hopelessly devoted // e.d.

Chapter 12

Faster. Faster. Faster.

Keep running faster.

Pumping my legs to go faster and faster was the only coherent thought running through my head.

I had to get away. From everything.

Slower. Slower. Slower.

My legs began to give out as I slowed down.

I tried to pump them faster but it was no use.

My distortion and dizziness caught up with me.

And everything went black.

Third Person POV

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO DOLAN?" Lauren said, hitting Ethan's chest.

Ethan looked down ashamed and let her hit him. He couldn't believe what he had done. He defended someone who he lied about being back together with, someone who threw him away like a piece of meat. 

By doing this, he hurt the one person he felt loved by. He felt selfish.

Grayson stormed back into the house, grabbed his twin brother by his shirt, and pinned him against the nearest wall.

"Answer the question Ethan. What the hell did you do," he paused and said lowly, "to Sky?"

With tear-filled eyes Ethan replied to his brother without looking into his eyes. He couldn't.

"We got into an argument. I blasted her about pushing me away when I was actually the one pushing her away. Then she mentioned Julie and I snapped."

"I got so angry when Sky--Skylar targeted her. I--I called her a bitch andshoved her harder than I should've. She fell and hit her head on the corner of my desk, and left." 

Grayson, in the heat of the moment, threw Ethan to the ground and relentlessly punched him.

"YOU'RE A LITTLE FUCKER ETHAN. SHE WAS THERE FOR YOU AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER? HOW COULD YOU? I DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE YOU RIGHT NOW!"

Ethan willingly took the punches and didn't fight back.

Lauren who was witnessing the whole thing, although still angry at Ethan, pulled Grayson off.

"Are you guys crazy?! My best friend might have a concussion or something from that hit to the head and you two are just gonna fight each other? This is not the time! Get your truck. If she is concussed and was running, she may have passed out and that is not a good sign."

The two seemed to realize their immaturity as both got up. Grayson's jaw was clenched as he opened the passenger door for Lauren and then got into the front seat himself.

Ethan got into the back seat, still flinching in pain. 

The three of them pulled out of the driveway and went down the direction that Grayson saw Skylar running in. 

"Stop! Grayson, look at the left side of the road," Lauren said.

Lying limp on the asphalt was Skylar. Ethan was the first one out of the car.

He stumbled backwards when he saw her up close.

Her lips and skin were pale. The gash in her head had dry and fresh blood around it. There were scrapes on her arms, presumably, from when she passed out and fell.

His mind broadened, only thinking about getting Skylar medical help. He picked her up bridal style into his arms and quickly went back to the truck. 

Lauren had gotten out and open the backseat door. Ethan slipped into the car and placed Sky's head on his lap.

"Grayson go to the nearest emergency room. I'll call Sky's and your parents to tell them what happened," Lauren said.

While Grayson was driving and Lauren was contacting parents, Ethan looked down at Skylar and stroked her hair. He used a beanie that he found to dab away excess blood and gravel from her wounds. He knew this was his fault.

A tear slipped from his cheek and landed onto Skylar's eyelid.

"I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me," the distressed man slipped his hand into her's and lightly squeezed it.

He felt a small squeeze back and looked at the unconscious figure laying on his lap. Skylar's eyelids fluttered open.

"Forgiven, but not fogotten," Sky said in a feather soft voice.

"Sky! Thank God you're awake. I know you don't like me right now but please stay awake. We're on our way to the ER."

She nodded and tried sitting up. Her head felt woozy but she was determined to sit up.

"Skylar, please take it easy. Just lie down. It'll be easier for you, Ethan said.

She reluctantly agreed and placed her head back in Ethan's lap. 

Their hands were still intertwined. Skylar squeezed his hand a bit harder. This brought a smile to Ethan's heart as he squeezed his hand tighter too.

With his other hand, Ethan continued to play with and stroke Skylar's hair.

Grayson and Lauren were looking at the two through the rear view mirror. They both saw the way Ethan and Sky looked at each other. Sky was so obviously falling in their observant eyes. Ethan, on the other hand, was falling but he didn't want to accept or even recognize it at all. He was blinded by the shadow of something that has been, but will never be again.

Grayon glanced at Lauren. He sees the loving nature she has with her best friend. It causes him to like her even more.

The stoplight turned green and Gray refocused on the road.

The quartet finally made it to the emergency room. Ethan got out from he backseat and helped escort Skylar into the building. Lauren was on the other side of her best friend. Grayson was looking for a parking spot saying that he would meet them inside.

The nurses at the front desk saw Skylar and Ethan's injured state and brought the three of them to a room whilst they waited for a resident doctor.

Once he found a parking spot, Grayson asked the nurses where his friends and brother are. They took him to their room and was finally able to give his best girl friend a tight embrace.

"Thank you guys. For finding me."

"It was Lauren you should be thanking. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be turning Ethan into a bloody pulp," Grayson said.

"Not like I didn't deserve it bro." Ethan stated.

"Wow Lauren didn't jump in and beat Ethan up too for me? Am I not worth fighting for?" Skylar asked rhetorically.

Lauren nudged Sky and giggled, "Nope not at all. The only thing I wanted to do was find you. Not a big deal or anything."

Then in their lighthearted banter, the doctor walked in with their parents and Ryan, Sky's brother. They all had disapproving faces. 

In that moment the four of them knew, they were screwed.