So American, Kwon Jae-Sung - Eli Moskowitz

Chapter Three: Stay with me

Miguel was on the ground, his face contorted in anger. "I would never!" he shouted, glaring up at Robby.

"Then why'd it happen?" Robby yelled back, his voice cracking with frustration. Before Miguel could respond, he lunged at Robby, and the fight escalated.

Rika sprinted toward them, weaving through the students still brawling in the hallway. By the time she reached them, Miguel had Robby pinned, pulling his arm back. Robby let out a pained grunt, his face twisted in agony.

"Miguel, stop!" Rika shouted, her voice cutting through the noise.

Miguel hesitated, his grip loosening as shame flickered across his face. "I'm sorry," he muttered, releasing Robby and stepping back.

But Robby, fueled by anger and hurt, wasn't done. With a sudden burst of energy, he elbowed Miguel in the head, sending him staggering forward.

"Robby, stop this!" Rika pleaded, stepping closer, but Robby wasn't listening.

Miguel was by the railing now, his back pressed against it as he tried to recover.

Rika's heart pounded in her chest. She had to act, but before she could move, Robby kicked Miguel in the chest, sending him flying back toward the railing. Rika's breath caught in her throat.

"Miguel!" she screamed.

But it was too late. The force of the blow sent Miguel over the edge.

Time seemed to slow as Miguel's body arced through the air, the world blurring around him. Rika's eyes widened in horror as she saw him fall, his arms flailing in a desperate attempt to save himself. She didn't think, didn't hesitate. Without thinking about the danger to herself, she charged forward, instinctively leaping to grab hold of him.

But as she reached for him, she lost her balance, and in the chaos of the moment, Rika was dragged over the edge of the stairs with him. Her stomach dropped, her heart pounding violently in her chest as she fell alongside him, the sound of their bodies crashing against the cold, hard steps ringing in her ears.

The world around her blurred into a storm of motion and pain. Every inch of her body screamed in agony as she hit the stairs, her back slamming into the hard surface with a sickening crack. Rika gasped for air, her vision spinning as her body felt like it was breaking apart.

Miguel landed with a sickening thud beside her, his body limp and unresponsive. Rika's mind was foggy, disoriented by the pain, but she forced herself to turn toward him. "Miguel?"

Her voice was barely a whisper, but there was no response. His face was pale, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead. He didn't move.

"Miguel!" she called again, panic flooding her chest. "Please, wake up!"

Rika reached out a trembling hand, her fingertips grazing his arm, but she was too weak to pull him closer. Tears welled up in her eyes, mixing with the sharp sting of pain that shot through her every time she tried to move. It felt like the world had crumbled around her.

Time seemed to stop as Rika lay crumpled at the foot of the stairs, every nerve in her body screaming in pain. She blinked slowly, the harsh fluorescent lights above swimming in and out of focus. Her breath came in shallow gasps, each one sending sharp stabs of pain through her chest.

Next to her, Miguel was completely still. His body was limp, his face pale, and his chest barely moved with each breath. Seeing him like that sent a jolt of panic through her that cut through the haze of her own pain.

At her feet, Eli froze in horror. His eyes darted between Rika and Miguel, his brain refusing to accept what he was seeing. "Rika? Miguel?" His voice was hoarse, trembling with fear. He dropped to his knees, his hands shaking as he reached out to touch Rika's face. "Rika, please, say something..."

Rika blinked, her vision blurring as tears pooled in her eyes. "E-Eli..." she rasped, her voice barely audible. She tried to move, to reach for Miguel, but her body felt like it was made of lead. "Miguel..." she whispered, the name slipping out like a plea.

Demetri pushed through the growing crowd of students, his face pale as he took in the scene. "Oh my God," he murmured, his voice cracking. He dropped down next to Eli, his hands hovering uncertainly over Rika. "What do we do? Eli, what do we do?"

Eli's jaw tightened, tears streaking down his face. "We get help. We—" His voice broke as he looked at Miguel, lying motionless just feet away. "Miguel, wake up, please!"

Sam shoved her way through the crowd, her eyes locking on Rika and Miguel. "No, no, no," she whispered, her voice filled with panic. She fell to her knees beside her sister, her trembling hands hovering over her. "It's okay, Rika. Everything is going to be okay"

"Sam..." Rika managed, her voice weak.

"Don't talk," Sam said quickly, her voice breaking. "Save your breath, okay? Don't say anything. You need your strength. It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. You're going to be okay. Just hang on, okay? Help is coming." Her eyes darted to Miguel, and her heart dropped at how pale he looked. "Why isn't he waking up?" she whispered, panic flooding her voice. "Why isn't he moving?"

Tory stood a few feet away, frozen in shock. Her eyes were wide, her breath coming in short gasps as the full weight of what had happened settled on her. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered to herself, guilt twisting in her gut. Her legs felt like they might give out beneath her, but she forced herself to take a shaky step forward. "Rika..."

Rika blinked up at her, barely holding onto consciousness. She could see the regret etched into Tory's face, the weight of what had unfolded between them.

"I'm... sorry," Tory said softly, dropping to her knees beside them. "I didn't mean for this. I didn't mean for you to get hurt."

Sam shot her a look that burned with anger and pain. "You've done enough," she spat, her voice trembling. "Stay away from her."

"I didn't—" Tory started, but her words faltered as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "I was angry... I didn't mean—" Her voice broke completely, and she looked back down at Rika, her hands clenched into fists. "I'm so sorry."

Rika's lips curved into the faintest of smiles, even through her pain. "I know..." she murmured, her voice fading. Her eyelids grew heavy, and her grip on Eli's hand loosened.

"Rika? Rika, stay with me!" Eli begged, his voice cracking.

"Don't close your eyes. Rika, don't close your eyes. Hey no!" Sam cried, clutching her sister's hand as tears streamed down her face. "Stay with me. Please stay with me. Please. Just look at me. Just look at me."

But Rika's eyes grew heavy, and the world around her began to fade into darkness. The sound of Sam's sobs, Eli's desperate pleas, and Demetri's panicked murmurs blended into an indistinct hum as her grip on consciousness slipped away.