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Noah
I held Luna against my chest, hands shaking. "Luna, the ambulance is on the wayâthey are coming soon. Just hold out a little longer."
Her bright green eyes didn't seem too bright. She was still conscious, somehow, after all those hits to her body. There wasn't a speck of blood from her and that scared me.
I glance at her before lifting her top a littleâthere was a huge bruise on her abdomen.
"Jesus Christ, Lunaâ"
"Noah," She gasped and I looked back at her. She tried to smile but both of us knew, the pain won't let her do shit. "Don't be angry at Adi. Be good to him."
"Because you'll be there to beat the shit out of me after I beat the shit out of him."
She tried to laugh but she coughed instead. "N-no. Just be with him, always. Promise me that."
"Luna." I gulped. "Don't do that. You're going to be perfectly fine. You will check on me not do shit to Adi and call me out when I do. You'll go to school and throw the assignments on that teacher you hate so much's face and then get selected into theâwhat team you wanted to join?"
She closed and opened her eyes as she started coughing. "I-it is fine, N-no-aah."
"Okay, you'll join whatever team and be the best at it!"
"Noah..."
"Luna?"
She said to me, smiling, "O, captain. My captain."
I felt the cold wind against my back as her eyes started to roll back into her head. But when her head slowly droops against my chest, I lost my calm.
"Heyâhey! Don't close your eyes, Lu. Don't you dare close your eyes!" I begged, "Please, please, Luna. Don'tâLuna, stay with me. Goddamit, where's the ambulance?! Luna!"
But she didn't listen to me.
She just squeezed my sleeve and breathed out.
For the last time.
***
I watch in absolute horror as Bella's body slides off the car's hood and onto the road. The car just swerves and drives away, like nothing just happened.
Hundreds of glasses can break over and over again but they will never compare to the sound that leaves me. Whatever that is in my hand is long gone as I rush towards her, calling out her name.
It is even worse when I reach her.
Her left arm is twisted out of sort and blood is slowly pooling around her body. Iris blinks slowly, almost like her eyelids are heavy with sleep. Disoriented, her eyes flicker around in a daze and slowly rolling back into her head.
"Iris," I yell, "IRIS."
I shake her body and cup her face, her cheeks, her forehead. But nothing. She won't open her eyesâshe won't wake up. Then, I feel the warm liquid behind her head. When I get my hand out, it is fucking bloody.
She hit her head on the pavement when she fell.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Quickly, I fumble for her wrist, ignoring my shaking hands and frantic heartbeats. There's a faint pulse that somewhat calms me. With whatever sense I've in me, I take out my shirt and put it behind her head, gently pulling her up against me. I'm not a doctor but I know I've got to stop the blood getting out.
Getting my phone, I somehow dial for the ambulance, answering all their questions as fast as I can. My fast breathing restricts the words coming out of my throat. All I want is them to come here. Fast.
However, Bella is leaning against my chest, slipping every second they're taking to come, as I feel her small and slow breath on me. Keeping the pressure on her head, I tighten my hold on her and suppress a defeated sob.
It is because of me. I left her alone.
All the people, who always protected her, trusted meâthought I was right by her side for everything, every time. I let them down.
And now... she... she's broken. She can'tâ
No.
She has to wake up.
For me. At least, for me.
"Bella," I say to her, "Wake up. Just open your eyes, baby."
But she doesn't.
"Why are you so goddamn stubborn?" I continue. "Open your eyes, Iris! Just do it! JustâI want you to look at me and call me stupid. Tell me that I get scared too easily. For that, you have to open your eyes, Iris."
Every ounce of strength I ever had leaves me, my body no longer listens to my brain. All that is left is a pounding pain and it is nothing like I've ever felt. Because when I thought I had gotten everything I needed in life again. When again I thought I am not hopelessâI am capable of something...
My everything starts slipping away from me.
"I love you, Iris," I say it. "I love you goddamn so much. Please, just please, wake up."
