Poisoned Love

16. Inevitable Tragedy

Welcome to the sixteenth chapter!
•Don't forget to vote, comment and give me your thoughts and opinions! Lots of love.
(Btw this was like one of the longest chapters I've wrote, tell me if you prefer this)
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The next morning at school was nothing special...until I found out that Cole didn't show up again. The least I could do is go to his home and check up on him. As I made my way out of the building and into the parking lot, I heard my name being called out. At first, I couldn't recognize the voice that was calling me. I turned on my heel and I was surprised to see Alex, Ryder and Tori standing in front of me. They all had serious expressions plastered on their faces.

"Hey." I waved at them, expecting them to smile back. They didn't, though.

"Hi..." Alex says in a low tone, his voice just a notch above a whisper.

"What's wrong?" I questioned them quizzically. Something smelt fishy. They were all silent and almost...scared to speak?

"Lyd, there's something you need to know about Cole." Ryder tells me. I'm surprised by how his tone has changed since yesterday but I neglected that thought and focused on Cole.

"What about him? I was just heading to his house."

"Yesterday, I wasn't in school because I went to his house and..." Tori paused, which made me more the worried.

"What happened, Tori?" I asked and her lips were clamped shut as she stared at her feet. "Guys?" I panicked.

"Cole is at the hospital. The doctors don't know if-" Alex begins to say but I cut him off by raising my hand in his face. This can't be real. Are my ears deceiving me?

I can feel tears clouding my vision. Tori reached out and embraced me into a tight hug. I couldn't hug her back.

"What do you mean he's in the hospital?" I say, my voice croaking and my eyebrows knit in confusion. Tori slightly pulled away, leaving some distance between us.

"He's had too much alcohol to drink and...he went to the hospital right away. We still don't know the details." Ryder explains. I said the first thing that came on my mind.

"Take me to the hospital." I told them. "I need to see him."

"Okay, but I don't think he's awake, Lydia."

"Just take me there, Ryder, o-or tell me which hospital and I'll drive there myself."

"No, you can't." Ryder says. I fumbled in my purse as I tried to look for my car keys. "Look at yourself, Lydia. You look broken, you can't drive like this." He tells me. My mind went blank, I had no idea what to say but I knew he was right. I can feel warm tears rolling down my cheeks. I covered my mouth to stop myself from sobbing. I sniffled and instantly entered Ryder's car that was parked right next to mine.

"Drive me then." I say to Ryder. My tone was harsher and more serious than usual. Ryder didn't protest or say a word, he just got in the car with me and started the ignition. He drove off and I had no idea where Tori and Alex disappeared to, but I didn't care at that moment.

"Ryder, I'm so worried." I say as more tears silently trickled down my cheeks. I tried so hard to control my breathing.

"I know, I know." He says in a low soothing voice as his cold hand reaches out to squeeze my hand. "He'll be okay."

**
We reached the hospital and I rushed to the elevator, forcing Ryder to follow me, dashing. We went to the highest floor where Ryder told me Cole was staying at. As soon as the elevator opened, I followed Ryder as he guided me to the room. Outside of the room, stood a tall lady and I immediately recognized her red hair. She was Cole's mother.