nerd.

trente-deux

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Arielle Evans 

Everything seems to just be in a blur as we arrive in a patrol car to the scene where the accident involving Mason's mother took place. Harry looks extremely pissed off, and Mason just looks scared. I can't blame either of them.

There is a big puff of smoke already dissolving into the dreary air when we arrive, and I suck in a breath when I see the two extremely damaged cars. One of the cars, which I recognize as Mrs. Richards', has an enormous dent in the front of the deal and the windshield has a large crack over the surface.

"Where is my mother?" Mason asks, diverting his eyes from the scene that lies before us.

"She's been admitted into the Saint Peters Hospital." Officer Paisley says. Mason huffs and runs back to his car, panic filling his sharp features. "Hey, where are you going? I still need you to answer questions down at the station!"

"I care about my mother a hell of a lot more than your stupid questions!" Mason shouts before speeding away.

"Alright, well, I guess I'll just drop you kids back at the hospital to wait with him, I suppose. Arielle, your mother is already there." Officer Paisley explains, shrugging. Harry nods and we climb into the backseat of the police car before the officer drives us to the hospital, where Mason and his mother await.

*

Mason is pacing around the waiting room when we arrive, with many people staring at him with weird expressions. A doctor emerges from one of the private rooms, and I assume that it is Mrs. Richards's doctor by the relieved expression on Mason's face.

"Mason Richards?" The doctor calls, and all three of us step forward. The doctor, whose name tag reads Doctor Steven, seems to recognize Mason, and he moves closer to him. "Your mother's condition is stable now, but we would like to keep her here overnight for observation." Mason breathes out a sigh of relief, and I exhale as well, feeling a tad bit of my stress melt away. Just then, my mother bursts out of the room. 

"Oh, Arielle!" she sighs, tears streaming down her red cheeks. "Thank god you're okay." She wraps her arms around me and brings me close, stroking my hair with her fingers. "I don't know what I would've done if you..." 

"Mom, I'm fine." I assure her, looking up into her watery blue eyes. She places a tender kiss on my forehead and pulls away, scanning my arms for any sign of injury. "Did he hurt you? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I repeat, pulling my arms from her grasp and tugging my sleeves back down to cover the scars. 

"Ladies, if you would like to see Mrs. Richards, you should go now. Visiting hours are over soon." Doctor Steven announces, and I nod, walking into the room. Mrs. Richards is lying on the bed, her eyes half closed. A few cuts cover her arms, probably from the air bag, and her cheek is a bit puffy. She gives me a small smile when she sees me, shifting her attention from Mason to me. 

"Hello, Arielle. It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" she laughs quietly, and I crack a smile. 

"Yea, it has." I agree, chewing on the inside of my cheek nervously. "Are you feeling alright?" 

"Yes, they gave me some pain medication to reduce the swelling, dear." Mrs. Richards answers. 

"Alright, guys, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the hospital, visiting hours ended a few minutes ago." Dr. Steven says, and I am the first to leave the room, waving goodbye to Mrs. Richards. She smiles and waves back as Mason, Harry, and my mother follow me. I squeeze Harry's hand as we walk into the brisk evening air, and he intertwines his fingers with mine. 

"I think I'm just gonna stay at mine tonight. My mom seems pretty scared." I whisper into Harry's ear, just loud enough so he can hear me. 

"Then I'm staying with you." he decides, shifting our direction so that we are walking towards my mom's car. 

"Harry, I can't let you do that." I shake my head, a few strands of hair falling out of my ponytail and into my face. 

"I'm not leaving you alone after today." Harry states firmly, and I smile up at him.

"Thank you."

*

Since my mother is watching our every move, Harry sleeps in the guest bedroom, and my mother forces me to sleep in her room to make sure Harry doesn't try anything, although I assure her that he won't. Harry gives me a brief kiss before saying goodnight to my mother and closing the door to the guest bedroom softly. I climb into the bed next to my mother and crawl up next to her. She wraps her arm around me, which immediately brings warmth to my shivering body. 

"I was so scared today, you know." she sniffles. "That officer called me and told me, and I just started crying. And then Shawna got into that accident, and I wanted to come to the station, but the officer agreed to bring you to the hospital, and..." I cut her off. 

"Mom, it's okay." I assure her. 

"I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to you." she whispers. 

"Nothing happened, Mom. I'm okay, I promise. Besides, I love you too much to leave you alone." I can sense her smile when I say that, even in the darkness of the room. 

"Good night, baby." she whispers, her voice laced with drowsiness. 

"Night, Mom." 

*

I wake in the middle of the night from another nightmare, but thankfully, my mother doesn't even stir in her sleep next to me. I swipe the hair out of my face and rub the sweat away from my forehead. I cautiously roll out of the bed, careful not to disturb my sleeping mother. I open the door quietly, step out, and close it gently, making sure not a single noise can be heard. I push open the door to the guest bedroom and crawl into the bed next to Harry. 

"You had a nightmare, didn't you?" His voice startles me. 

"Yea...why are you still awake?" 

"It's a tad hard to sleep without you next to me, love." He says cheekily, and my lips curve up in a smile. 

"You're a cheesy loser." I giggle, reaching over and pinching one of his cheeks. 

"True." he pauses. "But I'm your cheesy loser."

*

I wake up in the morning to Harry's arm wrapped around me, and I giggle softly when I see his curls hanging over his forehead and slightly covering his eyes. He opens one eye, and slowly, the other green orb opens as well. He swipes his untamed curls from his forehead, sitting up. 

"Your mum is gonna be pissed." he announces, his voice groggy. 

"Eh. She can deal with it." I shrug. I get out of the bed and open the door slightly to check if she is still asleep, and thankfully, her door is still shut. "Okay, she's still asleep, so if I'm in my room, then I can tell her that it got too hot in hers." I smile at my plan and exit the room, with Harry following closely behind. We leave the door open and the bed made just in case my mother comes in, and we both sit down on top of the comforter, Indian style. We chat for a bit, until Harry's expression grows solemn and he goes silent. 

"What's wrong?" I ask, and his serious expression is quickly replaced with one of guilt. 

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." he says, looking away.

"About..." I wave my hand, gesturing for more information. 

"Seth, I guess." His eyebrows pinch together, and I look away, not wanting to recall the events of yesterday. 

"Oh," is all I can think of to respond with. 

"Why would he come after you? You did nothing wrong." Harry asks. 

"I dunno, he's an alcoholic. Maybe he was just drunk." I shrug. 

Harry shakes his head firmly. "Drunk people won't exactly kidnap someone and then fight off someone trying to get the victim back." 

"I..I don't know, Harry, I really don't. I'm just really scared."