Trapped (egobang trans)

Chapter 81 - Turned In

< Arin's POV >

The sound of police sirens in the distance was what finally shook Arin out of her daze. She saw faces surrounding her in the back of the packed car and gripped Danny tighter. Everything had been a blur; nightmares mixed with reality. Looking up she saw Danny's tear stained face and the fire still burning in his eyes. She'd vaguely heard screams earlier, but what had actually happened back there? She didn't ask.

"Arin...?" asked a quiet voice, "Are you okay?" 

It was Ross in the front seat next to Kevin. He looked shaken, as did everyone else in the car. All Arin could do was nod silently, though she knew she was lying. Ross averted his gaze, looking suddenly on the edge of tears. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault..."

"What are you talking about, Ross? This has nothing to do with you!" Suzy retorted from the back, and Arin flinched at the raise in volume.

"Jon was my friend. And... I'm the one that kicked our ball in Arin's direction. I-If I hadn't done that, maybe they wouldn't have met... Maybe this wouldn't have happened..."

A single tear rolled down his cheek and he quickly tried to hide it. "I'm so sorry..."

"...Ross...... It's not your fault..." Arin managed to whisper, her throat tight. "I let him in..."

"But--"

"Look, this is no one's fault but Jon's," decided Suzy firmly.

She seemed to be handling the situation with anger rather than sadness. In some ways, it was comforting to not be receiving pity from every end.

"I just hope he's learnt his lesson," added Rachel cautiously.

"At the very least he's got a long hospital stay ahead of him," said Suzy, folding her arms. "Good riddance."

"W-Wait, what...?" Arin asked, confused.

A new silence fell, broken only by the whirring of Kevin's engine and the patter of a light drizzle on the roof.

"Danny... Uh, Danny did quite the number on him. An ambulance was called."

At those words Arin felt Danny stiffen, and she glanced up again to see the fire growing in his eyes. Whatever he'd done, it was riling him up again just thinking about it. Arin settled her cheek against his chest, rubbing his back as she hugged him to calm him down.

"I don't want to know. Not yet," she muttered, and Suzy nodded.

They all decided to drop the whole thing for now, and Kevin just focused on bringing them all home. Ross was the first to go. He looked back at Arin with a thousand apologies in his eyes before he reluctantly climbed out, and the car continued on. Suzy and Rachel were next; Rachel was going to stay the night with her. Arin had a feeling that the two were trying to put on a brave face for her, but she could tell they were just as shaken up. Before pulling back out onto the road, Kevin turned around to look at Arin and Danny. Like Ross he looked pretty freaked out, but mostly just sad.

"So..." he started unsurely, "Whose house am I going to first?"

"Mine." Arin didn't want to be in the back of a car by herself, no matter if it was Kevin's.

Kevin nodded and set off. It was raining more heavily now and the windows were a mask of darkness. It was something out of a horror movie, and Arin wasn't sure how she was going to get to sleep tonight.

They slowed to a stop at last and Arin sighed. She started to move out of Danny's iron grip when he finally spoke after being silent for so long.

"Can I come in with you? Just... to make sure?"