Don't Talk To Me | BOOK 3

thirty four

Riley Muprhy

2048

I woke up in a cold sweat, my head flush against something hard.

It hurt to move and I groaned every time I moved too quickly.

I tried to open my eyes but it gave me an immediate headache.

All I remember is that Elle and Dakota's car caught on fire, we tried to save Dakota but the engine blew up before we could.

My eyes widened as I shot up, regretting it almost instantly as I felt all the blood rush to my head.

I felt the need to throw up, but held it in as I looked around.

I was in a kitchen, laying on a table. My shirt was off and I had multiple bandages covering my body. I looked down, the kink in my neck hurting as I strained it.

I poked the bandage that had blood seeping through it. I frowned, peeling it off.

"Oh my God." I gagged, placing the bandage back over the wound before trying to regain my breath. I slowly got off the table, placing my feet onto the cold floor as I headed off in some unknown direction.

I don't even know where we are. I could be kidnapped for all I know!

The house was quiet as the floorboards creaked under my footsteps.

Where the hell am I? Where is Dakota?

I couldn't stop overthinking as the worst scenarios came into my head. Did Elle survive? Where the hell is Alex? Why can't I breathe?

I felt myself get short of breath before I had to stop. Leaning my hand against the wall, it felt like my chest was constricting as I tried to gasp for air.

What the hell is happening?

I dropped to my knees, failing to keep the breath in my lungs as my head felt dizzy.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up, seeing the worried eyes of Alex as he tried to shake me. Everything moved in slow motion as I couldn't comprehend what was happening.

"Riley!" He said my name and I looked at him. He was saying something but I couldn't understand what.

"D- Dakota." I managed to say, looking up a flight of stairs.

"Riley, breathe!" Alex said to me.

"I- I can't." I said, "I can't!" I struggled.

"You can. Look at me, breathe in- breathe out." 

He pointed at himself and showed me breathing motions, I followed his movements until I finally could breathe again.

I felt tears well up in my eyes as I clung to my brother. 

"It's okay! You're okay buddy." He said with a shaky breath.

"What the hell happened?" My voice broke. I leaned my head against his chest, "The car blew up.  You guys were still inside." 

I felt my heart snap.

"Is Gage okay?" I whispered. Alex nodded, a look of relief on his face, "Yeah h-he's fine. He's recovering."

"What about Levi and Elle? Oh my God is Elle okay?" 

My hands shook and I dug my nails into my palms, "Elle is fine. She's just saken up, Paxton's with her right now. Levi's okay too. He's upstairs with Dakota."

My mind went blank when he mentioned Dakota, "Dee? Where is she? Is she okay?"

I stood up too fast and tried to climb the stairs, but Alex held me back.

"Riley- look at me. I have to tell you something."

And that's when my heart stopped.

* * *

I was still in the floor of the hallway when my eyes fluttered open for the second time.

"Hey, thank God you're awake." Alex said to me. His eyebrows were furrowed and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"What happened?"

"You passed out."

I frowned.

"Look, there's something I need to tell you about Dakota."

I shook my head, "No. P-please." I stuttered, "Please tell me she's still alive." I whispered, gripping onto Alex with all the strength I had.

"She's alive." I relaxed, "But she's not doing well, Riley."

I waited for him to explain, my nerves anxiously waiting to attack me as Alex took a breath.

"She took the heat of the damage. Her body- jolted into the air and she landed on the concrete. She's fine, she hasn't sustained any bad injuries, but with the force of the impact and the fact she landed on her back- she's not waking up."

"Oh my God." 

"Let me see her." I demanded.

Alex stood still, "Let me see her Alex. Please!" I screamed, using my fists to hit his chest. He grabbed my wrists, "I will. But you have to calm down, okay?" I nodded, wiping the tears under my eyes.

He helped me walk up the stairs, the hallway seeming farther and farther away as Alex opened the last door on the right.

I walked into the room, falling onto my knees at the side of the bed.

"Oh my God- Dakota." 

Her face was blank, a few scratches on her cheek, a simple bandage on her forehead. Her lips were bruised and her nose had dried blood underneath it. Her arm was wrapped from the wrist to the elbow and her neck had little tiny cuts.

"I thought you said she was fine! That nothing bad happened to her." I said.

"Riley-"

"You lied to me. Alex, tell me she's okay! Please." I cried, completely breaking down as I held onto her hand, begging for her to wake up.

My world had fallen onto the axis as time seemed to just stop moving.

I looked up at her beautiful face, draping a piece of hair that fell onto her face behind her ear.

"Riley- come on." Alex tugged on my shoulder.

"No. I'm staying." I pleaded, throwing his hands off of me.

I felt him grip my shoulders this time as he forcefully pulled me off her, "No Alex, let me go." I thrashed in his arms, my vision blurry from my tears.

"I can't buddy. Not until you calm down." 

I elbowed him in the stomach and he let go, before I knelt down beside the bed again and took her hand in my own. 

"I'm sorry Dee. I'm so fucking sorry." I whispered into the sheets, feeling my tears wet the fabric before I stood up.

"Where are you going?" Alex asked me.

I didn't reply.

Instead, I ran past the others who were calling my name and hopped into a car.

Despite their screaming and telling me to get back inside, I sped off down the road.

Once again not caring if it was life or death.

* * * 

I cried MASSIVELY writing this chapter.