Playing With Fire || d.h

81. Deterioration

Dan's POV

"C'mon! I had to get at least one hit in!" James shouts as I lie on the ground, my eyes squeezed shut. "The fucking bastard deserved it."

"Come on, James, or I swear to god, I will kill you," Jack snaps, and thunderous footsteps fade away from me.

Someone squats down next to my face, and I squint my eyes open to see Macy looking down at me. "Oh, thank god, you're not out," she sighs.

"He's done a lot worse," I grumble, sitting up. I finally glance at (y/n), and instantly am overcome by a wave of nausea. She lies on her stomach, face against the carpet. Swollen bruises already cover a large sum of her skin, and I can't help but worry about what kind of internal damage she has.

"This might not sound like a good thing, but he's also done a lot worse to her," Macy's voice brings me back to reality, and I look up at her. "I've never met anyone as strong as her, and I know she'll be okay."

After a moment of silence, I clear my throat. "Um, should we, like, take her to the hospital?" I ask, scratching the back of my neck.

Macy grimaces slightly, and I can't help but think it might have something to do with the fact that (y/n) despises hospitals. "I mean, she has a lot of, um, drugs in her system," she replies timidly.

"Yeah, but hospitals can't, like, go to the cops or anything," I answer.

Macy gives me a questioning look, before nodding her head. "Then, uh, yeah, a hospital sounds good."

Luckily Macy has a car, and I carry (y/n)'s frail frame down the stairs and into the backseat, lying her down. It's weird how calmly I'm taking this right now, but it's probably just the fact that reality hasn't completely hit me yet. As Macy drives to the hospital, I zone out, trying to grasp the events of the last two hours.

It doesn't hit me when we get to the hospital, nor when I carry her into the waiting room. I still feel numb as I watch the nurses roll her away in a stretcher, and as Macy and I sit in the waiting room. When Macy asks me if I want a coffee, I still feel as if nothing had happened.

Macy comes back from the cafeteria, handing me an iced coffee. As I take a sip from the straw, my phone vibrates in my pocket, and I read a text from Phil.

Phil
Where are you?? Are you and (y/n) okay?

Dan
We're at the hospital. James happened

Phil
Oh my god. Dodie and I will be there soon

Dan
You don't need to come, idek what's wrong

Phil
I don't care, Dodie and I are already leaving the apartment

I sigh heavily, leaning back in the chair and resting my eyes. However, I instantly remember Macy's sitting next to me, and I have about a million questions to ask her.

"So...what exactly happened?" I ask. I had been partially worried she would have some sort of negative reaction, but it seemed like she had been expecting it. Sighing, she sits up, and turns to face me.

"Um...James, James basically thought (y/n) was sneaking around behind his back, even though she literally hasn't left my house in weeks, and he...he decided he had to put her in her place."

The words make me shudder, and I close my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm myself down. As I do so, Macy continues talking.

"You know, (y/n) really loves you," she whispers, staring at some point ahead of her. "And I think that's what she's most afraid of."