Chapter Three

Previously:

"Anyway, if this is what she wants, then I am going to help her get it in any way possible."

Josh POV

Noelle led me out to her car and shoved me towards the passenger side. I was such a mess at the moment; my eyes were red and puffy from crying. My hair was sticking up in all directions and my clothes were covered in blood. Her blood.

Flashback:

As soon as she hit the floor, I ran to her. Sabine was no longer a problem; she had done what she'd wanted to do. I ripped off my suit jacket, quickly pressing it to her chest. "Reed?" She wasn't responding. Why wasn't she waking up? My hands shaking, I stroked her cheek, "Reed, please wake up". All I could hear was my mumbling and Sabine's insane laughter. I wanted someone to shut her up.

"Reed? Come on Reed, you need to wake up now. We're going to get you to the hospital and you're going to be fine. Can you open your eyes Reed?"

I didn't even know what I was saying now, I was becoming desperate. My eyes blurred and my tears fell down onto her face. Noelle was on the floor sobbing. How could she? After the way she treated Reed this year, she didn't deserve to cry over her.

My breath caught in my throat. I was no better. I had tossed her aside after I thought she had betrayed me. I didn't bother listening to what she had to say. She begged me to listen and I ignored her, after she forgave me with the Cheyenne incident. I couldn't believe it had taken me this long to figure out what a prick I had been to her recently. It was only yesterday that I read the letter she got me for Christmas. I had cried my eyes out then as well. The emotion she put into her writing made my chest clench only thinking about it.

Suddenly, I was pulled away from Reed's body. "No, I have to save her; you have to let me back". Someone's arms were around me holding me back.

"Josh, you have to calm down." It was Trey. "How are you going to help Reed if the paramedics can't get to her?" I stopped struggling and sank to the floor, dragging Trey down with me. Sobs broke out of my chest and I just sat and cried. I watched as the paramedics screamed orders to each other. I watched them lift Reed's limp body onto the stretcher and wheel her out of the building. I heard the sirens slowly die away as she moved further and further away from me. It was only then that I got up. Noelle was gone, I looked to Trey.

"She's gone to the hospital with some of the Billing's girls. She told us to follow when we were ready. I've got to go to the police station and make a statement, but I will be there as soon as I can. Will you be alright?"

I nodded dumbly, and staggered towards the door. Looking back only to where the police were blocking off the section of floor where reed lay only minutes ago. The blood was all over the floor, it was all over my hands and I needed to get it off.

One Hour Later:
I was in the waiting room with nearly half of the Easton students. Reed had affected so many people in the time that she had been here. All she had done was try to fit in, and this year we made it so difficult for her. The Billing's girls kicked her out; I flaunted my relationship with Ivy in her face...

Ivy. How was I going to explain to her that we couldn't be together anymore? I was sitting by the window after Noelle told me "to stop damn pacing. How the hell is that going to help Reed?" I looked over at the nearby seats where Ivy was sitting with the rest of the Pemberly girls. She looked more pale than usual and I couldn't understand it. I thought she hated Reed?

She noticed my eyes on her and walked over quickly. "You alright Josh?" I scoffed and started fidgeting. "You're still in love with her aren't you?"

My eyes flew to hers quickly. "No! I love you Ivy, you know that."

"Come on Josh, I'm not stupid. You wouldn't have reacted how you did tonight if you didn't still love her." I sank back down in the nearest seat.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise for loving her Josh. She's a good person." I looked up at her, "We were working together to discover Cheyenne's murderer. At first, we couldn't stand each other, but I get her now. She thought that I was stalking her Josh! I saw the way she was affected by it over time and we teamed up. She figured out a way to get into Billings and we decided to go there before she headed to the party. We thought it was Amberly, so we went into her and Sabine's room. I accidently knocked over a photo frame and the glass smashed, I took the photo out and Reed freaked out. She sprinted across campus and I couldn't really keep up. Noelle stopped me at the door, saying I wasn't invited. By then, she was already with Sabine. I wish I could have stopped what happened tonight Josh, but you know I can't. All I can do now is step back and let you be with Reed."

"She's never going to forgive me Ivy, even if we aren't together any more. I treated her too badly..."

"Come on Josh, you have to give it a try. I know how much you love her. You can make it up to her, I know you can."

"What if she rejects me?"

"Grow up Josh! Seriously, you have to give it a shot. It's the only thing you can do. If you won't tell her that you love her, then I will."

She left after that, leaving me to stay sitting in the plastic chair, drifting in and out of consciousness. I had started pacing by the window soon after I woke up; I knew Reed was in one of these rooms somewhere. Noelle was gone, and to be honest I didn't care where. At least, I didn't care until she came out and told us that she had seen Reed. I numbly listened to her say she was in a coma and waited as all of the others filtered out. She let me walk over to her, "Go home Hollis, there's nothing you can do here. Reed is unconscious in a hospital bed and there is no way you can change it."

I looked at her pleadingly. "I love her Noelle." My voice broke, tears poured out of my eyes.

"I know Josh, but there is no way you can win Reed back if you haven't had any sleep now is there?"

I didn't understand, Noelle hated me. "You're going to help me?"

"You know I am Josh, she's like my sister. Anyway, if this is what she wants, then I am going to help her get it in any way possible."

She coughed impatiently. "Get in Josh; we need to start moving all Reed's stuff."

Sabine POV

They'd thrown me in here, straight jacket and all. I didn't care what they did with me now, I'd done what I'd set out to do from the very beginning. Reed ruined my sister's life after Ariana welcomed her into her life. How selfish can you get? Ariana told me that Reed was the one who killed Thomas and she was framed for it. I couldn't believe it when she told me, Reed seems so innocent. Now, she was hopefully lying in the morgue, paying for what she did to my sister. Seeing her break down over the last year was the best year of my life. Every little present, every time the emails came through, just the thought of it made me giggle. I couldn't stop smiling ever since I fired the gun, since I did what Ariana asked me to do. I could happily stay in this room for the rest of my life, knowing that she was no longer living a perfect life.

The Next Day

Noelle POV

I stood inside Reed's crappy little room, looking around in disgust. This is where I sent her, exiled her to. I knew that every day I was going to feel more terrible. I'd arranged for Gage and some of the other Ketlar boys to come over to help me get all her stuff together. I started pulling out drawers from the rickety desk, turning pens and make-up onto her bed, ready to pack it into bags.

I'd got down to the third drawer when I heard rattling. Confused, I pulled the drawer out, and gasped when I saw the balls used for black-balling potential Billing's girls. Why the hell did Reed have these? There was a picture; I recognised it as the one taken in the park the day our friendship with Ivy Slade ended. She was at the hospital last night, as well as with Reed when she arrived at the party. I wanted to know what was going on between the two of them.

I heard a knock at the door, which broke me out of my thoughts. I quickly slammed the drawer, turned and stepped forward one step. It only took one step from one side of the room to the other, my heart clenched again. How long was this going to go on? I was guessing until Reed forgave me.

As I opened the door, Josh was about to knock again. He looked cleaner than yesterday, but he obviously hadn't slept through the night. The four boys were all holding some form of luggage ready to carry Reed's belongings across campus.

"What are we waiting for boys? Let's get started."

I know there isn't much new plot yet, but I thought you might want to hear Josh's side of events so far. A little bit of Sabine as well, just for fun.

Please review,
Loren