torn between

eleven; the car

( I decided to change up the ending so it was inspired by a movie I watched which I'll only tell y'all at the end bc I'm afraid you guys would know the ending and that ruins things HAHA )

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rowan

"Corey? It's the thunder again, and I'm afraid. So, so, so afraid. Help me," I whispered into the phone when it brought me to voicemail.

It was 10pm at night, and Corey normally didn't sleep this early. I wondered what made him so busy that he missed the call. He always answers my calls!

Getting worried by the minute, I decided to take the bus over to Corey's house. What could possibly be holding him up?

Getting off the bus, I ran towards the shelter and opened up my umbrella. Just as I was about to run out into the rain, I heard the loud thunder and immediately jumped in fright while covering my ears. I can do this, I can do this. I held up my umbrella again and walked out of the shelter. As raindrops splattered on the umbrella loudly, I began walking faster, desperately needing to know if my best friend was fine.

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I rang the doorbell several times and waited for someone - anyone - to open the door. After a while, it finally opened up and I immediately said, "Cor-" However, I realised that the person who had opened the door was Maria, Corey's family's helper at home.

"Oh... Hi, Miss Rowan," Maria said as she looked down at her feet. I craned my neck to check if Corey was behind Maria, in the living room, but no one was to be seen. "Hi, Maria! Could you call Corey to the door?"

Maria immediately looked up at me timidly. "You don't know what happened?"

"What?" I responded.

"Si- Sir... He's at the hospital now... it's very serious, Ma'am said. He got knocked down by a car a few hours ag-"

The umbrella I had been clutching on to nervously just now fell onto the wet ground and my lips trembled. "H- h- he... he what?"

"Yes, Miss... he is going for a surgery at the nearby hospital in a while, I think..."

"No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. No. No," I muttered anxiously under my breath.

Right at that moment, my world was torn apart and it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my ribcage. "T- thank... you."

And I ran.

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"Corey Fogelmanis! Someone tell me where he is right now!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I barged into the hospital while panting, earning glares from other people there.

A female nurse immediately rushed towards me and told me, "Shh! This is a hospital, mind you. Who was it you're looking for? Mr Fogelmanis?"

"Yes, Corey Fogelmanis. Tall, funny, cute, brown hair, my best friend in the entire universe..." Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes and I blinked rapidly to keep them from falling down.

"Ah, I'm his nurse! Who are you and how are you related to him? I need to know in c-" Before she could even finish her sentence, I immediately said in a rush, "Rowan Blanchard. He's my best friend. His parents know me. Just bring me to his ward right now, please. I beg you."

"Okay, okay. Follow me," the nurse replied before hurrying down the hallway. "This is his ward. He'll be going for his surgery in about 15 minutes. Quick talk to him if you need to, because this surgery is a risky one... There could be a chance of it failing, but let's pray for the best. As you know, he had been knocked down by a car driving at high speed. He is critically injured but he is currently still half-conscious." I nodded as I looked into the ward through the transparent piece of glass, gulping when I saw Corey almost fully bandaged up and talking to his parents. "Please, please do whatever you can to make the surgery a successful one. I beg of you and the team."

The nurse half-smiled at me and nodded, "We will definitely try our best." Then, she left me alone outside the room. I pushed opened the door gently, and greeted Corey's parents. "H- hi, Mr and Mrs Fogelmanis. How is he?"

"Hi, dear. We're glad you came. He's still able to speak to us currently, luckily. Bu- but he's about to go for surgery. I know he'll survive it, but I'm just- I'm so afraid..." Mrs Fogelmanis turned around to face me with her tear-stained face. "Can I talk to him for a while?" I said gently and walked towards the bed when Corey's parents nodded and left.

With trembling hands, I made my way to Corey, who was covered in bandages everywhere. I reached my hand out to hold his, and said softly, "Hey, Corey."

His eyes fluttered open and his eyes immediately lit up at the sight of me. "Hey, there," he replied in a whisper.

"You could've told me you were here. What happened to that promise we made back then where we'll always stick together?" I let out a soft laugh before sniffling to hold back her tears.

He chuckled lightly and said, "Sorry, ma'am. Would have informed you but I didn't have the hands to do so," he joked, looking at his hands which were bandaged up.

Smiling at him, I leaned forward to hug him gently, afraid of causing pain to him for he was already so badly injured. "You were fine just yesterday, Cor... Why did this have to happen to you?" I whispered into Corey's ear as tears finally rolled down my cheeks like rivulets. We pulled away and Corey attempted to pat me on her back and then said, "Hey, don't cry," he paused to wipe off the tears on my cheeks. "I'll be fine. I'm batman, remember? I can survive through anything!" He grinned at me before a few nurses came in along with Corey's parents.

"Guess it's time for my surgery now!" Corey said when he saw them walk in. "Remember, Rowan. I am your best friend, and I always will be, no matter what happens. I love you so much and I am grateful to have had you in my life this whole time. I can't get wait to get back out of the hospital and go back to Disneyland with you."

Sobbing, I hugged him one more time before the nurses rolled his bed out. Corey's parents and I walked along with him.

Upon reaching the surgery room, Corey told his parents, "Don't worry too much about me, Mum and Dad. I'll be out in no time." They smiled back at him as Corey turned to me. "And you, don't be so afraid of the thunder okay? Sorry I couldn't come just now. Luckily the rain has already stopped, huh?" I grinned at him and said, "This is why I love you!" I held onto his hand once more before he went into the room.

I then walked over to the seats to sit down and rested my head on my knees, closing my eyes.

Corey Shain Fogelmanis, you'd better come out quickly and protect me from the thunder again...