harris gestured for her to follow. "Come on, let's get you home."

Imani took a deep breath and walked out with Harris, her heart still heavy but just a little lighter knowing that-for now-they were safe.

...........

Please leave a vote I really appreciate y'all.

• How y'all feel about Chris alive from the surgery?

• What do y'all think will happen in trial?