Left on Read While Bleeding Out

Gabriel's POVEsther Cahill sent a screenshot in the three-person group chat, and Lionel Fox replied with "HAHAHAHAHA".The two of them went back and forth, the chat pinging nonstop. My fingers were still covered in blood as I struggled to type out a message. "I just got into a car accident. Could you guys take me to the hospital?"The moment I sent the message, two new ones popped up, quickly pushing mine out of sight. My heart clenched, and my calf throbbed with a sharp pain. Blood trickled down my pant leg. With the last of my strength, I held down the voice message button and asked, "Esther, are you done? I just got into a car accident!"The group went completely silent. A moment later, Esther sent a dog sticker. "How could you say something like that just to get our attention? That tactic was pretty popular back then, but that's not gonna fool us, right? @Lionel." Lionel responded instantly. "Of course. This is nothing. I've even seen a clip of a woman jumping off a

Gabriel's POVOnce I was back in my dorm, I locked the door. I pulled open the bottom drawer of my closet. All of Esther's things were inside—a gray hoodie, a mug, and a pack of Polaroid film. I crouched down and stuffed everything into a trash bag, one by one. As I shoved a scarf inside, I was reminded of that winter back in sophomore year. She handed me the lopsided scarf with a grin, her hands covered in needle pricks. I tossed a trophy into the trash bag as well, and it cracked in half. I froze, lost in a daze. In sophomore year, Esther loved playing badminton, and every time she won a trophy, she would insist on giving it to me. Every day, she would drag me to the badminton court, sit with me in the stands, and explain the rules. All she ever said was, "Just keep watching. You'll get it one day."I suddenly realized that it wasn't that we didn't have anything to talk about. Whenever she was willing to explain things to me, I understood her perfectly. But now, I wasn't

Gabriel's POVThe teacher took me to the nurse's office. The strong smell of disinfectant hung in the air. The doctor bandaged my wounds and left. I lay there all afternoon. Since no one came to change my bandages, I struggled to sit up and carefully removed them myself before dressing my wounds again. Just then, the door opened. Three guys walked into the nurse's office to treat their scrapes, and the one in front had a buzz cut. The moment he saw me, he turned and gave the other two a knowing look. "Isn't this the guy everyone's been talking about lately? I can't believe he's into that sort of thing."His eyes were filled with contempt. "How much do you charge? Do you need me to hook you up with someone?"All three of them immediately burst into laughter. "Watch your mouth and get lost!" I shot them a warning glare. The guy with the buzz cut looked furious. "Who do you think you are? How dare you talk to me like that? Get him!"He grabbed me by the wrists and held me do

Third-Person POVThe fluorescent lights bathed the hospital hallway in a white glow. By the time Esther returned with a breakfast tray, Lionel was already awake. He was leaning against the bed frame, scrolling through his phone. The moment she opened the door, her phone suddenly buzzed. She checked her phone and realized it was a group chat notification. "Gabriel has left the group chat."Esther froze for a moment before the tension in her expression faded. So, Gabriel finally figured things out on his own. He knew there was no point staying in a group chat he didn't even belong to. She decided to send him a message. "You finally get it, don't you?"But she realized she had been blocked. She stared at Gabriel's chat for a few seconds before sending another message. "What is it now? Are you mad again?"Gabriel had really blocked her. Esther rested her phone on her knee, holding the half-peeled orange in one hand, its juice staining her fingers. "He just blocked me,"

Third-Person POVEsther took hold of Lionel's arm, and he leaned against her, letting her support some of his weight. His head hung low, the ends of his hair grazing the back of her hand. She hesitated for a moment before pulling him a little closer."I'll take you to the nurse's office."Esther settled Lionel onto a bed before getting him some medicine and warm water. The doctor had already told them that a little rest was all he needed. Esther sat beside his bed for about three minutes before finally getting up to leave. Lionel's eyes widened. "Where are you going?""You should stay here and rest." Esther didn't look back. She went to the security office. The guard recognized her, so he told her to be quick about it before letting her review the surveillance footage.Esther pulled up the surveillance footage outside Gabriel's dorm and worked her way back through the dates. The moment something caught her eye, she stopped scrolling.Esther watched Gabriel wheel his suitcas