Chapter 2 - UNDONE
"Hey," she whispered tiredly.
"Hi," I replied, squeezing her hand as I knelt beside her. She was deathly pale, but still lucid. I had to admire her strength.
"You're here. You're real…"
"I'm real, Chlo... I think this is the realest I've ever been in my life."
"What?" she exhaled in a weak laugh.
"I'll tell you when you're older."
"You damn well better, Maximus," she breathed. "Did you just save my life, hero?"
"I'm sorry, miss, but we need to take her now," one of the paramedics said, adjusting the airflow to Chloe's oxygen mask before he and his partner raised the gurney up to waist height.
"Wait," I said hurriedly, "is she gonna be okay?"
"We've stabilized her, but we really need to go, miss."
"I'm coming too," I said, not letting go of her hand.
He was polite but firm. "I'm afraid that's not possible, miss," he replied as they began to wheel her out the door.
Her eyes were a bit glazed from the painkillers, but Chloe was staring at me through the whole conversation, as if she still couldn't believe I was actually there.
Walking alongside, I lifted her knuckles to my lips. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. I'm not abandoning you. I'll follow you as quickly as I can."
"Wait… my pocket. My keys." I helped her extricate the little panda keychain. "Take my truck, Max… it's the…"
"The rusty beige piece of crap with the bobble head on the dash?" I smirked.
"W-wait, how…"
"Pirate magic."
"Dent my baby and I'll kick your ass." She smiled weakly through the oxygen mask. "Welcome home, Max."
A lump rose in my throat as I watched them load her into the waiting ambulance.
A police barricade had been set up at either end of the street, and behind it dozens of anxious parents and curious onlookers had gathered.
I looked across the road to the sports field where the staff had assembled the students. I spotted Warren reassuring a terrified Brooke, and Queen Victoria was in tears as her minions Taylor and Courtney tried vainly to comfort her.
Dana and Justin stood together, and Trevor and their other skater friends had formed a protective circle around Kate, Alyssa and Stella.
Scanning the crowd, I realized who was missing.
Mark Jefferson.
I'd somehow forgotten about that sick bastard during my bittersweet reunion with Chloe.
That fucking coward must have bolted when he heard what happened. We have to find him!
I looked around wildly and saw Nathan being led to a waiting police car, his hands cuffed behind his back. I ran up behind him and hissed, "You have to tell them about Jefferson! Please, Nathan!"
His only reply was a look of such intense sorrow and remorse that I actually felt bad for him, even if he had just shot Chloe. I watched him as the police car drove off.
I knew Nathan would have pulled the trigger either way, but I was wracked with the guilt that I may have caused it this time.
You fucked up again, Max. You nearly got Chloe killed. And this time there's no rewinding.
"Max? MAX! Over here!" The familiar buttery Southern drawl caught my attention immediately.
"Joyce?"
A cop had let her through the barricade to be with David, who was giving a statement to police.
"Oh, Max! Are you okay, honey?"
"I'm good," I lied. "Chloe is all right too. They just took her to the hospital."
"Chloe was here? I'd just heard there was a shooting at the school and I came to see if David was safe! What happened? How is she?"
"Joyce… she's the one who was shot. She's okay, though," I hurriedly added as a look of horror crossed Joyce's face. Tactless as ever, Max.
"Oh my God… Chloe!" She leaned on me for support as David ran over to help.
"She's stable, Joyce," he reassured her. "I'm done here, we can go see her now."
"I'll follow you in Chloe's truck," I said. "I need to be with her."
David looked at me again, as if appraising my intentions. Had he seen my tender exchange with Chloe?
"I think the cops need to speak to you first," he replied, not unkindly. "Stop by the hospital when you're done."
