corals & love; aarmau

Chapter Twenty Six

✎Edited: 4/26/18

[n] be sure to leave a vote before continuing. thanks.🌟

Chapter Twenty Six

"Aphmau. Where is she?"

Katelyn quiets down, Travis' expression goes sad, and Zane just looks down at the floor blankly with a hint of worriedness in his eyes, arms still crossed over his chest.

Aaron feels uneasy at their silence, they're not answering his question. This makes him feel more agitated for Aphmau. He couldn't quite remember every single detail that happened before he passed out but he's sure that she was there with him.

"S-She..." Travis is about to speak but he shuts his mouth in hesitation, unable to have the courage to tell him.

"I said, where's Aphmau?!" Aaron's voice rises up in anxiousness. Trickles of sweat start to roll down his forehead in nervousness. His heart thumps like never before as his worry for Aphmau grows tenfold.

"She's been shot too," Zane says without a stutter. He keeps a straight face as he stares at Aaron's shocked expression.

"W-Wh-" Aaron gulps as he swears his heart misses a beat, his breathing becoming shallow as he tries to incorporate the news inside his head. "H-how?! What happened?!" He couldn't help but ask. "Where is she?!"

Katelyn sighs and walks near him. She takes a deep breath before speaking. "Zack was about to shoot you again when you were unconscious but..." Katelyn looks at the ground, unable to face him. "She blocked the bullet, instead, it hit her." She finally finishes.

Aaron's eyes widen at the thought. That bastard, he will surely lay a punch—no, he'll surely kill him if he ever encounters him ever again. His eyebrows furrow in anger but he discards the feeling in an instant, hatred, and anger isn't important right now but...

"Where is she?" Aaron asks as he looks at Katelyn right in the eye.

This time, she is able to face him, a crestfallen look plastered on her face. Aaron attempts to calm himself down. "Please Katelyn, Tell me, Where is she?" His eyes plead as he looks at her, not breaking eye contacts.

Katelyn looks at Aaron one last time as she heaves out a sigh. She looks at Zane and nods towards his direction. Aaron confusingly looks at her then his eyes eventually lands on Zane.

Zane rolls his eyes as he turns around, back now facing them. Aaron just notices that there is a curtain hanging just in front of Zane. Since this is an infirmary, after all, the curtains are placed there so that the others will have their own privacy. Blocking the view of other patients that have been hurt, or possibly injured persons with their visitors, everyone loves their personal space.

Zane then takes hold of the curtain that's been blocking them from the view of whoever's on the other side and he swings the curtain to the left. There, Aaron's eyes take sight of the girl he's been looking for.

Aphmau.

He sees Kawaii~Chan just sitting beside Aphmau, it's obvious that she's been crying as her eyes are puffy and red. Beside her lie Aphmau, unconscious.

Her body lies down on a bed. Bandages are wrapped around her petite body as an oxygen mask is
pressed against the area around the lower half of her face.

"A-Aph..." Aaron barely chokes out as he takes sight of her wretched state. Her body is pale, her lips are chapped through the oxygen mask, and her chest barely rising up and down.

Aaron doesn't hesitate to shift his body on the edge of his bed and he puts his feet on the ground below him, he stands up. All sorts of pain shoot up his body but he ignores this.

"A-Aaron! You should rest! You're h-hurting yourself even more!" Travis exclaims as he goes near Aaron in an instant. He puts his arm around Aaron's torso and he manages to grab Aaron's arm and places this around his neck so he can support him.

Aaron's expression winces in pain but his expression goes furious. "I don't care," He spits out as he focuses his attention on Aphmau. "Please, walk me to her." He tells Travis.

Travis hesitates for a moment, he couldn't deny his request, Aaron has done so many good things to Travis in the past, the least Travis can do to repay him is to grant his request. The white-haired boy sighs in exasperation as he gives in to his friend's request. He tightens his grip on Aaron's arm that is currently around his neck and very slowly, they make their way towards Aphmau. Left foot towards the right foot, right foot towards the left foot, as simple as that.

They're now beside her bed. Aaron's eyes start to brim with tears but he fights them back, now is not the time for crying. He clenches his fist until his knuckles start to turn white.

I couldn't save her. Tears threatening to roll down his cheeks. I'm just a sorry excuse for a man.

"What's her state?" Aaron's voice barely comes out as a whisper. Kawaii~Chan looks down, her expression unlike any other. She sucks in a breath before she faces Aaron.

"A-Aaron.." Kawaii~Chan says. Not bothering to use the '~kun'. Katelyn, Travis, and Zane stand there in shock. Shock at Kawaii~Chan's choice of words. They never encountered her saying names without '~kun' or. '~sama.'. Even Aaron is quite surprised but he brushes the thought away.

Kawaii~Chan looks at Aaron with her puffy eyes before she continues.

"Aphmau has been shot in her chest, dangerously near her heart but the nurses and doctors were able to keep her stable until now..." Kawaii~Chan says as she now focuses her attention on Aphmau.

"But the thing is, the doctor said that a lot of her blood vessels has been ruptured and her heart is barely pumping enough blood throughout her system, the doctors are actually shocked that she's still breathing up to this point but they s-said t-that...."

"....she might not make it."