CHAPTER ONE -
TARA'S ATTACK

TRIGGER WARNINGS - anxiety attack, mention of attempted murder.

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Ellaria had gotten a text from Mindy, saying that Tara was in the hospital. She had been stabbed multiple times and was in surgery. She had immediately gotten out of bed and put shoes on. As she walked downstairs to her parents' bedroom, she could feel her lungs running out of air. Was it an anxiety attack? She wasn't sure, but she knocked on the door. Her mother, Faith, opened the door. "What's wrong?" The blonde-haired woman asks. Clearly seeing her daughter's distress.

She heard Ellaria mumble something like, "Tara... hospital... go now." Faith looked at her daughter in worry.
She gently grabbed onto her daughter's shoulders. "Ella, honey... breathe." Faith said while looking at Ellaria. Ellaria copied her mother's breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four seconds. She did this a few more times until she was able to properly breathe. "Okay, good job. Now, what's wrong?" Faith asks, again. "Tara was attacked by someone, she's at the hospital. Mindy said she's in surgery. I need to go see her." As Ellaria speaks, her hands shake. It seems like an anxiety attack.

Faith nods at her. "I'll drive you to the hospital. Let me just get some shoes on." Ellaria nods, and her mom walks into her room, and quickly puts on her shoes, and tells her husband, Ellaria's dad, where they're going. He didn't go with them since he'd gotten home really late from work Both Arellano women rush to Faith's car, and quickly drive off to the hospital. All while hoping that Tara is okay.

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Ellaria had rushed out of the car as soon as they got to the hospital. Her mom had told that she would be there in a few minutes. Ellaria walked up to the front desk. "Hi, I'm here to see a patient." Ellaria says. "Name of the patient?" The receptionist asks. "Tara Carpenter. She was admitted a few hours ago." Ellaria answers. The receptionist types into her computer. "What's your relation to the patient?" the receptionist asks as she continues to type. "She's my best friend." Ellaria's eye twitches slightly since the receptionist is taking so long. The receptionist hands her a label, that says visitor. The receptionist tells her the floor and room number. Ellaria thanks her, before making her way to the elevator.

She pushes the button and waits for the elevator. As she's about to get in, someone calls out her name. Ellaria turns around, to see Wes, her boyfriend. She puts her hand in between the elevator doors to stop the doors from closing, so he can walk in. Wes walks in and hugs her. "Do you think she's okay?" Ellaria asks. "I don't know Jamie." Wes whispers. They pull apart and Ellaria pushes the button to the floor that Tara is on. Wes holds onto her hand and squeezes it lightly. The doors of the elevator open, and they both walk out, hand in hand.

They walk towards the lobby, to see if their friend's are there. Chad is the first one to see them. He waves at them. The couple walks towards them. Amber pulls Ellaria into a hug, and she reciprocates by hugging her back. Ellaria hugs Mindy and Chad next. She just nods at Liv. The two never really had gotten along. Chad moves to another chair, so Ellaria can sit in his chair, and sit in between him and Wes. Liv frowns at him slightly, but Chad pretends not to notice it. Wes nor Ellaria notice this, since they'd just started whispering to each other, trying to be calm during this situation. Mindy just raises an eyebrow towards her twin. Meanwhile Amber stands up and starts pacing. She hadn't heard any news from how her girlfriend's surgery is going, so her friends just assume that she's worried, and scared, just like they are.

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It's been an hour since Wes and Ellaria had arrived. Ellaria's mom, and Talia, Tara's stepmom, had arrived about twenty minutes after they had. Ellaria and Wes had fallen asleep, Ellaria's head resting against his shoulder, and his head resting on hers. Faith and Talia think it's adorable, seeing them both so calm, they were always worried about something or other, so it's nice to see them like this. Amber sees a nurse making their way towards them and immediately stands up. Mindy walks over to Wes and Ellaria and shakes them both awake. They both wake up quickly since they hadn't been asleep for that long, they weren't deeply asleep

"Are you Tara Carpenter's family?" The nurse asks. They all say yes. "She's out of surgery, it went well, she's not awake yet. It may take a couple hours since we gave her an anesthetic. One of you can go in at time, for now." The nurse says. They all look at Talia. "You should go first Mrs. Riley." Wes says, seeing that only one of them could go in, it should be her. Talia looks at him. "It's Talia, you know this, Wes." Talia says correcting him.

But she nods. "I'll try not to take long, so all of you can see her soon." Talia says, before following the nurse who had been waiting. Faith looks at Ellaria, "You should go home after you see her, you need to rest. All of you do." Faith says. Ellaria nods, knowing not to argue with her mom. Wes looks at Ellaria. "Do you want me to take you home after we see her, Jamie?" Wes asks her quietly. Ellaria nods. "Please. You can stay the night at our house, if you want." Ellaria says back, quietly. Wes nods. "I will, my mom probably won't be back home until tomorrow." Wes answers.

After Talia comes back, Amber is the next to go in to see Tara. After maybe, fifteen minutes, she walks out, with tear stained cheeks. Ellaria goes in next. She doesn't know what she was expecting. But it was a lot worse than she ever could've imagined. Several of Tara's bandages were visible, like the one covering her hand. She had bruises forming on her face and arms. And she looks pale, she looks half-dead. Ellaria suppressed the tears that were threatening to fall. It's hard seeing her best friend like this. Tara has always been the livelier of the two. And seeing her like this, it- it just isn't right. She doesn't know who did this to Tara, but she hopes she finds out, so she can... so she can do anything to make them pay for what they did to Tara.

Tara didn't deserve this. And from what Ellaria can tell, she's lucky to even still be alive.