In the middle

Chapter 59

My head was pounding, I squeezed my eyes open. I could hear beeping beside me and more alarms going off in the distance. 

'Hey sweetheart, stay calm okay? You're going to be alright.' Someone whispered in my ear. There were two fireman, I was lying on the top of my hood. Half my body still inside the car. My hear started to beat quicker, I filled with panic. 
I wanted to move, I wanted to get out of this situation.

'Hey, hey! It's okay. Everything is okay I promise.' The man in the fire uniform spoke. Tears fell down my cheeks easy. 

'I wanna go home.' I cried. 'Not just yet sorry, we are going to take you to the hospital.' He spoke back to me. 
'Ready? One, two, three.' One three I was lifted out of the car and placed on a stretcher. 

'Where is my brother?' I cried to someone. 'Your brother? Is he your guardian?' A lady above me asked. 'I want my brother.'
'Okay, we'll call your brother. What is your name sweetheart?'
'Zoie, Zoie Carter.' They put something around my neck and rolled me into an ambulance. 

'Oh god! Am I going to die?' Adrenaline was running through my body, so I couldn't feel much but I knew that was going to change. Sooner or later I'd feel everything. 
'No, of course not darling. You're in great hands. I promise you you're going to be okay. How old are you Zoie?'

'Sixteen, almost seventeen.' 
'Oh nice, anything you doing for your birthday?' I know she was just trying to keep me calm but I wanted to get up and go home. I didn't want all this attention, I didn't want any of this. 

'The other car? Are they okay?' 
'Yeah, they are perfectly fine. No one other than you was injured. Did you press on your break?' 
'Yeah!' I cried. 'I'm so sorry, I tried to stop.' 
'It's okay, pressing on that break was a good job. You saved a lot of lives including your own tonight.' 

Saved a lot of lives. It was my fault I was speeding. It was my fault their car was damaged. I didn't save any lives tonight, I caused the crash. My eyes felt heavy and sore. 

I closed my eyes for a minute. 'No, no Zoie! Stay with me okay? You gotta stay with me!' The lady spoke. 'Her BP is dropping.' I heard her say and then once again it went blank. 


'Get her into surgery now!' Someone yelled. I still had my eyes closed. I was so tired and now things in my body were starting to hurt a little. The idea of pain made me cry so hard. My breath quickened and I started to panic. 
Great, a panic attack. That's what I don't need right now. 

'Zoie can you hear me?' Someone said, it was a different voice but female again. All I could do was groan, I didn't have energy for anything else. 

'Zoie we are taking you into surgery okay. Your brother has been notified and is on the way.' The lady spoke. 
Once again I faded off. 



When I opened my eyes again everything was quieter. A light beeping was beside me this time. I looked to my right, machines were making small noises. I could hear people walking up and down the halls. 
I was in the hospital. Cords ran through my arms. 

'What happened?' I coughed out. I looked to my left, Harry was sitting on a chair beside the bed. 'Harry?' I called out, tears springing from my eyes. 'Zoie, ZOIE! You're awake. Can I get a nurse in here?' He yelled out. 

'What happened?' I asked again. 'You were in a crash.' I remembered that part. 'They took you into surgery but you are okay now.' He squeezed my hand, he had a year run down his cheek. 

'Are you crying?' I laughed, but laughing felt exhausting. 'I was so worried, I got a call saying you were in a crash and they were rushing you into surgery.' His voiced wobbled. 

'Hi Zoie, I'm Doctor Rasheed. How ate you feeling?' The male doctor asked. I don't even remember the last time I was in hospital. 'I've been better.' I said truthfully.

'I'm just gonna hear your heart rate.' He said taking a look at me. We all stayed silent for a moment. I was just so glad Harry was here. I was freaking out. 

'Everything sounds good.' He assured. 'The people in the other car?'
'They are perfectly fine, a little whiplash but they have been sent home.' My heart eased at hearing that. 

I wouldn't know what I would have done if one of them were hurt or killed. 

'My leg hurts.' I complained. 'You did receive some cuts on your leg when you went through the windshield but I can go get something for the pain.' He smiled and walked out of the room. 

'Why was I in surgery?' I questioned. 
'You had some open cuts to your stomach and arm. Where you were....stabbed.' Harry says painfully. 'It opened but you're all good.' He kissed my hand. 

