جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 180

CHAPTER 171WHEN IT FEELS LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD IS ABOUT TO CRASH NOAHThe doctor’s face is the first thing I see. Not his coat, not his stethoscope around his neck or his face. His face was neutral in the way people try to be when they’re about to rearrange your entire life with a sentence.The emergency room doors swing shut behind him with a soft thud. And suddenly I’m not in this hallway anymore…. I’m back in my car.—My phone had buzzed once, signifying a text. I had wanted to ignore it because I was in the middle of a game, trying not to think too much about Isla. So I ignored it.We were halfway through the lobby, my headphones hanging firmly on my head as my fingers moved fervently on the screen. Then it buzzed again, the app icon popping on the screen and blocking my view. And again. Until it cost me my life in the game. I groaned in anger and frustration, quitting the game and entering the app to see Ellis message. Ellis:Hospital. Now. It’s Isla.For a second, I just sta

CHAPTER 173LIKE NOISE UNTIL OTHERWISE ELLISWhen you walk into an hospital and you walk along hallways. All you hear is the beeping sound of machines and all you can think about is how the nurses and physicians survive with the constant noise. Noise… that's what you'll call it. Until the live of the person you know depends on these “noises”. The first beep sounded wrong. It wasn't the soft, steady rhythm that glad filled the room since I walked it. Not the calm, predictable sound that meant she was stable. This one was erratic and louder.The moment the noises started going up, I froze. For half a second, my brain refused to understand what was happening. I was still smiling from the kiss she had pressed to my cheek. I was still leaning close enough to feel her breath against my skin, looking around and wandering if the sound was coming from the room or the next. Then the machine screamed again. A jagged, continuous tone. My head snapped toward the monitor as I stared at it. Her

CHAPTER 175TWO VILLAINS IN A BAD DRAMAISLA The smile left my face before I could even realise it. Jade walked in like she owned the hospital room, Lara following half a step behind her, eyes sweeping in a calculative manner. Talia noticed the change in my expression. “Isla? Who’s there?”Without looking back at my phone, I gave her a response. “Just… people from school.”I don't know why, but I just couldn't tell her it was Jade and Lara. I already have enough people fussing over me. Jade’s heels clicked softly against the floor as she approached the foot of my bed.“Well,” she said, her voice smooth and light. “You look better than I expected.”Lara tilted her head. “Color’s still a bit off but alive. That’s something.”Talia’s sharp voice broke through the speaker. “Why do they sound like villains in a bad drama? They sound like people I know….”I cleared my throat, which burned then spared her a glance. “I’ll call you back.”“No—”I ended the call before she could argue, holdin

CHAPTER 177CENTER OF THE ROOMISLAFor a moment after the professor signalled for me to come up front, I was still. I was wondering if he was actually refering to me or maybe my eyes might've deceived me. I was just resuming classes after almost two weeks, why would he want to see me?When he saw I hesitated, he signaed for me again, this time a bitore impatiently. “Miss North. A word.”Now.. that was a summon.Every chair creaked as heads turned in my direction. The whispers didn’t bother hiding this time, they wafted into my ears and watched. I stood slowly, ignoring the way my knees still felt unreliable some mornings. My bag stayed on the desk as I grabbed my phone along with me. I walked down the aisle, aware of every pair of eyes on my back. A girl in the second row quickly flipped her phone face down when I passed. Too late.At the front of the room, the professor gestured toward the hallway. Glad he asked for privacy, we stepped outside. The door shut behind us, but the

CHAPTER 179DON’T BREATHEISLAOkay… maybe today would be that day I'll get my head decapitated by my brother. The door handle moved, not fully, but just enough to make the softest click. But in that second, it sounded like a gunshot.Ellis’ body was still over mine, both of us frozen in a way that felt almost unnatural. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears drumming loudly up to my head. God knows if Asher opened that door, if he saw what was going on…. This would be the end of it. My stomach dropped so violently I thought the bike would crawl out of my throat. “Ellis?” Asher’s voice came through the door again, louder and more persistent. I pushed at Ellis’ chest immediately. “Get off,” I whispered, panic lacing every syllable that fell out of my mouth. God please. He moved fast, rolling off the bed and grabbing the nearest thing he could find to pull on. I scrambled for my clothes, my hands shaking so badly I fumbled with my hoodie twice before getting it over my head.Th