ALEX

"Mrs. Clarkson, over here!" Ava's voice cut through the tense silence, pulling me back to the present as Zoe's family arrived, their frantic expressions seizing my attention. The tension in the room was unbearable, and the moment they saw us, they erupted with questions.

"Where's Zoe? How is she? What happened? How did you get her here?" Mrs. Clarkson fired off, her words rapid and sharp, laced with worry.

"Mrs. Clarkson, please. She's in the OR. The doctors are working on her right now. We'll know more soon, but for now, please, just sit down," Ava reassured them, her voice steady despite the chaos around us.

"There was a shooting at the school," Ava continued, her voice faltering slightly as she explained. "Zoe stepped in front of Alex when the shooter aimed at him. She took the bullet. We couldn't just leave her there. We did everything we could to get her here."

"Who's Alex?" Zoe's sister's voice came sharply, as she locked eyes with me, her gaze burning with accusation. "It's your fault she's in there, isn't it? You let her do this!" she spat, pointing a finger toward me, her words sharp as daggers.

"I know, I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen," I choked out, my voice cracking with guilt. I wanted to explain, to beg for understanding, but before I could say more, the doctor entered, and everything else fell silent.

The doctor's voice cut through the tension, calling for the family and close friends. Without thinking, I stood, desperate to follow, but Yash's hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Alex, are you serious? Let her family go first, man," Yash muttered, his voice low but firm. I wanted to protest, to be the one who went in there, but I couldn't ignore the reality of the situation. I sank back into my seat, the weight of my guilt and fear pulling me down.

It felt like hours before Ava and the others came back, their eyes red-rimmed, streaked with tears but holding onto a glimmer of hope. Mrs. Clarkson collapsed into a chair, sobbing, and my heart broke all over again. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Ava! How is she? Is she okay?" I demanded, my voice urgent, but all she could do was shake her head, her own tears flowing freely.

"Tell me what happened, Ava, please!" I pleaded, my voice growing frantic.

"Alex, she…" Ava faltered, her chest heaving with emotion as she tried to find the right words.

"She what?" I pressed, my pulse racing, my entire body shaking with anxiety.

"Alex, she lost her memory," Ava whispered, her voice breaking. "The impact from the fall, the trauma to her head... it caused her to forget everything."

"No," I whispered, my body freezing as the words sank in. "No, she can't—she can't lose her memory. Not after everything." My voice cracked, and I stumbled back, my mind unable to wrap around what I'd just heard.

I couldn't stay in the waiting room any longer. I had to see her. I pushed through the door, and there she was, lying unconscious on the bed, her face pale and fragile. My heart broke all over again as I approached, my knees weak beneath me.

I found the doctor nearby, his presence a silent reminder of everything I couldn't control. "Doctor? How is she?" I forced myself to ask, though my voice was barely a whisper.

"And you are?" The doctor's tone was professional, but there was something in his eyes that softened when he saw my desperation.

"I'm Alex, her friend," I managed, my voice trembling.

"Ah, Alex," the doctor nodded. "Well, you arrived just in time. If it weren't for your quick actions, she might not have made it. You did the right thing, applying pressure to the wound, performing CPR. You saved her life."

I couldn't even process the praise. "I—I just did what I had to do. Thank you," I murmured.

The doctor's expression softened, but the words that followed ripped through me. "Zoe's injuries are severe, Alex. The bullet did significant damage to the soft tissue in her shoulder, tearing through muscles and blood vessels." His words felt like a punch in the gut. "The impact to her head… a serious concussion. It's hard to say how long she'll be in recovery, but right now, we need to focus on her healing."

I swallowed hard, unable to speak for a moment. The thought of Zoe, my Zoe, torn apart by violence—it was too much to bear. But then the doctor's next words froze me in place.

"She won't remember anything when she wakes up," he said, his voice gentle, but the weight of his words was suffocating. "Her memory's gone. You and the others will need to help her remember everything. But it could take weeks, maybe months, before she's fully herself again."

I couldn't breathe. Zoe, the girl I loved—my heart shattered at the thought of her not knowing who I was.

"I—I can't…" I choked, unable to comprehend the magnitude of it all.

The doctor gave me a small, sympathetic nod. "I know it's hard, but with your help, Zoe can regain everything she's lost. Just be there for her."

I nodded, my throat tight. "We will," I whispered, though the words felt like empty promises. How could I help her remember if I couldn't even believe it was real?

As the doctor left, I stood by Zoe's side, my hands trembling as I reached out to touch her hair. I leaned down close, pressing my forehead against hers as the weight of everything I'd lost crashed over me.

"I'm so sorry, Zoe," I whispered, my voice barely audible, "I failed you. I never meant for this to happen. Please, please come back to me. I can't lose you. Not like this."

Tears slipped from my eyes as I held her hand, my grip tight with the raw desperation I felt. "You're my everything. Don't forget me. Don't forget us."

In that moment, everything else faded away. The world, the noise, the fear—it all disappeared. It was just me and Zoe, and I would do anything to make things right.