Chapter 89 – The Accident

Rosehill's streets were quiet, wrapped in that sleepy late-afternoon stillness. The sky was a soft gold, the air warm, and for the first time in weeks, Ryan felt like he needed to say something out loud—something real.

He hadn't been sleeping. The weight of everything—his lie to Anna, the silence with Ben and Savannah, the broken looks from Sarah—it was eating him alive. So, without telling anyone, he went to the one place that still gave him some kind of peace: the bookstore.

Mr. James' Bookstore.

He hadn't stepped foot inside since the day after the festival, but he knew the old man would listen. Maybe even give him something heavier than advice—something closer to truth.

As he crossed the street and approached the door, the bell above it jingled, and the door swung open.

Anna.

She stepped out into the sunlight, arms full of books, her hair tied loosely, cheeks pink from the warmth inside. For a second, Ryan forgot how to breathe.

She saw him.

Her face froze—eyes wide, then narrowing. And without a word, she clutched the books tighter and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Anna!" he called out, stepping forward.

She ignored him.

"Anna, please!" His voice cracked, but she kept walking—faster now.

Ryan followed. "Just listen for one second!"

But she wasn't having it. She just shook her head and picked up her pace. The sun flashed through the spaces between trees, blinding for a second, and then—

He saw the car.

It came around the corner too fast, tires screeching slightly as it barely slowed through the stop sign. Ryan's heart dropped. Anna was heading right into its path, about to cross without looking.

He didn't think.

Didn't yell again.

He ran.

"ANNA!" he screamed.

She turned, confused by the sound of his voice—and then she saw his face. Pure terror.

Her foot was already off the curb.

She didn't see the car.

But Ryan did.

He leapt. His entire body moved faster than it ever had on any court.

And then—

THUD.

The sound was sickening. His body collided with hers, shoving her violently to the grass on the other side of the sidewalk.

She landed hard, rolled, and immediately pushed herself up—

Just in time to see Ryan's body slam into the front of the speeding car.

Crack. Smash. Screech.

The windshield shattered. Ryan's body flipped up onto the hood before sliding off like a rag doll and landing hard against the pavement with a thud that seemed to echo across the street.

The car skidded to a stop. Horns blared. Someone screamed.

Anna screamed louder.

"RYAN!"

She scrambled to him, her knees scraping against the pavement. "No, no, no... Ryan!"

His eyes were barely open, lips trembling. Blood poured from a gash near his temple, and his chest rose and fell unevenly. His arm—twisted, broken.

His mouth opened like he wanted to say something.

But no words came.

"Ryan, stay with me, please, I'm right here—" Her voice cracked as she cradled his head in her lap. "Please don't leave me... please…"

The door to the bookstore slammed open. Mr. James. He sprinted toward them, dropping to his knees, eyes wide with horror.

"Call an ambulance!" someone yelled in the background.

"I already am!" Mr. James barked into his phone. "A boy—fifteen, hit by a car. He's barely conscious. Chestnut and Willow. We need a team here now!"

Anna sobbed, her fingers trembling as she brushed the blood from Ryan's face. "You're going to be okay," she whispered over and over, like a prayer.

But Ryan didn't respond.

His eyes fluttered once. And then—

They closed.

"RYAN!" she screamed.

Mr. James checked his pulse. "It's weak," he muttered. "Come on, kid, stay with us."

The sirens finally wailed in the distance. Closer. Louder.

The paramedics arrived within minutes. Ryan was lifted onto a stretcher, his body limp, a neck brace snapping into place.

"Unresponsive," one EMT said. "BP dropping. We need to move."

Anna climbed in without asking. Mr. James followed, his face pale and unreadable.

In the Ambulance

The red and blue lights lit up the inside of the vehicle as it tore through the town toward the hospital. Anna sat beside Ryan, gripping his hand through the oxygen tubes and IV lines. He looked so still. So fragile.

"I was so stupid…" she whispered, tears falling freely. "I hated you and you still saved me."

Mr. James sat silently across from her, hands clasped tightly together.

Anna leaned forward, pressing her forehead to Ryan's shoulder. "Don't die… please don't die…"

Outside the Hospital – Moments Later

As the doors flew open and they wheeled Ryan inside, Mr. James pulled out his phone. His hands shook as he made the call.

"Sarah," he said, voice trembling. "It's Ryan. You need to come to the hospital. Now."