Fated to be his

37. Echoing

Sitting on the group with paramedics rushing around, my brain barely had time to process everything.

Bodies were covered by blankets as those who were injured are quickly taken away.

My eyes looking at the boy who did this as he lays under a blanket after police quickly shot him down. Why? Why would he do this? Were we all really to blame for his suffering?

I could still feel the chaos and panic that was in the room not too long ago; people tried to run, they tried to get to their kids who stood around with everyone in bliss at just graduating.

The crowd had separated Aiden and me, scanning the room I don't see him and it makes my body start to shake. Where is he?

Standing up, I let the blanket fall to the ground as I walk around. My heels click on the gym flooring and it echoes in my head as I blur out everyone else. Walking to the doors outside, the crowd is huge. Parents and students buzzing around yelling names trying to find their families.

Those who found each other hold one another in loving embraces, thankful that they are alive.

My throat is dry and I'm scared. The words I want to yell clotted in my throat keeping me quiet as I shakily walk around aimlessly searching for a familiar face.

Did I even know the boy who did this? My mind questions. I don't think I did. He had always been quiet, talking only within his friend group. Was his name case? Or was it Luke?

Suddenly I'm turned by a hand on my shoulder and I look at the panicked face of a father; his eyes wide and his chest raises and falls quickly.

"Have you seen my daughter?! Her name is Brittany Temp?!" He holds my shoulders and I shake my head.

"No, I haven't." I think I said, which makes him go to someone else and ask.

Letting my feet carry me, I end up by the curb in front of the school by some trees. Sitting down in the grass I stare at the pavement and tears start to build. Did this all really just happen?

Where is Tiffany and Denis? And my grandma? Are they ok?

Aiden. My heart tightens with anxiety.

I-I told him I loved him.

My bottom lip begins to tremble, is he ok? My head buzzed with so many outcomes that I curl my knees into my chest and rest my head on them. Too scared to cry. So I sit there and try to shut off my head too afraid to think of the reality.

~~~Aiden's POV~~~

I don't know when I lost her. One minute she was right in front of me with the brightest smile on her face and the next she looked terrified. The crowd of panicked graduates and parents separating us.

Swiped outside, I frantically looked around. Trying to find her. But the students wearing all the same gowns made it even harder.

Parents rushed around and when they found their child, they held onto them like their own life depended on it.

Paramedics rushed into action and I tried to get through the crowd to see if my worst nightmare was true. But the bodies of the dead were covered and weeping parents who recognized their children's shoes fell to the ground just outside the police tape.

I turned away, not wanting to believe she is in there. Or that she was one of the few rushed away in an ambulance without me there with her.

Weaving in and out of the crowd, my eyes scan those around me. Calling out her name a few times, but with no reply it made me even more anxious.

My heart beat was pounding in my ears as I looked around and came short of finding her each time. Getting out of the crowd, I run my hairs through my hair and close my eyes. Breath. She isn't one of them. She has to be here. I tell myself over and over again so my head doesn't distract me with thoughts of her laying on that gym floor.

Exhaling, I open my eyes and look around the parking lot, scanning everything. When I see someone sitting on the curb with their head down, I gasp.

Running a crossed the parking lot, I stop in front of her and I feel relived and so thankful that she is here. Kneeling down, I grab her face and she looks at me. Her eyes in a daze.

She's in shock.

"Riley." I say her name and grab her, holding her to me, she begins to sob and I kiss the top of her head, finally being able to breath. She clings to me tightly and I lean my head back closing my eyes.

Thanking whoever is above that they didn't take her from me.

"I-I want to go home." She says through cut off words.

"Ok, ok baby." I say still just relived I have her in my arms,"But we have to find your grandma first so she knows you're ok." She doesn't answer, instead she just nods against my chest.

Pulling out her phone from her pocket in her gown, I open it to see a flood of texts and missed calls from her grandmother and Gregory.

One text from Gregory standing out to me as it flashes onto the screen as she just received it.

"You better freaking be alive! Cause I don't know what Aiden would do without you!!"

I smile a little, I really don't know what I'd do without her.

Dialing her grandmother, she picks up on the first ring. "Riley!!! Oh my Riley!! Where are you?! Are you ok?!"

"She is ok, this is Aiden. I have her, she is in shock." I explain trying to calm myself.

Her grandmother inhaled deeply on the other side in relief, "oh thank goodness you both are ok. I was so worried. Where are you? I am at the car, it's the only place I could think of were she might go." Her grandmother explains quickly as though she didn't want to sound as if she wasn't scared or out looking for her.

"It was a good idea, I'm sure Riley would have gone there next. We are at the front of the school by the trees." I say, holding back my voice from shaking.

"I'll be right there! Don't move!" She days before hanging up.

I hold Riley tightly to me as we wait, her grandmother speeding to us. Picking Riley up, I sit with her in the back seat as she her body shakes in my arms, her grandmother looking at us through the review mirror. I kiss the top of Riley's head over and rest mine on top of hers; I was so scared. I was so scared that I lost her.