I keep on repeating the words and yet she doesn't wake up even when the piercing sound of the siren tightens my heart and fear spikes up my spine. Even when she is lifted onto a stretcher and her body moves with the force. Even when I go into the vehicle, staying at her side, as we go to the hospital.
***
Most nurses and doctors know Bella, given the fact she is the daughter of one of their colleagues. So, they don't ask me to fill out anything and also called Steve and Mia.
I won't lie when I say I didn't want to call them. What would I even have said? The daughter they were expecting to be at home at eleven is now in the emergency room at the hospital. All because of my fucking decisions, tonight. All because of me.
If I had just taken her homeâ
I text Adi as I try to calm myself.
The only thing that hasn't broken me yet is the fact she's still aliveâshe's still breathing in that goddamn room full of doctors. But I need someoneâno, I need my best friend here, before that simple fact doesn't seem enough for me.
I am sitting on the bloody cold chair near the emergency room when one of the nurses gives me Bella's belongings. He hands me the pendant necklace I got her on her birthday, and it almost breaks me.
"Xavi!"
"Dr. Cooper, you're here," the guy says, and I look up.
Disheveled and heaving, Steve runs towards us with Mia closely behind him. Both of them get nervous glances from the nurses and I push back my hair.
"Noah, what happened?" Mia gushes. "Tell me everything!"
After talking briefly with Xavi, the nurse, Steve turns towards us. I look between them, before glancing back at Mia, as I tell them everything. About her being accidentally high to the car accident.
Mia sits down beside me, not saying anything, while Steve looks around, rubbing his head. He says to us, "She will be fine, okay? My daughter is a fighter. I'll go and checkâ"
"Steve." Mia holds his hand.
"Mia." He sits down, in front of her. "I'll be right back, I promise."
After a long second, Mia nods and Steve gets up. He puts a hand on my shoulder, before going. I twirl the pendant in between my fingers and just stay silent. What else can I say?
Half an hour passes by, Steve comes back with the most distraught expression I've ever seen on him.
"What happened?" Mia asks him when he sits next to her.
He leans back and replies in a low voice, "She's going to have surgery. Her head took a bad hit."
His words strike me hard than I want them to.
I'd been pestering the doctor for something before Iris's parents came, but heâKen is his name, I guessâjust told me to sit down, giving me very vague information. And now, Steve comes and tells us this.
Mia's facial features crumble and she starts tearing up. "Irisâshe hates surgeries. She can'tâ"
"She will be okay." Steve pulls Mia towards him. "I know that."
I look away from them. Not only because that I put their daughter here, but because the more I see them, the pain in the corner of my heart grows. Here I am, helpless, as the love of my life fights for her life in that room.
Fuck, I just wish it was me in front of that car, instead of her.
And a slap straight to my cheek gets me out of my suicidal thoughts.
I touch my face, glancing at my best friend. He glares at me, accusingly, as he tries to breathe out like he has run a fucking marathon. His eyes are red with tears, rolling down his face.
Adi points a finger at me. "Don't you dare think that!"
I just sigh. "Aditya..."
"I know you. I know what you were thinking and I'm forbidding you to think that."
"But that won't change anything," I say.
"Oh, something will." He sits next to me and whispers, "Pot cupcakes? It had to be cupcakes and the only person eating it was Iris?"
"What the sweet fuck are you talking about? Most parties have drugs roaming around."
"Yeah, but I came to talk to you before Iris came to you and there were no cupcakes around you. Suddenly, we are gone and Iris's alone and she gets cupcakes?"
I straighten up. "Adi, do you know what you're saying?"
He holds up a pen drive. "Guess who I saw at the party, today?"
***
Bookers' Residence
The nameplate of the building shines under the lamplight on it. The building stands tall and proud, almost like it hadn't done shit to anyone. I don't remember when I'd come here last time, but I do remember telling myself never to set afoot here ever again. Yet, I am here.
Booker Enterprises is one of the shareholders in Radcliffe Motors, and they have been trying very long to be a partner by wanting a merger between two businesses. I know this, only because I used to be a part of the management.
