V

The car stopped abruptly and four of us rushed out. The entire ground was filled with shrieking broke voices like someone stabbed their hearts and rifted it into pieces mercilessly, cause that's exactly what I was suffering from.

The Huge Arizona Cooperation building was under the blazing red and amber fire eating it with it's undying rage. It was burning with such intensity that the heat was hitting us far from there.

No!

When I ran out of the house I couldn't comprehend a thing, a fucking single thing but Ethan somehow didn't let me go too far in that state when I wasn't stable and the four of us drove here. Leo drove his car with Ethan on passenger seat with me and Gwen in the back.

Whole time I was clutching Gwen's hand like my life was depending on it. Even she had pearls of tears in her eyes. So many unusual thoughts were rumming in my mind. Since mom had died he was the only person I had left.

Since the day I got to know what dad has been working for I had this unsettling feeling about him working between so many life threatening chemicals which with one mistake would cause something no one would ever imagine.

And that's exactly what happened.

I ran towards the crowd near the scene where fire men were extinguishing the fire behind the barricade tape all around some feet away from the centre.

Red and Blue alerting lights of police vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks were flashing around in emergency.

"DAD!!" I screamed with all the air in my lungs and a choke came out. I couldn't breathe. Sudden pair of arms grabbed me by my waist from behind and stopped me from going further.

I knew it was Ethan as I struggled in his arms and screamed again as some other people were doing the same for their loved ones. I wanted to shout for dad, but only gasping was there.

"Damn Aria breathe!" Ethan turned me around in a swift and held me by my shoulder tightly, looking straight at my weak ocean eyes. I tried but failed, clutched my chest and fisted it which was burning cause of lack of oxygen.

Fear and worry flushed in his eyes and he did the only thing he'd do and he kissed me. Not that he wanted to do cause of desire but I knew what he was doing. It was distraction from surrounding and somehow it worked. Maybe kissing wasn't the best option but It did work for me.

The kiss was nothing what we had in janitor's closet. It was rough and type of meaningless but I guess it did have a small affection.

I clutched his shirt in fist and kissed him back. It lasted few seconds before we broke apart but didn't let go each other. I was breathing hard but it was better than before.

"He's gonna be fine Aria. Hold yourself," I closed my eyes and put my head on his chest, his beating heart soothe mine as I clutched his shirt sideways. Tears were streaming down like a river.

"Ethan-

"I know", He whispered, cupping the back of my head protectively.

I wanted to run from there. The loud high pitch of sirens of fire trucks and ambulances were intriguing me so badly.

"Guys! I asked around and they said that all the injured ones have been taken to the city hospital. We should go and check there," Leo informed us panting hard as he must've asked some paramedics.

I didn't remember how we reached city hospital and how I held myself together but the atmosphere around there was not very different from the site of accident.

The nausea not only hit me but all four of us as in reflex we covered our nostrils with the back of our hand just as we stepped in the hospital.

The stomach churning, awful smell of antiseptic and blood, sweat and tears hit us. Patients were scattered around. Wrapped in bandages in different body parts. The doctors and the staff were trying to hold the situation even the panic was clear in the air.

We made our way through crowd and worried faces to the reception. I didn't realize when Ethan held my hand. The look on my friends face was complete bizzare.

I didn't want to ruin our night, we all had a ecstatic moment. After so long I saw something on their faces. Euphoria but of course I had to mess things up.

"W-where are the other patients from A-arizona explosion?" My brittle voice came out but the nurse was busy with some urgent call and didn't hear me.

I looked around but couldn't find dad there and the fact that there were some bodies with white sheets covering them on the ground, I didn't want to look in them.

Never..

"We asked something miss!" Ethan's loud flat palm against the marble counter jerked everyone.

"I'm sorry but the people who were severely injured are either in surgery or on the second floor," Without wasting a second we all made our way to the second floor. My heart was shrinking every passed second.

We delved through glass of every room on the corridor when I halted. A gasp left my mouth and my hands flew to my face in shock. The rushed footsteps echoing behind me came to a cessation as everyone followed my line of view.

Among two patients, Dad was lying on one of the bed unconscious, one of his legs covered in bandage from thigh to down to his foot with his right hand secured in blue orthopedic cast. His forehead had some same situation. Doctors were inside with him.

