NICOTINE || Alex Ramos

Chapter 12

As we walked back towards the building entrance, I heard the physical noise of someone being used as a punching bag, without looking back my questions were answered as Sarah's screams rattled my eardrums as she cried, kicked, screamed, and scratched at me as I pulled her back by her waist and dragged her inside, her arms still reaching for him even though he wasn't there.

Will's P.O.V
"Stay here, do NOT move." I ordered her as I sat her down on the couch, tears still falling from her puffy, irritated eyes. As I walked back towards the door, I heard her behind me. "Sarah, sit the fuck down and do not move, ya hear me? I'm not going to tell you again!" I screamed at her, not meaning to do it, but I didn't know what to do, I'm freaking out, and it just slipped out. Her face scrunched, feared of me, her tears began to fall faster. I turned to walk out, but her voice softly called out for me. "Will, please." She begged, sobbing. "Sarah, please." I let out a breath, she sat back down, relieving me. I watched as her face fall into her hands, before I continued my way out the door praying she wouldn't change her mind and follow.

I walked out the apartment building and turned the corner to see Alex face down, not moving. "Shit, shit, shit." I mumbled, panicking as my eyes brimmed with tears. "Fuck, Alex. Come on." I struggled to flip him over onto his back. The fresh, bloody wounds throughout his face had small crumbs of rock from the sidewalk stuck to the bloodied areas. I pulled his unconscious body towards the building so I could lean him against the brick wall. "Alex, fuck. Wake up, please dude don't make me go through this." My hands were trying to shake him awake. I heard feet scuffing the concrete towards me, already knowing who it was. "No matter what you tell me...I'm not leaving his side." She swallowed, not making eye contact with me, but I didn't protest. She sat on the other side of him and wiped at his face, her crying resumed. "Please be okay." I listened to her voice crack before she collapsed onto his chest. The sight broke my heart and it was then I realized I'm witnessing something I never could have imagined. Her hands held onto his face as she continued to wipe at the blood with her thumbs. "What the hell happened?" A familiar voice approached us. Sarah's attention stayed glued at Alex as I questioned her. "Ava, what are you doing here?" My confusion lingered. "Alex wasn't home and his phone was dead so I thought he'd be here." Her words were meant for me but her gaze was set on Sarah. "Is he okay?" She didn't seem surprised or even worried about her view, she just stood their looking down at the two emotional, crazy people worry about their friend. She kneels beside Sarah and gets close enough to make her uncomfortably move away. "He's my boyfriend, hon. Let me worry about him." She sent a clearly forced smile to Sarah. Yeah, if you call 2 days dating. I thought to myself, hurt because she thinks she can replace her like that. "Yeah, yeah...you're right. You're his girlfriend, I forgot. I...I'm just gonna go home. Text me when he wakes up I guess." She wiped away her tears, looking up with hope they wouldn't return, but I watched as she swallowed the pain she didn't think I noticed.

Sarah's P.O.V
"Stop, I'll give you a ride." Will grabbed my arm. "No it's fine I'll walk, Alex needs you." I held in the tears no matter how bad they clawed at my eyes, because the truth is...Alex doesn't need me, nor want me. "No, what if those guys are still out there." He tried to intimidate me. "Like I said, he needs you..." and with that I turned back around and ignored his offers, not caring if those guys were still out or not.

My Asian: He woke up. He's in a lot of pain tho.

My phone notification woke me up but I was too tired and careless to respond.

My Asian: Are you okay?

It went off for the second time, lighting up my screen with his contact name once more.

My Asian: Sarah respond to me.

My tired self still ignoring the messages.

Incoming call from: My Asian

I groaned and answered the call. "Are you okay?" He asked again. "I was sleeping." I mumbled. "It's 6pm. Have you been sleeping since you got home yesterday night?" He questioned. "You should know me by now, Will." I yawned. There was a long pause before he continued. "No I think it's something else." "I'm just tired." I think I tried to convince myself.

Alex: Thanks for not caring about me after I risked my ass for you, bitch.

With that I rolled over and held in the tears that stung my eyes, falling into a sleep I wish I'd never wake from.

Will's P.O.V
"Ava just left while you were on the phone." He groaned as he sat on the opposite end of the couch. "Who were you talking to?" He budged. "No one." I didn't feel the need to tell him. "Was it her?" He asked. "Yeah." "Are you guys getting back together?" He asked."No I thought you two had a thing." His eyes squinted in confusion and that's when I realized by "her" he meant Lauren. Shit, I mentally cursed to myself not knowing what to say. "I don't know what I'm talking about, I didn't get any sleep last night." I attempted to cover up my stupidity. Silence took over before he looked back up at me "It was Sarah, wasn't it?" I looked down, physically giving away the obvious answer. "What'd she have to say?" He tried to play it off like he didn't want to know but I knew he did. "I told her you woke up and she went back to bed I'm guessing." I kept it simple. "She didn't ask if I was okay? Psh she doesn't even care that I almost died for her." He sounded so selfish that the only thing I could do was shake my head. "What?" He stared at me. "So her risking her own life to try and help you, ignoring people's orders just to make sure you were okay, or her crying into your chest, wiping blood from your face and begging you to wake up isn't caring? If that's not caring I don't know what is." I was honestly angered at him for blaming her for not caring when caring is a total understatement in this situation. "She...she did that?" He grew shaky as he stood up. "If only you could have seen her face," I pushed. He looked like he was in pain, both physically and emotionally now. "Will I...I texted..." "Or how she reached out for you as I held her back," I paused. "How she screamed and cried for you, you prick." I was now furious, not quite sure why. "She left, unprotected and on her own. All because Ava told her you didn't need her, and the worst part is...I think she even believed it."

A/N: Holy shet, I know. Comment your thoughts, I can't tell you guys this enough, but reading your inputs make my day. Love you guys. Enjoy.