Like hell, I would let that will happen now.
Whatever calmness I had when I reached has vanished, replacing itself with an unmistakable fire under my skin. And I know it is very much visible as the security guards don't even lift a finger to stop when I storm into the building and then into the elevator.
My luck, I find that fuckerâZachary Booker literally standing near the elevator and thus, lengthen my strides. He doesn't see me coming.
I have him pinned against the wall faster than I anticipated. His eyes widen in surprise but it doesn't last long as the smugness comes back into his eyes.
"I see," He says, "You received our gift."
I hit him.
Right on the jaw.
Hard.
Zachary stumbles sideways due to the harsh force, making some space between him and me. Before he can even process the punch, I drive my shoulder into his chest, slamming ourselves on the ground. I start landing solid punches to his guts, making him groan.
Then, I lose myself in it. My anger keeps on elevating and the punches get harder. I can feel him trying to fight back but he has no right to fight back with me when he tried to drug my girlfriend.
I knew they would do something shit but trying to kill her? Fuck, I hadn't expected them to stoop so low. But they did and they are going to pay for it.
I don't stop until a bunch of hands pulls me away from him. The bodyguards. I try to keep breaking their hold on me but eventually, give up when I see Zach's bloody face.
"Ah, Noah Radcliffe, I didn't know I would meet you so soon."
Mr. Booker walks, calmly, looking between his son and me. Then, he settles his gaze on me, examining the evident blood on my white shirt.
He narrows his eyes. "What happened to you?"
"Don't you know about your son's activities?" I break away from the bodyguard's hold and glare at him.
He holds up his head as if challenging me. Whatever he sees, he sighs and waves his dogs off of me.
He says, starting to move, "We can have this conversation in another room."
"No."
Mr. Booker stops and tilts his head. "Excuse you?"
"I'm not going to step into more of your slaughterhouse." I don't move an inch, looking at him.
His eyes flash with anger. "Watch your words, Noah. You're in my area."
"No." I step towards him. "You watch your actions."
Zachary coughs, standing up, as Mr. Booker runs a hand over his face, not even bothering to hide his smirk.
"I don't know what you're talking about," He lies, shamelessly. "Can you just spell it out for me?"
"I do not play games, Mr. Booker. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
He looks at me, almost like he is bored of me. This motherfucking asshole. This is the guy who wants to do business with my father?
Then, Zachary opens his big fat mouth. "His little girlfriend fucked someone else."
"Shut your fucking mouth," I snap at him. "It was you. You were at the party, tonight."
"Oh," He nods but then, his lips lift into a smirk. "I thought you were talking about the park."
Then, everything happens too quickly. I lunge at him, again, but the bodyguards stop me from doing any more damage to that smug asshole. I break away from them as I stare back at the father and son.
I exhale. "Why the actual fuck would do you something like that?"
"Come on, Noah. You're a smart kid, you can figure it out." But I don't budge, making Mr. Booker sigh. "We want a merger between our families."
I freeze, realizing their intentions all along. After I came back from Nottingham at the start, Danielle had been trying her best to get my attention. At the parties, she would try to string along with me, and whenever I wanted to fuck, she was just right there. Always.
"You want Danielle and I to get together."
"To get married? Yes," Mr. Booker starts saying. "Think of it as an opportunity. You want to be a soccer player? Done. I have contacts with various scoutsâthey will take you the moment I recommend you. You don't need to do it the hard way, go for the easiest way."
He shrugs. "In return, all I'm asking is for you to not think from your balls and agree with our proposal."
"And a huge portion of our business's shares," I conclude.
"I wouldn't disagree that that will be an advantage, too."
I scoff. "You're so fucking sick. You think I'm going to agree with that fucking proposal?"
"That girl doesn't do shit for you. You think she would've done something like this if you were in her position and she in yours?"
I look at him, straight in his eyes. "I know for a fact that your son wouldn't be standing here if it had been her in my place."
