Braxten High

Chapter 23

Zara's POV:

I stood out on Azriel's dad's front porch for a few beats, stunned at the sudden change of Azriel's mood. A rather loud clattering from inside the house snapped me out of my trance-like state.

I walked in on Mr. Dayton coughing violently on the couch, trying to catch his breath. I found the source of the sound to be a metal vase that was on the floor beside the couch. He clenched at his chest, gasping.

"The bedroom, go to the bedroom. Side drawer, inhaler. Pills in the shower," he said, wheezing and heaving for air and getting paler in the face.

I rushed to the bedroom that had the ensuite bathroom and gathered whatever I thought he needed on instinct and ran back to the living room couch where Mr. Dayton seemed to be getting worse.

He reached for one of the bottles of pills I'd brought out and after 10 minutes of dry-swallowing two of the pills and taking a few hits of his inhaler, he had reduced to heavy breathing and was no longer wheezing.

After about half an hour, he had completely calmed down. I put away the pills and kept the vase back on the coffee table.

"You know, you might just be the best thing that has happened to Azriel," he said, smiling at me fondly. "You should go home now, it's getting late. I'm sorry for his behavior, but he has the right to be upset. I hope you can help him take the news better"

I smiled sweetly, "I will, you don't have to worry about all this. Just take care of your health. And about Azriel's behavior, it's alright, it really is. I know he'll come around." I said while gathering my bag and coat.

"Good-bye Mr.Dayton. I've left my number on a post-it on the fridge; give me a call if you need anything."

"Please," he said, smiling. "Call me Brian."

____________________

Scarlett's POV:

Once I got home, I immediately changed into my comfy home clothes and decided to wait for Zara. I'd called Azriel and her several times but hers was switched off and Azriel just declined or let it go to voicemail every time.

I didn't have to wait long, and just as I was pouring myself a glass of chocolate milk I heard the door open. I left it on the counter and decided confronting Zara was more productive than drinking chocolate milk, for now.

"Hey, there you are! I called you and that rude asshole a million times, why won't you- Zara, are you okay?" I said, quickly growing concerned at the sullen expression she had while putting away her coat and house keys.

"Hey, how was your day?" she asked in a flat, exhausted voice.

I jumped over the couch to get to her, and grabbed both her arms. "What's up? What's bothering you?" I asked gently, trying to get her to tell me what was wrong. "Where's Azriel? Didn't he drop you home?"

"I got an Uber back home, I don't know where he is," she said, her voice breaking at the end.

"I am going to cut off his balls. What the fuck did he do?" I led her to the couch and sat down beside her after hugging her real tight. "Tell me so I can emasculate him at 4 in the morning."

"His father decided to tell him about this life-threatening disease he has had for a long time and he just- he drove away to god knows where," she said, tearing up.

"W-what?" I was ...confused? This was a lot to take in. I could only imagine what Azriel must be going through. I just offered her the comfort she could obviously use in the form of hugs.