A Known Stranger

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

                “And in recent news, a shooting was reported earlier on tonight at a house party down on the outskirts of town. Well known high school football player, Ryder Wyre, was admitted into Mercy Hospital on account of being shot twice in the chest. He is currently in surgery.”

                “Turn it off,” I mumbled, looking away from the flat screen in the living room. The female reporters voice slowly faded into the background and I was beginning to feel dizzy. The room began to spin and I felt vomit threaten to come up. I clenched my eyes closed and hastily pushed myself up from the couch.

                “Honey, they’re talking about the shoo-,”

                “TURN IT OFF!” I yelled, interrupting my father’s excuses.

                Suddenly, the female reporters voice was no longer filling the room but her squeaky voice was replaced with tension and unsaid words. I felt my father and Noah’s eyes on me as I slowly walked out of the living room and into the kitchen.

                I had a million thoughts running through my head, a million voices talking at once. I didn’t know what to do. What to think or what voice to listen to. The room was spinning again. My head was pounding, temples pulsing against my skull as I once again felt the vomit threaten its way up my throat.

                I felt the cool granite countertop against my warm palms as I gripped the edge for dear life. I felt myself falling, my knees growing weak.

                Ryder had been the one to get shot last night.

                And he was in the hospital for getting shot twice- in the chest. Nothing else had been said about his condition- well it wasn’t like I had been one to listen if they had. I had yelled at my father to turn it off.

                At this point, I wasn’t sure if I was still standing up or on the floor. I couldn’t feel a thing. I was numb. How had this even happened? Why had Ryder been the one to get shot? Why had Carter shoot him in the first place?

                “I’ll go and check up on her,” I heard Noah say before his heavy footsteps grew closer and closer.

                “Shit,” I heard him mumble before I felt his presence hovering over me. I tore my gaze away from the tile flooring of the kitchen and looked up into Noah’s hazel eyes. He was looking down at me; worry clear in his eyes as his hands cupped my cheeks. “Baby, are you okay?”

                “He’s in the hospital, Noah.” I whispered. “Ryder got shot.”

                I still couldn’t get my mind wrapped around the idea that Ryder had actually been shot. Sure I had wished on more than one occasion in the last few months that he would get hurt and get what he deserved for being such a douche bag but I never wanted him to get shot!