"Oh please," He rolls his eyes. "Fine, you want to fuck herâdo it in private. Just publicly be with Danielle. If you ever get tired of that poor girl, I'll get you more whores to fuck with you."
"Stop talking." I close my eyes, feeling sick to my core. A man who can talk about letting a guy cheat on his daughter has absolutely no shame, and would never gain my respect.
I look at Zachary, opening my eyes. His eyes meet mine before he turns awayâfucking coward can't even stand up for his own sister.
"Your girlâshe has guts, I must say," Mr. Booker continues.
My eyes snap back at him as he says, "After numerous warnings, she still kept on seeing you. I'm surprised that you both are even together after that stunt my daughter pulled the other day."
"You don't know shit, Booker."
"You don't know shit, Noah."
My hand itches to go to my back pocket and bring out the pen drive, but then, I hear heavy footsteps behind me. I don't need to glance to know who is coming as they speak soon.
"I know my son knows enough shit to call out the assholes in front of him."
I turn my head to face my father, looking behind me with the calmest yet angriest face he ever had.
If it had been someone else, they wouldn't have noticed that he isn't wearing a tie or even the jacket of his usual grey suit. He glances at me for a moment and just for that moment, his eyes soften as if... As if asking me if I am okay.
I dismiss it as a part of imagination.
He stands next to me with his head, held high, as he looks at Mr. Booker and his son. He regards them with a cool expression, "Bookers."
Their expressions say it all. They didn't expect him here.
My father starts, unbuttoning his sleeves and rolling them up, "I recently got to know some rumors of a certain marriage proposal. Your daughter and my son, I presume."
"Ernestâ"
"Did I ask you to speak?" He gives them a look and nods when they shut up, putting his hands in his pockets. "I was quite surprised to hear that as when you mentioned merging our businesses, you left out this proposal."
I scoff. "This was their proposal from the very start. They just wanted to buy your shares."
"Is that so?" He looks at me and I nod.
Mr. Booker interrupts. "No, I was just suggesting how Danielle and he would make a good couple and our families have been friends for so long. So, it seemed like a good idea."
"Bullshit." He turns towards them with a glare. "How dare you to even think that would happen, especially now, that you have endangered one of my family?"
"I didn't knowâ"
"You didn't know?" He scoffs. "I think you forgot that Noah's my son and thus, his girlfriend is very much part of our family."
Again, Zachary opens his big fat mouth. "Says the guy with a lesbian heir."
"Shut the fuck up," My father growls. "You see this space between usâit would be long gone if you speak another fucking letter. You do not ever come after my family; Get that in your bloody thick head."
The atmosphere drops a degree or so low as no one dares to speak after that. For the first time, I actually look at my father. I do not know if he is just doing it for the show, but the emotion I can feel, just standing beside him... I know he is seething with anger. Maybe, there's something that we shareâthe care we hold for our family and friends.
"Mr. Radcliffe," Mr. Booker says, holding up. "We can talk about it somewhere private. Notâ"
"Why not?" He looks at him. "After all, all of your shenanigans will be going to be public within a few hours."
Mr. Booker feigns innocence. "What are you talking about?"
"You think I don't know the illegal deals you've been doing, using the money you get from my business?"
"Again, I don't know what you are talking about."
"Noah," Father says, "You have the drive?"
I look at him, surprised, but I cover it up quickly. I pull out the pen drive from my pocket and look at them. "This pen drive has all of the data of your illegal dealings. Drugs. Weapons. Black Money... and your absolute favorite, deposing of people."
"Howâhow do youâ"
I smirk. "I have a guy."
"Well then," Father exhales, straightening up and steading his collar. "The next time we meet will be in court. Because, Gabriel, I'm going to burn your business to shreds and then, to nothing."
Real fear flashes in Mr. BookerâGabriel's eyes. Of course, he is scared. We just threatened the one thing he loves the most in the worldâhis business that he took so long to build.
Just like he'd done to us.
My father and I share a look before we turn our back on them and walk out of this building to never come back again.
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