I stepped back in trauma hopelessly and sat on the chair in the corridor, my whole body felt numb and weak. My gaze was stuck to the ground and the next second I knew I was sobbing hard.

Gwen received a call so she was not here now, must have went outside. Leo sat beside me, his arm around me while Ethan was standing still inspecting the room before bit his lips looking over me.

The one thing I knew about him was that he was bad at hiding his emotions and I appreciated that.

Why would men have to hide their pain?

"T-tell me a j-joke Leo Please," I stayed pressed by his side as I requested this stupid thing in this situation. I wanted to stay calm cause then I knew Leo and Ethan both would break down too, and it wouldn't help.

Maybe I was being selfish?

His hesitation was clear as he didn't speak for couple of seconds.

"Umm_ How do you get a squirrel like you.. Act like a nut," His flat croaky tone made me buried my face in the crook of his neck sideways and sobbed. It didn't make me laugh nor him. He continued to rub my back while telling me his jokes which were not working at all.

Couple of minutes passed when the door click opened and some nurses came out before the doctor. My body jerked stood up likewise my friends.

"How's he doctor, Is he alright?" Ethan inquired with heavy breathing. I prayed silently like a mantra.

"You are?" He questioned us as we told him about us.

"He's fine, had some cut from glass pieces on his leg and a broken arm. He's unconscious right now with high sedative drugs so he'll be awake in the morning probably," Wiith that he was gone and a relief washed over me and the extreme tension that was lingering among us was decreased a bit.

I sighed and sat on the chair with my face enveloped in my palms, fingers clutching my hair slightly. The second floor was a bit calm and silent compared to the bizarre mood downstairs.

"I'll call mom and inform them, I'll be right back," Gwen patted my head and kissed it, as Leo nodded and went with her to inform his parents too. They wanted to come with us but Leo told them he'd let them know about everything.

As they were gone, Ethan sat beside in pure tranquility. I raised my head, sniffed and tucked my hair behind my ear. The end of my black full sleeves were soaked in tears.

"He's gonna be fine Aria," He scooted closer as he sensed like that was the only thing I ever wanted.

"How are you so sure?" I inspected his face for unsurety but as he was certain about this. "I'm tired of this battle Ethan. All I've got are scars, and now they're eating my bones."

He took my hands in his and squeezed it.

"Hey.. Look at me___All these Scars are making you bulletproof Aria. I don't know If you'd understand but there'd be a time nothing would effect and that's when you'll be the strongest version of Yourself," His words of support and comfort put an unintentional but needed smile on my face.

Maybe he was right, maybe some day when I'd be on edge of losing my sanity, I'd look at these scars and they comfort me, tell me how strong I've been.

"Thankyou__for being here with me Ethan," I squeezed back his hand before chuckle and looked away. His eyes set with confused amusement.

"When did you started reading literature? what you said what a bit cheesy? But it helped." I chuckled again slightly before my heart sank in sorrow again.

We sat on those uncomfortable chairs for a while. It was 2:30 AM in the morning . Neither of us slept the entire time. Our body was screaming rest but mind was resisting every single request. Ethan asked me for some coffee but I knew I'd throw up so I refused that.

By the time 4:00 AM Leo and Gwen were gone as I begged them. But they said they'd be here soon in the morning. Not more than two people were allowed so Ethan stayed and was sitting my side head resting behind to the wall, eyes closed and hands folded to his chest.

After some time he stood up and held his hand out to me. For something I was sure about, he was disturbed too.

"Come with me, trust me on this one. You need a break Aria__From everything and I know something exactly you need," I kept staring in his blue deep gray eyes. Have I ever told anyone, my most favorite thing were his eyes.

When we met first I couldn't stop ogling his eyes and he couldn't stop teasing me how head over heels I was for his eyes.

I accepted his warm hand before stood up with him. Halting in my steps I peeked over the room but sadly dad was still under high sedative so it wouldn't hurt if I'd go.

Maybe when he'd wake up I should be stable enough to confront him about all this. How could he do that to me.

With that we made our way out of these four which were suffocating me to breathe.

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