Fan Fiction ❯ Runaway ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Taylor stared after Angel, mouth agape. He was about to get up to run after her, when he saw her stop, and sway on unsteady feet. Then she fell to her knees, holding her head.

"Angel!" Taylor said, jumping up and running to her.

"I'm sorry, Taylor!" Angel said, forcing back a sob.

Taylor fell to the ground beside Angel and swept her into his arms.

"You lost a friend, didn't you?"

Angel nodded.

"Tell me about it. Cry about it. Don't hold it in." Taylor pleaded with her.

Angel let it all out at once, talking about it for the first time since it had happened.

"We were coming home from the mall. The road was dark and tree lined. We were just laughing and talking, like we usually did when we were out driving. I was driving that night, as I usually did for some reason. Then I blacked out, I guess I fainted. The next thing I knew, I was waking up, laying on the ground. The seat belt I had been wearing had torn right off, and I had flown out of the open sunroof. Kari wasn't so lucky. I remember crawling to the car, which was all but wrapped around a tree. I saw Alyssa. So much blood! Then sirens, and lights, and screams, and talking." Angel paused for a moment, sucking in a shaky breath. "I was okay, and I was back in school the day after. Everyone blamed me. Kari was in the hospital. Her parents blamed me, they wouldn't let me see her. Pointing fingers, blame, and guilt. I had to get away! I ran away. I don't even know when Kari died. I lived in a boarding house, and my parents lived far away. No one trusts them, or knows them, so no one will tell them anything. My best friend died, and it's all my fault!"

As Angel said that last word, the sobs were finally torn from her petite body, and she cried as she had not allowed herself to cry in months.

Taylor held her, rocking her back and forth, letting her cry. He had known that there was a hidden sadness in this girl, a hidden guilt, but he had never suspected this.

His mind suddenly snapped at him, making him see the terrible truth that something was deathly wrong with this girl. He recalled the first time he had ever met her; she had fainted. In the weeks he had known her, she had had headaches and been on the verge of fainting much of the time. And then this, learning that she might have caused her friends death by fainting.

Taylor picked Angel up and started heading back towards the house was closer. Angel was oblivious to the trip.

Taylor walked up to the gate surrounding the house. He shifted Angel's light weight for a moment, and pushed the intercom button.

"Who is it?" He heard his mother ask.

"Mom, it's me, Taylor."

There was not an answer on the other end, but the gate was opening. Taylor soon found his whole family running towards him. Isaac and Zac reached him first.

"What's going on?" Isaac asked, looking at the girl in Taylor's arms that was crippled by her sobs.

"I just learned about Angel's past. I'll tell everyone all about it later, but we've got to get her to the hospital. I think something is seriously wrong with her!" Taylor said.

Walker saw the seriousness in his son's eyes, and took the car keys from his pocket.

Half an hour later they were at the emergency room entrance, and Walker was arguing with his stubborn son.

"Listen, Taylor, you can NOT go in there! I'll bring her in, and you can come up and see her when she is settled in."

"Please, Dad, I don't want to leave her!" Taylor begged Walker.

Walker looked into his son's eyes, and saw the pain evident there. He knew that he was remembering Dave, but he would not back down.

"Jordan Taylor Hanson, listen to me!" He immediately saw resignation in Taylor. "If you go in there with Angel, and a fan sees you with her, Angel could get hurt. Do you understand?" Taylor nodded, and gave up his hold on the girl in his lap. He had to pry her arms from around him first, though.

"Angel, you've got to let go of me. My Dad's going to get you some help, okay?"

Angel nodded slightly, but would not let go.

"Angel, please. I can't go in there with you, you might get hurt, and I do NOT want that happening."

Finally, Angel released her hold, and Walker picked her up and carried her off, Taylor looking worriedly after them.