City Of Dreams

Twenty-Three

The cab pulls up to the hospital.

I growl and punch the seat in front of me.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Darren took my arm, paying the driver and pulling me out.

The ambulance was already parked, empty and dull.

Darren pulled me through the parking lot.

My legs moved, but it seemed like nothing else did.

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The lights hurt my eyes to the point where I had to hide my face in Darren's arm.

He ran his fingers through my sticky hair.

I saw I glimpse of dried, dark liquid on his hand.

My stomach churned, causing me to lean over.

My head spun.

Darren sighed, pulling me upwards until I was sitting up in my seat.

A nurse trudged through the door.

"Excuse me?"

Darren stood up and tapped her on the shoulder.

She rolled her eyes and turned around.

"Yes?"

He pointed to me.

"That girl over there and I have been waiting for hours to see Addison Onaodowan. She got admitted around midnight. Please we need to see her."

The nurse scoffed and went around the counter to the computer.

"Onaodowan. Room 246. Visiting was available an hour ago."

I clenched my teeth and screamed into my arm.

We ran down the halls looking at door numbers.

"D! Here!"

I skidded to a stop and put my hand on the doorknob.

Darren stopped me before I opened it.

"Can you please be calm, Charlotte?"

I nodded quickly and turned the doorknob.

Oak stood up and pointed out, but I wasn't looking at him.

I was looking at Addie.

This can't be happening again.

I can't be in a hospital looking at my friend again.

It can't be happening.

"Oh but it is. And guess who's fault it is?"

I growled like a dog.

Oak pointed at the door.

I turned away and ran out of the door, dashing down the hall to the garden outside.

D called after me but I kept running.

I didn't stop running until I could see the sun starting to peak over the buildings in the distance.

This is my fault.

And I can't fix it.

"Damn it!"

I yelled, slamming my unbroken fist into a random tree.

"Don't hurt the tree. What would Evan Hansen think?"

I spun on my heels.

"Fuck you!"

Tears poured down my red face as I yelled.

"This yelling and punching is getting old."

My phone buzzed.

I threw it across the garden into a bush.

"Unnecessary."

I sit on the bench.

"This is my fault."

"Psh. Ya think?"