#15 Yeah, I am fine

I heard the sounds of three bullets being shooted. I ducked and waited for the impact but it never came. I turned to see Ethan losing his balance. I quickly held him, only to see him vigorously bleeding. Oh. My. God.

I laid Ethan down, his head on my lap. He was shot. He was bleeding. I pressed his wound so that it would decrease the bleeding. I looked up to see who had done it. And to my surprise, it was the same person who had glared at us. The man saw me looking and started to run away. Stefan ran behind him. I looked at Ethan. But all I could see was red. Ethan's blood was everywhere. I couldn't think of anything. I reached for my phone to call emergency. But my hand was covered in blood. Ethan's blood. I suddenly realised what had happened and I started shivering. My lips were trembling. Tears started to format in my eyes. Ethan had taken a bullet for me. Not one, but three bullets.

I tried to dial 911 but my phone slipped from my hands. I looked around for someone to help. But it was quite early for someone to be walking on the street. Why did I not agree to take Stefan's car!?! Why did I decide to walk!?! It's my fault Ethan is like this. Tears started spilling from my eyes. It was my fault.

I tried to pick the phone up, but it again slipped from my hand, due to the blood. I looked at Ethan. His eyes were drooping. "Ethan! Stay awake! Open your eyes and stay awake." I tried to say. But it barely came out I a whisper, as I was crying. I tried to pick up my phone again. "Don't. I already called for the ambulance." Stefan assured me.

After sometime, the ambulance arrived and took us to the hospital. They took Ethan straight to the ICU and I was left outside. Stefan came up to me and handed me something. "You haven't eaten breakfast. You should eat something." He suggested and my blood started boiling with anger. How could he even think of food right now!?! "Do you f*cking think that I care about my breakfast, right now?" I shouted at him, gaining a lot of glares from the people around. I sat on the seats, held my head in my hands and started crying. Half because I was sad that Ethan was in the ICU and half because I was angry with myself. It was all my fault.

I felt someone sit beside me. I looked up to see Stefan. And again anger consumed me. "Why the hell are you even sitting here!?! You are allowed to go home, you know! You don't like him anyways. So why even stay here!?! Go and have FOOD!" I shouted and then continued crying. I felt a hand, pat my back. "You have calm down, okay? And even if I don't like him, I am sure he will be fine. But first, you need to calm down." Stefan assured. And to my surprise, his words were actually soothing. I closed my eyes and calmed myself. "I am sorry for shouting." I shrugged. "Do you f*cking think that I care about your sorry right now?" He copied me. And unknowingly, my lips twitched upwards into a smile. I sighed.

After sometime, we were joined by Shirley, Selena, Ryan and Ash. I was trying very hard to control my tears. Shirley was crying and Selena and Ash were confronting her. Ryan and Stefan went to talk to the doctor. My parents were on their way back London. My Dad was furious when he heard about it. So I could see I 'wonderful' argument coming my way. Currently, I was pacing up and down in the corridor in front of the ICU, in which Ethan was there, waiting for the doctor to show up and tell me that he was fine.

**********

I don't know how much time passed away. We were all sitting in an uncomfortable silence, waiting for the doctor. Suddenly the red light went off and the doctor came out, his head held down. I could feel my heart beat rising. I went towards the doctor. "Please tell me he is okay." I pleaded him. "He is not entirely fine. He had a lot of blood loss and two of the bullets went pretend deep. He is in a coma-" That was the last thing I heard. I felt my heart stop beating and my vision started blurring. I couldn't believe it. It can't be. He cannot...

The whole world started spinning. I blinked few times to clear my vision but it seemed to get more blurred. I found my way to the nearest chair and collapsed on it. Tears started pouring out of my eyes. I couldn't believe it. And it was all my fault. It was my fault that Ethan is suffering. Why did he have to step in between!?! It would have been fine if I was shot. I was used to it. Why he!?!

I felt someone hug me. Not caring who it was, I cried on his shoulder. "It's fine Cupcake. He will be fine." Ash patted my back, trying to calm me. "Its all my fault." I cried. "Don't blame yourself, okay? It's not your fault. You didn't know that would happen. No one can predict the future. So don't you dare blame yourself. He'll be fine, Cupcake." He kisses my forehead. I regain my composure and step back. "I soaked your shirt, didn't I?" I sigh. "Come on. Let's go see him." Ash says and leads me inside.

There he was. His eyes closed, connected to all sorts of beeping machines. I went and held his hand. "I'm so sorry." I whispered. I didn't know what else to say. So I just sat there, looking at him, waiting for him to open his eyes. But it didn't happen.

**********

The whole day had gone by. Currently, I was still sitting in the room, with Shirley, waiting for him to wake up. Stefan and Ryan had got a call from somewhere and they had left. I had to force Selena and Ash to go home and sleep. And my parents were on their way, from the airport.

"Oh. My. God." I heard someone gasp. I looked at the door to see my mom and dad. Tears started pouring from my mom's eyes. I went and hugged her. My dad stood beside us staring at Ethan. I helped my mom to sit down. "I'll leave you guys alone for sometime." Shirley said. I nodded and she left the room, closing the door behind her. My father walked towards me. And he suddenly slapped me.  "This is all your fault." My Dad glared at me. There was a burning sensation where he slapped me and tears threatened to flow from my eyes. I had expected some shouting but I was sure that he wouldn't hit me. I held my head down, knowing that he was right. It was all my fault.

