Page 354 of A University of Betrayal

“Oh my God!” Bayla screamed and grabbed my arm again.

And then my world came crashing down.

How Do I Say Goodbye – Sped Up

Dean Lewis

“Julian.” I looked at my father, who was pressing a hand to his stomach, breathing heavily. “Julian, come here.”

He was spitting blood. He was spitting...

No one said anything, and I stared at him. The feeling of my chest tearing apart overwhelmed me, forcing me down to my shaky knees.

And a pitiful“Dad”escaped my dry throat.

I didn’t know why I was paralyzed, or why it took me ages to respond.

I slumped forward. “Shit, Dad, what’s wrong?”

Overwhelming panic shot through my veins.

“He’s been shot,” Miles blurted out. He had also knelt down and was pointing at Dad’s stomach.

Blood was slowly soaking his white shirt.

“Dad,” I whispered, the trembling in my knees gradually spreading throughout my body.

Dad’s bloodied hands trembled, tears burned in his glassy eyes, and something warm immediately rolled down my cheeks.

I had felt it before. I had lost someone close to me before. In shock, I realized thatI was about to lose my father.I wasn’t ready to lose someone again...

Dad put his head back, squeezed his eyes shut... didn’t open them again.

My hands clawed into his jacket and I started to shake him.

“Dad, please, stay with me!” I begged in a panic. “Dad!” I squeezed out and felt more tears fill my eyes.

Dad opened his eyes and looked at me, his breathing was weak.

“My boy.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“Hey, hey... hang on,” I tried to reassure him and myself at the same time, noticing in the corner of my eye Miles taking off his jacket to press it onto Dad’s wound.

My father groaned in pain. “Julian.” He put a hand on my forearm.God, why was he so cold?

“Dad...”

My father swallowed, and every word seemed to give him trouble. “I need to tell you something... something... I should have told you a lot sooner.”

I gestured for him not to say anything and to save his voice until help arrived.

“No.No, you’ll hang in there,” I said in a firm voice, but it somehow broke.

Dad would get to the hospital. He would get through this. He was strong.

“Someone, call an ambulance!” Miles shouted, and panic tightened my throat. “Why the fuck are you all standing around?” he continued, and several people started moving around me.

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