Halfway There | COMPLETE ✔ + Sequel

Chapter 06 - Debt of Gratitude

"Dani!" Bella yelled as she charged for my hospital bed. She clenched onto my hand as tears clouded her brown eyes. The rest of my friends slowly filed in after her.

Nova had been right. I had a few bruised ribs, one of them was cracked, and a minor concussion. As soon as he left me there on the edge of the sidewalk, as I tried to find the strength to pick up my phone and dial 911, someone came around the corner, obviously in a hurry, but stopped almost instantly when he saw me hunched over in pain and the blood on my face.

"Excuse me, miss, are you okay?" The kind stranger had asked.

I didn't look at him as I brought my hand up to the back of my head. The light touch stung so much that I flinched my hand away only to see blood on my palm. I shook my head no to his question and before I could stop myself I started to sob. I didn't understand what had just happened, I wanted to go home, I was scared and I really wanted my mom in that moment.

The man quickly called 911 and they got to me a lot faster than I would have thought. The drive to the hospital was short but painful. It felt as if at one point they were just poking me and asking me if it hurt just for the hell of it.

As they drove me to the hospital I asked if they could call my friends for me. Bella supposedly had been hysterical when the paramedics spoke to her. Apparently she had already been calling over and over before they finally answered the phone. It took them some time to get there but now that she was here, with Kendall, Alison, Will and Liam, I almost wished they weren't.

"Dani, I am SO sorry." She said as her voice cracked.

Will came over to stand by me. "We shouldn't have let you leave by yourself."

I shook my head, "It was my fault. Who goes down a dark alley alone?" I said trying to make a joke.

"Seriously.." I heard Alison scoff from the very back corner. Everyone else pretended not to hear her.

"Dani, what happened?" Will asked in a quiet voice.

I sighed before explaining the situation I pick myself in, being extra careful to avoid saying anything about Nova. Bella started to cry when I told them about how I tried to scream for help but I couldn't breathe properly. I grabbed her hand and she wouldn't stop crying until Liam jumped in.

"So what's the verdict?" Liam asked as he took a seat on the side of the bed. He grabbed my hand comfortingly and smiled, "Are you going to need any bionic limbs? Because that would be so cool."

I smiled through the pain in my face, "Well, I wouldn't say no to a cyborg eyes."

I went on to tell them what the doctors did. They x-rayed my ribs and told me that nothing was badly broken but they gave me 5 stitches on the back of my head and there was going to be some major bruising on my ribs and face.

"Dani, I can't tell you how sorry I am." Will gently pushed Liam aside to sit at my bedside, "I should have never-" Before he could finish a nurse came in and stopped in her tracks when she noticed the amount of people already there.

"Alright, guys. I need everyone who isn't family to sit out in the waiting room." She said as she walked over to my IV bag.

"None of them are family." I told her.

"Then you can see her tomorrow when she is discharged. She needs to stay overnight."

Bella and Will both hated the idea of leaving me by myself but after some intense persuasion I was able to convince them that I couldn't be any safer than where I am now. I just needed a ride tomorrow for when they release me. They agreed to meet me tomorrow morning.