Page 120 of My Brother's Best Friend

She was too busy hovering over Imani, helping her hold her wound closed, and crying. When Nicole didn’t run out the front door, I reached into my back pocket for my phone, only to find that it was gone. Missing.

I scanned the surrounding area for it. When I found it sitting on the ground near the car, I crawled over to it as quickly as I could and dialed 911 with shaky fingers, making my way back to Vera on my knees, the concrete splitting open the skin on my knees.

“Nine-one-one. What’s your emergency?”

“I need an ambulance!” I cried. “She’s been shot.”

“What’s your location?”

“I …” I glanced around, terrible with street names. “I don’t know the address. We’re at the police chief’s home. Front yard. Please send someone now!”

Vera coughed up some blood underneath me.

“Please!”

“Calm down,” the operator said over the phone. “Tell me what happened.”

“Th-there … we were …” I sobbed, unable to get anything out, a pain piercing through my chest and my vision tilting for a second. “Someone drove by and shot at us. At least three of us are w-wounded. Two … two d-dying.”

Heavy tears burned my eyes as the words left my mouth. I threw my phone down, refusing to answer any more questions because I wouldn’t let my best friend die after I had convinced her to skip school with me.

“Vera, please,” I cried, wiping the blood that dribbled down her chin. “Stay with me.”

Staring with wide eyes up at me, she parted her lips. “Maddie.” Her voice was hoarse and strained, more blood seeping out as she attempted to talk.

When she parted her lips again, I shook my head.

“Stop talking, Vera,” I whispered through sobs. “Please.”

“You’re hurt,” she said again, gaze dropping to my arm.

“Vera, please, save your breath,” I murmured, shaking my head. “Someone’s coming.”

“My … chest hurts,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “Am I shot?”

Not knowing what to say, but not wanting to upset her, I shook my head. “N-no.”

The corner of her lips twitched, but then her brown eyes widened even more, and she coughed up more and more blood. A stray tear rolled down her cheek. “I want to see Blaise again, Maddie.”

My eyes burned, guilt and sadness rushing through me. “Vera, stop it.”

“I love him so much,” she whispered.

I rested my forehead against hers. “You’re going to see him again, V.”

“If I don’t …” she whispered, as if she knew I had been lying to her about being shot. “If I don’t see him ever again, please tell him that I love him with all my heart. He’s been the best … the best boyfriend that I … that I”—her words became slower—“that I …”

“Vera!” I cried loudly, fingers trembling as they grasped her face. “Vera, stop. Please.”

The faint sound of sirens drifted through my ears, becoming louder by the moment. I stumbled to my feet and headed toward the street, waving them over as they approached. Two police cars and one ambulance skirted up to the curb, paramedics hopping out immediately.

One pulled a stretcher out of the back while the other hurried with me toward Vera. Imani and Allie both looked over at us, Imani at least looking like she was awake and with it. They placed Vera onto the stretcher and lifted her into the air.

Another wave of dizziness washed over me, but before anyone could stop me, I rushed toward the ambulance, where they were taking Vera. She couldn’t be alone. I’d promised her that I would be there with her through anything. And this … this was all my fault.

“Miss!” the policewoman said.

I shoved her off me because I didn’t believe that the officers here would be of any help. They hadn’t been when Oliver was kidnapped by Spencer, and they really wouldn’t be after someone had tried to kill us in front of the police chief’s home.

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