You Were Always Mine

48: Making Amends

Angel

Everything is chaos. Somehow, it is all moving in slow motion while in real time. Nurses have begun emerging from the rooms where they had been hiding along with their patients. Nick has Morgan pinned down to the ground, placing her in handcuffs. Officers gather around trying to make the patients whose curiosity has gotten the better of them to return to their rooms. A woman looks wide-eyed at Jasmine and I as we lay in a pool of blood that surrounds her body. The womans hand covers a gasp escaping from her mouth. I take my attention off her and put it on to Jasmine, who is still clutching at her chest. Her breathing is erratic as she struggles to bring air through her lungs. I push myself using my good arm to help me scoot closer to her, ignoring my shot leg that now feels numb. I take her head in my hands.

"Just hold on. It's all over now. You're going to be okay, alright? Just try taking easy breaths." She gives me a blank stare in response. "Jasmine?" I gently shake her shoulders as she continues to stare at me, her chest slowly rising and falling, the sound of wheezing passing through her lips.

"Help! Somebody, please!" I scream out.

"Oh dear God." I nurse rushes towards us. "Where are you hit?" She looks me over, but I shake my head.

"Don't worry about me. Please just help her." She looks over to Jasmine, her eyebrows knit together, the look on her face has me feeling sick to my stomach.

"Help her!" I yell at the nurse who seems to be ignoring me now. Her head whips around the room before she starts calling for assistance. More nurses begin to gather around us. One kneels down next to her, and I catch only a little of their faint conversation.

"Looks bad..."

"Dr. Ryan quickly..."

"Into shock..."

"Hurry up!"

The other nurse nods at her and beckons over two officers who she whispers to. They then come around to me and take hold of both my arms. I cry out in pain from the stretching of my wounded arm.

"Fuck I was shot there!"

"Which arm is it?" The other nurse looks me over. "How is Jasmine?" My question goes unanswered, and I watch as a bed is brought around. Nurses, along with the help of a few officers, carefully lift Jasmine off the floor, the color of her dress now a dark crimson. I feel the whole room beginning to move speedily around me, I can no longer see straight, voices muffle, I feel a pressure on my leg, a few slaps to my face, but I am numb to it all. I have never believed in miracles or spoken to God. But seeing the state Jasmine is in has me hoping with everything I have that there is.

Lights flicker. Why is everything still going so fast. I wish it would all just slow down. The masked people hovering over me is like something out of nightmares. Their muffled voices ring through my ears. I have to get away. I go to sit up but feel a heaviness on my chest stopping me. One of the masked people puts something over my mouth and tells me to calm down. My vision becomes even more blurred, and I feel my body relax as I fall into nothingness.

. . .

Senior year. I am surprised I even lived this long to see it. At least now my older brother cannot add dropout to his personal list of "Angel's Fuck Ups." I am beyond glad to be over and done with this school and all of the people in it. This hell hole is just full of fake people. I may be an asshole but at least I let you know I am one and do not even try to pretend that I am nice. I have hooked up with too many girls at this school and have to see their pitiful faces every day because they were not the lucky one who was finally able to cuff Angel Hernandez.

I walk through the halls making my way to class along with the group of wannabe fuck boys tagging along behind me. They chose me as their leader. A position I never wanted nor will I be continuing once I leave here.