My parents stayed in the room. There was a very uncomfortable silence between us. After sometime, my mom suddenly got up and left the room, indicating me to follow her. "I don't blame you for it. I know you would have done anything to protect him. But I cannot bare seeing him like that. So we will be leaving. I know you will stay the night, even if I told you not to. We will come in the morning." My mom whispered, bringing a small smile on her tear stained cheeks. She hugged me for one last time and they both left. I went and sat inside.

After a while, Stefan came inside. "I didn't think that you would come back." I said. "Of course I would come back. Ryan was also coming. But then he got a call from his dad and he left. Where is everybody else?" He asked me. "Shirley has gone to get some coffee. And I forced Selena and Ash to go back home. No one else was there." I replied. "Your Mom and Dad didn't come yet?" He asked, surprise clear in his voice. I touched where my father had slapped me. "Yeah. They came and went." I shrugged and stared out of the window. "Even you both should head home. You should freshen up and rest for the night. If you haven't noticed, you are covered in dry blood." Stefan suggested, sitting beside me.

"No, I am not going anywhere. He is my brother. I am going to stay for the night. After all, it is my fault that he is suffering." I mumbled the last part. Unfortunately, he heard it. "Stop blaming yourself. This not your fault. And go home and at least change your clothes. You are exhausted. You need to sleep." He said. My brain agreed with him but heart said something different. "But what about him? What if something happens in the night? Who be there with him?" I protest. "And you are not allowed to tell me what to do. As for my clothes, I have no problem sitting in these for the rest of my life." I glare at him. "Princess, I'll stay here for the night." He suggested. "Why would you do that? You don't like him anyway. You will take any opportunity to kill him." I hissed.

His expression changed. "I am not that ruthless. I am only telling you to go home and rest because I care for you. And you care for Ethan. So I'll stay here for the night and I promise nothing will happen to him. And if he wakes up, you will be the first one to know. And also take Shirley with you. She's tired too. Take my car." He stated. And I was left dumbstruck. I picked my bag, took the keys from him and walked towards the door without saying a single word. I convinced Shirley and dropped her off at the Klarks. I drove back home, ready to have a sleepless night.

I was standing on the doorstep of my house, when I heard some yelling for inside. I quickly entered the house and went to my parent's room. They were fighting. I haven't seen them fight since very long. "This is enough." My father yelled at my mother. "It was not her fault." My mom said. They were fighting over me!?! "Yes. You are right. It was not her fault. It was yours. You were the one who made her a part of your stupid gang. And now that is the reason she has a threat looming over her head all the time. And this time, it was Ethan who suffered. Next time, it might be me. So, this is enough. I am divorcing with you." My father shouted.

What!?! Without thinking for even a second, I barged into their room. "You can't do that, Dad." I told him. "You are no one to me to tell that." He hissed. "Yes, I am. Even if you don't think of me as your daughter, I am. And how do you think Ethan will feel, when he wakes up and gets to know that his parents have divorced!?! Not about me, but at least think about him, dad." I said, trying to keep myself calm. "I am doing this for him. I will take his custody and keep him away from your filthy gang. And stop calling me 'dad'. You are not even my child-" "No Andrew. Stop it. " My mom cut off my father before he could complete his sentence. I know he doesn't think of me as his daughter. What's new?

"She has to know her place, Amanda." My dad said to my mom and then looked at me, disgust clear in his eyes. "You are not my daughter. You are not our daughter. Your mother got sick during her pregnancy. She was carrying twins. A boy and a girl. The doctors were only able to save one of them, Ethan, and the girl died. After one year, she adopted  you. I was happy at first. I thought she adopted you to fill the gap of our dead, unborn daughter. But I was so wrong. She only took you in so that she would have a someone to pass on her legacy in the gang. You meant nothing to her, other than a tool to keep her legacy in the gang. You are adopted." My father ended. I felt like someone had just taken my heart out. I looked at my mom. Her expression assured me that this was true. I couldn't stand there.

I ran upstairs, into my room, without paying any attention to my mother's calls behind me. I took a bag from my closet and filled some clothes and other necessaries in it. I cleaned myself, changed my clothes, took my bag and went outside. I sat in Stefan's car and drove off to the hospital. I entered Ethan's room to see no one inside. Great. Even Stefan had broken his promise. I sat beside Ethan's bed and let my tears flow. How I missed Ethan sitting beside me and confronting me! I wonder if he knew it too.

"You are supposed to be home, sleeping by now." I heard Stefan's voice. "I thought you left." I whispered, without looking up. "I don't break my promises, Princess." He said. I stayed quite. At least someone didn't leave me today. "Hey, are you okay?" I heard him step closer. I didn't reply. Why does everyone have to ask me the same question!?! "Are you okay, Princess?"

"I am fine." I snapped. "I. Am. Fine. Ethan is in coma. My Mom and Dad are divorcing. And today I learned that I am adopted. Yeah, I am fine." I glare at him.

A/N:

Hey guys!

I know it's a bit sad chapter. But I hope you like it...

I hope you guys are staying home and staying safe.

BTW What do you think of Nessa's mother's actions? And how do think Ethan will feel about his parent's divorcing?

See you soon...