'Do you know what happened?' Harry asked me. Tears slid across my face and burred my vison. 'I was on the phone, yelling at Julian. Luis..... he's....he's.' 
'Yeah! I know. Kaden called me.' 

'He did?' 
'Yeah, apparently Julian was trying to beat the shit out of Ezra, cause you found out and Ezra made him swear not to tell you.'
'Is that all Kaden said about them?' I asked. 'Yeah, why?' I didn't want to tell Harry. I was afraid he would do something regrettable. Like shoot Ezra or something. But Julian had tried to beat Ezra up. 

I remember him screaming at his brother. Right before the crash.

'God, if I wasn't so stupid none of this would have happened.' 
'You had no idea. This isn't your fault Zo, I just wish I got your out of all of this earlier. I promise you, I'll find a way. I'll keep you safe like I should have done all along.' Harry argued. I could see rage boiling up inside him. 

'If I ever see Luis, I'm going to kill him Zo.' 
'Please Harry, not now.' I didn't wanna think about it. Before I got into that car I was lying in his bed. Unaware that he had pointed a gun at my head while I was sleeping. 
He had bragged to Julian about fucking me. 

I felt sick again, I wanted to throw up but I didn't know if anything would even come up. I didn't even know how long I was out for!

'What time is it?'
'Eight-thirty. The crash happened at ten pm.' He explained. So I was out for a bit. 'Here you go.' Dr. Rasheed walked back in with a cup of water and some small pills. 'These will help with the pain.' I swallowed them quickly. 

'We'll keep you hear for observation for the day and maybe the night and depending how things are going we might be able to send you home.' He spoke chipperly. 

'Thank you.' Harry spoke. Then again the doctor walked back out. 

'Zoie?' Harry and I turned to the door. Julian stood there, flowers in hand. 'What are you doing here?' Harry asked but there wasn't anger in his words, just confusion. 

'I'm okay.' I spoke to my brother. 'I'm gonna go get a coffee, i'll be back shortly.' With that Harry walked out. 

'How are you feeling?' Julian walked in and put the flowers on the table beside me. 'Alright considered.'

His face was tense, his whole body was tense. 'I'm so sorry Zoie. I wish I told you, you didn't deserve that.'
'It's okay. I can't say I don't understand why you did it.' I admit. He sat down beside me. 

'When we send me that text, I tried calling him. I wanted to kill him, I wanted to beat him to death. I can't believe he touched you like that.' I closed my eyes out of shame. His touch skill lingered on my skin and memory. 

More tears fell down and I could feel a lump in my throat, blocking me from swallowing my tears away. 

'I guess I still can't believe he's your brother.' 
'Half brother.' He corrected. 'Our dad loved our mum but that didn't stop him from sleeping with someone else.'
'I'm sorry.' I admitted. 

'HEY! Nothing is your fault.' Julian placed his hand on mine. A touch that felt so foreign and so familiar all at once. I knew things had been bad between us for so long but I still cared for him. Maybe I still loved him. 

A good warm feeling spready across my body and I didn't want him to let go. I had always felt safe with him and that was still true even now. 

'I'm really sorry.' I admit again but this time it was about Ezra. 'Why are you sorry again?' 
'Ezra.' I choked out. His touch felt more tense now but he didn't move away. 
'That's not your fault either. Ezra told me he was the one that came onto you and that you pushed him off. I was just so mad, I thought you had hung up so I turned on him.' He explained. 

'I started beating up and then he pulled out a gun. I wanted to kill him. Ezekiel was furious, I think he was actually a little mad at Ezra though, which was a first.' He chuckled. 
'I should have told you though.' I explain. 

'We haven't been together for a long time, you didn't have to explain anything. Just please promise me one thing?' 
'Yeah?' 
'No more of my brothers, I can't beat them all up.' I couldn't help but smile. 'I don't know, Kaden is looking pretty good these days.' I joke. 

'Oh god.' He smiled. It was a smile I hadn't seen in forever. I missed it, it was comforting. 

'I remember you told me once you didn't like roses, you felt they were cliché so I got you sunflowers.' He picked them up off the table. 'I love them, thank you.' 
'You're more than welcome.' 

I was glad he came. 'We all good in here?' Harry asked walking back in. 'Yeah, we're good.'