Through the flames *MMG REVISION-COMPLETED✔️*

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Honk Honk

Jonas's foot never lessened on the accelerator as we sped down the road at definitely illegal speeds. He gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles, glaring at the cars ahead of us with a heat I didn't know he was capable of.

CJ sat next to him, busily texting Rachel and Stacy to let them know what was happening.

Noah and I sat in the back. He had wanted to drive but Jonas insisted he sit in the back, pointing out that Noah was to shaken to drive.

And shaken he was.

His eyes never moved from the space before him, that distant and hard expression chiseled into his face. I eyed his fists pressed into his knees.

Slowly, I reached out and placed my hand over his. Noah stiffened but didn't look down. Instead, he placed his other hand on top of mine and squeezed tightly.

We continued to hold hands the entire way to the hospital, where once the car stopped, Noah practically sprinted inside with me stumbling along behind him.

CJ and Jonas waited in the waiting room as Noah identified himself to the front desk, who gave us directions to Addie.

I would never forget the way his hand shook as he clutched mine, nor the paleness in his face like the life had been sucked out of him as he beheld his motionless cousin.

My heart clenched.
Addie. Sweet...caring...satanic Addie.

She lay on the hospital bed, stitches lining the left side of her young face. A large section of her golden hair was shaved as the line of grotesque stitches continued into her scalp.
Her eyes were closed and swollen. Her left arm and leg were in casts, and her shoulder was heavily bandaged.

Noah's hand tightened around mine, and a weak, wounded noise came from the back of his throat.

"Addison..." He croaked.

I let his hand slip from mine. He stumbled to Addie's side and collapsed into a chair.

I took a few steps closer, hugging my arms tightly around me as my stomach did somersaults.
Addie. Innocent, gummy bear giving, concerned Addie.

"Who did this?" I breathed, placing a trembling hand on Noah's shoulder.

"They don't know." Came a new voice. I looked up to see a young woman across the bed, kneeling by Addie's side. Her short blonde hair fell around her face as her hands clutched Addie's small ones.

This must be Addie's mother. I glanced between Addie's limp golden curls and her mother's short straight ones.

The heart monitor skipped a beat and my stomach tightened. Every noise, every sterile scent of this hospital put me on edge.

"They said that it...it was intentionally," the woman continued, her voice shaking. "She was at recess and...and..." She lowered her head to the bed and began to shake with silent sobs.

Something in me broke at the sight, and before I knew it my arms were wrapped around her, squeezing her tight.

The door opened and the doctor walked in. Her short black hair was gelled back, and her glasses were perched on the end of her nose.

She hesitated. Her eyes moved from Noah, then to Addie's mom, then to me. Deciding that I must have been the most sane there, she addressed me.

"My name is doctor Helmsworth." She introduced, crossing the room to stand by Addie's side.
I retracted one arm from Addie's mom and extended a hand. "I'm Ha-Naomi," I said, swallowing thickly as I lied. Was that illegal? Technically I had no relation to Addie and therefore wasn't important, but why did that just feel illegal?