Rainbows after Hurricane

2. |p r e s e n t|

>>c h a p t e r  t w o<<

|p r e s e n t|

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A/N: In case, you get confused....This scene is the continuation from the prologue. Enjoy the read.

Zach and Asher watch in shock as Dianna falls unconsciously on the cold hard floor. The minute Dianna's fragile body hits the floor, Asher resurfaces from his shock and rushes to her side.

                 "Dianna!" Zach shouts, running to his sister's aid.

                 "Dianna! Oh, god! Dianna, open your eyes." Asher exclaims, worry evident in his voice. His face pales watching the love of his life unconscious.

Lightening cracks the sky followed by a deafening thunderstorm. The gentle pitter-patter outside has suddenly transformed into a torrential downpour. The force of the wind wrenches the window open, sending tables and chairs trembling in its path as the rainfall melds into a single, continuous roar—reminiscent of helicopter rotor blades slicing through the air.

               "Dianna, please wake up," Asher pleads, his voice trembling and broken. To say he's in shock would be an understatement. He can't begin to comprehend what just happened to her. One moment, she seemed fine—or as fine as a girl could be while caught between her brother and boyfriend's fight—and the next, she collapsed, unconscious, vomiting blood.

The reminder forces Asher to shut out all the noise around him, his heart pounding so loudly in his chest that it drowns out everything else. His focus narrows to a single point: Dianna's unconscious form. The only sound he registers is the faint, shallow rhythm of her breathing.

Asher's heart clenches at the sight of the puddle of blood. Unable to bear it, he turns his gaze away, gently caressing Dianna's soft cheek, now pale and stripped of its usual warmth and vitality.

Meredith and Jason crouch down on either side of Dianna, fear etched across their pale faces.

                "Shit! I knew she was hurt, but she was too stubborn," Jason murmurs, his voice trembling, barely holding back tears.

                 "What the hell are you talking about?" Asher demands, lifting his head to glare at his friend, Jason.

                "When we were on our way here, the weather was terrible, and almost all the roads were blocked. But she was too stubborn and kept speeding," Jason explains, his voice heavy with regret. "I told her to slow down, but she wouldn't listen. Then, out of nowhere, a tree crashed down, and we slammed right into it." His expression twists with pain as he relives the harrowing memory.

                "What?" Zach exclaims in horror, his eyes darkening to match the stormy shade of the clouds above. "Why the hell did you bring her here? You should have taken her to the hospital!"

                 "I know, and I tried to, but you know your sister," Jason snaps, his gaze accusing as it shifts to Zach. "She's damn stubborn when she wants to be. She didn't care if she'd die—she just wanted to get here before you did something stupid you'd regret later."

Zach lowers his eyelids, muttering curses under his breath. As much as he hates to admit it, he knows it's true. He had been consumed by fury when he stormed out of the house, so it was no surprise that she'd be worried. He wouldn't be shocked if he went home now to find the door broken.

A wave of guilt grips Zach's heart. He should have never left the house in this weather. His mother had tried to stop him, but he'd been too enraged to listen. If he hadn't ventured out into the storm, Dianna wouldn't have followed him, and she wouldn't be hurt now. Tears well up in his eyes as he looks at his little sister's small, fragile, unresponsive form.

                 "I didn't know her injuries were this severe," Jason says, his voice filled with regret. "She told me she was fine. I really believed her, man. I'm sorry. I should have known better." He runs a frustrated hand through his hair.

                  "That's alright. You did your best," Asher says, his voice steady despite the chaos inside him. "Right now, we need to get her to the hospital." He forces himself to remain calm and composed, though everything within him is in turmoil.

A deafening crack of thunder echoes through the air, rattling the small roof above them as if it might collapse. The rain shows no sign of letting up, and everyone knows better than to expect it to. The entire town is aware of what's heading their way, which is why everyone has locked themselves inside, bracing for what's to come.

Given the speed of the storm and the intensity of the rain, Asher knew half the town was likely already flooded. He understood that getting Dianna to the hospital would be no easy task. But first, he had to be certain that Dianna was alright.

He shuts his eyes, forcing himself to block out the disturbing thoughts about Dianna's condition that begin to creep in. No, he refuses to let those horrific images break him. This is not the time to be weak. It's the time to be strong—not just for himself, but for Dianna too. She needs him, and he won't fail her.

Dianna had always been there for him, and now it's his turn to be there for her—no matter what. He refuses to lose her. He's not ready to lose her. Not now, not ever.

Asher looks at Meredith, his eyes filled with hope. "You're a doctor. Please, check on her."

Taking a deep breath, Meredith leans down and places her finger under Dianna's nose. "She's breathing."

             "You can do better than that," Jason comments, earning a sharp scowl from Meredith.

             "Shut up, I'm trying, alright? It's not every day you see your friend like this," she snaps back.

            "Just check on her already," Zach barks, his frustration evident. Meredith nods, refocusing on Dianna.

Outside, a flash of lightning streaks across the sky, illuminating the slightly open window, followed by a deafening clap of thunder as the rain pounds relentlessly on the roof.

Meredith grabs Dianna's hand, checking for a pulse. Her eyes widen in panic. "Guys, we need to do something, fast. Her pulse is dropping."

A/N: This is the first two chapters. Do tell what do you think about it?