fameless → ZACH HERRON ✓

e l e v e n

CHAPTER ELEVEN
( CALL 911 )

     CARMEN SMILES AT Mark. All of his attention is currently focused on Elle, who laughs at something Carmen didn't quite catch. But Carmen is swept away from the moment as Zach texts her for the seventh time, still asking of her whereabouts and if she's safe.

"Who are you texting?" Elle asks, making Carmen look up from her phone.

"Zach," Carmen replies, stuffing her phone in her pocket as she looks over at her. "He's still scared for my safety more so than his."

"That's because he cares about you," Elle smiles, placing her hand on Carmen's shoulder. "Be happy, he loves you."

"He doesn't love me," Carmen rolls her eyes. "We just like each other."

"He more than likes you, hun." Elle states, offering her popcorn. "Haven't you noticed the way he looks at you? It's adorable, honestly."

"Zach doesn't look at me like that, either," She says. "I don't see it, anyway."

"That's because you're oblivious to everything around you," Elle grumbles. "He bought you a huge teddy bear, Cam! Admit it, that's a little too much for a crush. He spent tons on it."

"He shouldn't have, the party was enough for me. And just because he bought me a teddy bear doesn't mean he loves me, Elle. You're over-exaderating."

"About Zach?" Mark questions, entering the conversation. "No. He's totally in love with you."

"Why does everyone say that?" Carmen shakes her head. "He doesn't love me."

"Why are you fighting me on this, Cam? He stares at you constantly, he bought you a teddy bear, and he kissed you. What else could he do to prove it?"

"Tell me he loves me . . . ?"

"Oh shut up, we'll talk in the car."

---

"Okay, so, I have a proposal." Elle states as she slides into the passenger seat. "When we get back to the house, why don't you ask him about it?"

"About what?" Carmen asks, taking the back seat as Mark gets behind the wheel.

"If he loves you."

"No, Elle, that's stupid." Carmen argues. "I've already told you that he doesn't love me."

"You'll never know if you don't try." Elle says. "Your other option is to come out and tell him that you love him."

"But I don't."

"Yes you do, I know you like the back of my hand," Elle smiles, taking Mark's hand in hers. "I'm just surprised he hasn't figured that one out yet. He's smart. He got you, didn't he?"

"I don't even know what we are at the moment," Carmen frowns, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. "I mean, we kiss . . . and I told him I like him. But he hasn't made anything clear yet."

"That's because you have to take the wheel here," Mark says as the car pulls out of the parking lot. "You need to tell him how you feel, and take charge of the situation. What do you want to be?"

"I don't know."

"Don't be," Elle says confidently as she glances over at Mark with a smile. "Everything will work out in the long run, I promise. Everything happens for a reason, Cam. And you tripping, and falling into Zach's arms wasn't an accident. It was meant to happen."

"I don't know how to feel," Carmen lays her head on the window, staring out at the dark night.

"Just tell him, Cam." Elle says. "That's what I did with Mark, and look where we are now. I love him, and I couldn't be happier!"

"Three days," Carmen murmers, staring at their intertwined hands. "It only takes three days to fall in love."

"And three words to admit it."

As Carmen is deep in thought, Mark's phone vibrates in his back pocket. Unlinking his fingers from Elle's, he glances down at his phone for a split second.

But that's all it took for him to pass the red light.

"Mark, watch out!" Elle yells, just as headlights flash in front of them.

In an instant, another car crashes head-on into theirs, demolishing the front of the vehicle. Then, from the side of the intersection, another car smashes into it.

The three scream, but Mark and Elle are silenced as the windshield cracks in, and shatters. The airbags explode, and the entire front of the car caves into the two front seats.

Having impact from both her front and side, Carmen tries to move in her position as the car tumbles onto its side.

"ELLE, MARK!" She cries as her seatbelt digs into her chest and neck.

The glass from her window is shattered, as well as the car door that currently crushes her limp arm. She screams out in pain, only for the car to be tipped again, her head slamming into the back of Elle's seat.

As the car finally falls flat, Carmen screeches in terror, finally realizing that both Elle and Mark had stopped screaming, and were no longer moving.

"Elle?" She asks quietly, choking back her breath. "Elle? ELLE!"

Carmen sobs frantically, trying to move from her position. But as most of the car was crushed, and caved in, she couldn't move at all. The only thing she could do was pull out her phone- with her good arm- and speed dial a number.

Police sirens outside sound through the night, as well as yells from pedestrians.

"Carmen?" A familiar voice rings through the speaker of her phone.

Carmen lets out a strangled sob, her vision blurring. "Zach."

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asks, his voice growing concerned. "Where are you? What's going on?"

"We were in an accident, I'm stuck in the car," She cries. "Mark and Elle won't answer me. They aren't moving!"

A sudden pain crashes over the girl as Zach says something else. The ambulance sirens blare loudly now, her consciousness fading.

"Carmen!"

"I'm sorry, Zach," She murmers, the phone dropping from her hand as blood streams from the side of her head.

"I'm so sorry."

_____