Jaddie: Our Story

Chapter Three

It was 2:45pm. The school bell had just sounded and Lilia and I were walking out of the school gates to find Jack as Lilia had promised him that she would meet him after school.

"Lilia, why don't you come to my house tonight? We're ordering a pizza!" I said trying to persuade my new friend as we walked down the steps from the double doors leading out of the school.

"Sounds great! But first I gotta go ask Jack about something. He's just over there, can you see him?" Lilia said, pointing to Jack on the other side of the parking lot.

"Yeah I see him! Be quick though because I ride the bus and it's gonna leave soon!" I said as Lilia started walking over to Jack.

"Ok!" She shouted back.

Then it happened. I turned away for a split second before I heard Jack scream "LILIA!"

I whipped my head around to find the most horrific sight. Lilia. On. The. Ground. A car had hit her as she was crossing. Was this even happening? I raced over to her and held her left hand; Jack held the other. "Lilia, lilia," I pleaded, tears rolling down my cheeks, "please wake up."

No matter how much Jack and I shouted or shook her, she remained unconscious. I placed my ear against her chest and I could feel it gently rising and falling; the soft sound of her beating heart also filling my ears. I smiled at the slightest glimpse of hope that Lilia could be OK.

"It's gonna be alright, Jack. Lilia's gonna be alright." I re-assured Jack, moving beside him.

"I-I'm so s-scared, Maddie." He choked out between gasps for air as he cried.

"I know, so am I. But we have to stay strong for not only ourselves, but for Lilia. She needs us right now." I said taking his hand.

He didn't respond. Instead he pulled me in closer to his side and I rested my head on his shoulder, which was becoming wet with tears. It wasn't long before I felt his lips against my head as his sobs became fainter and fainter as he tried to hold them back. "It's alright to cry, Jack. I'm here." I said looking up at him.

With that, 3 police cars and an ambulance arrived and Jack and I were moved away from Lilia. It broke my heart to leave her there. In the hands of people she didn't even know. I knew they were professionals but that's beside the point, I just wanted her to be OK.

As Lilia was put onto a stretcher and into the ambulance, a police officer approached us.

"Hi, Jack, Maddie. Some of our men found the driver of the car that hit your friend and he has been arrested. He had been wanted for a while - drugs, alcohol abuse, drunk driving. We're going to need to have you two down at the station as soon as you're ready to make statements. Until then, I hope this brings you some closure and I offer you both my deepest condolences. My prayers are with Lilia tonight." The police officer stated.

"Thank you. We're going to head over to the hospital and stay with Lilia for the night. We might be able to make the statements tomorrow." I said, speaking on behalf of Jack who was still too broken to speak.

"Of course. Thank you." The police officer said as he walked away.

"Maddie?" Jack said turning to me.

"Yeah?" I said, staring into his now broken eyes.

"I don't know if I can do this without her. Without Lilia. What if I lose her?" He choked out between cries.

"Shh, shh, its okay," I said pulling him in closer to me and holding him in my embrace, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm gonna be here with you, going through it all with you. We're in this together. Ok?"

I now kissed his head softly and rubbed his back in an attempt to soothe his cries. I then held him tighter than before, as I could see his knees beginning to weaken and I feared he was going to pass out.

"Let's get into the ambulance with Lilia. Remember she needs you to be strong. So you need to keep strong." I said. He nodded in response and held onto my hand as we walked up to the ambulance.

This was going to be one long and painful night.