Corren's Fight

Chapter Twenty-Two - Pain

- Emily -

I spent all night thinking about was, what could have been, and what will be. Mostly, I spent it crying. Crying because I was angry, crying because I was crying, and crying because I missed him. What were you supposed to do when you caught the one you loved in a lie? In the course of the night my phone must have rung a thousand times. They were all from Corren. I stayed in bed watching tv, confiding in Megan, and wondering what  the hell I was supposed to do. I forgave him. I knew I did. But also knew it was wrong to forgive him. Drug dealing? It wasn't some petty lie over if some girl flirted with him. It wasn't some lie over if he stole a cookie out of Megan's cookie jar or not. What he was doing was illegal. What if he got caught? What if something happened to me? I didn't know him at all.

Divina showed me the power of second chances. She also told me what role Corren played in my life. Did things mean things would work out? I didn't see how it could. The dreary rain outside didn't help me remain positive.

"That lying bastard!" Megan swore. "I didn't like him! I knew something was off about him!"

I rubbed the side of my head in an attempt to fend off a headache. "I know."

"Don't you forgive him. You deserve better."

But I did forgive him. I didn't want someone else. I wanted him.

"I'm gonna try to sleep on this, Meg."

She nodded. "Okay. I'm just down the hall if you want to talk some more."

"Okay."

As soon as Megan shut the door my phone started ringing again. I snatched it up, about to throw it if it was Corren, but to my surprise it was Miles.

I answered it. "Hello?"

"Bloody fucking Hell Emily! Why wont you answer your phone!"

"Excuse me?"

"Get to the hospital now!"

"Why?" I challenged.

"It's Jem. He's been shot."

My heart dropped. "No..."

"Hurry Emily." Miles hung up.

I ripped the blankets off me and stumbled to get dressed.

"Megan get the car!" I yelled.

She burst into the room. "Why?"

"Just do it!"

Megan listened to me for once.

We arrived at the hospital in record time. I flung myself out of the car and into the pouring rain once Megan parked. "Emily wait!"

The biting chill of the rain slashed at me, but I barely felt it. I ran into the entrance where the waiting room was. A boy was pacing with his hands on his head, looking like he was praying for a miracle. A shorter blonde boy was trying to calm him down. Corren spotted me. His hair was a mess, his shirt filthy with dirt and ominous dark stains, and eyes red and misty.

I ran and threw my arms around him. "I'm so sorry!"

He held me tight and sobbed. "He's in ICU. He's not going to make it..."

"Don't talk like that!"

He sobbed again. "He's all I have left."

Miles and I were able to calm Corren down enough to get him to sit down. I called the rest of our friends, telling them what happened. When I called Jason I told him to bring Corren a fresh pair of clothes if possible. Jason came through. Miles and Jason escorted Corren to the men's bathroom to change. There was no way in hell he was leaving the hospital until he saw Jem. I checked with the nurse up front periodically. She never had any news to say other than Jem was in critical condition, but we already knew that. Miles pulled me aside later telling me the exact story of what happened. Tyson came for Corren last night, but he was with me trying to apologize. I fought back tears. Tyson shot Jem and made a run for it, but Corren caught him in act. Corren couldn't catch him though, Tyson still had his gun. The police however found him hiding in his house with little blood splatters on his shirt. Tyson was in custody. The police were trying to get a confession out of him, but Tyson was intoxicated. There was no telling when he'd sober up. It was all a waiting game at this point.