WHAT THE HEART WANTS

It was raining heavily, and it was also about 5am in the morning, but because of the rain,there were almost no cars on the road,one car though was racing down the road, speeding with no control,inside the car were four highschool students, Michael Lancaster, John Cassidy, Victor bliz and Derek Hoffman,they were just coming back from their graduation after party,and they were all flat out drunk, one of them was asleep at the back seat, one took the wheel and the other two were singing and drinking more, nothing got in their way,when the one driving finally noticed her,it was too late,they heard a loud thud.The car had run into a middle aged woman.the driver, immediately sober and his whole body shaking,got out to examine the accident and to alert the others.

Dahlia

When I got called out of the classroom to the principal's office,I knew something was wrong,and I was scared as shit,and I could just feel the bad news coming,but I didn't expect it to be this bad.In the car on my way to the hospital,I sort of closed my eyes and hoped to God that it wasn't true,and that it wasn't her, until she was shown to me,she laid on the hospital bed, completely lifeless,I tapped her a few times to make sure it wasn't all a prank.because she couldn't leave, we finally moved out of our drunk dad's place and got an apartment of our own,she told my sister and I that she would be there for us, so this seemed like a lie.I didn't know what to feel.I paced up and down the room,hands shaking.The nurse in charge had given me time to see her and say my final goodbyes....but I couldn't do that,not without my sister here,who was gonna take care of us? Who would hold Jenny every night and tell her all would be well? That and so many other questions flooded my brain,soon these questions turned into anger.It literally made no sense,she was fine this morning.She worked for one of her old friends in the other street at his restaurant,so she always went there super early to clean around and cook and she had been doing it for 5 months already...so what the fuck happened today?

I got up and went to meet the nurse,who directed me to the doctor's office,I knocked and walked in,she smiled at me as soon as she saw,I had no time to waste

"What exactly happened?"I asked and she tried to hold my hand,I didn't let her.

"I know you're hurting..."She started.

"But I'm not,I'm just really mad right now and I need to know what happened". I said firmly.She sighed.

"Car accident"My eyes stung.

"When did it happen? Did you even try to save her? Or did you just give up on her because you knew she had no money to give?what did you do with my mother? Why won't she talk to me?!" My voice had started rising, cracking a little bit too,my eyes had become watery and a single tear had dropped from one eye, I wiped it away.She got up and came to stand next to me.

"I'm sure you must feel miserable right now,but maybe just get your sister and other family members,and get your mum burried as soon as you can" She said and I shook my head.

"No, she's not a child,she has been going there for months,this is the driver's fault" I replied trying to hold back my tears by all means.

"It doesn't matter whose fault it was,it was a hit and run,just get your family members and bury her,it will make you feel so much better" She replied and I scoffed.

"Family member? She's all we had, my sister and I and now you're telling me to let it go?" I asked and got up angrily,there was no time to waste, I couldn't let whoever hit her get away with it.

"Miss Dahlia....."The doctor sighed trying to calm me down.

"No,no one is getting buried until I get an explanation from the driver himself" I finished,bowed and ran out of the hospital. I got out my phone and called my friend Jason,his dad(the one my mum works for was the one who found her) I needed to ask them both questions,I needed answers so I could give Jenny answers too.

Michael Lancaster.

I woke up to a pounding headache,I groaned a little and sat up on the bed,I ran my hand through my hair in despair,just then it struck me,The accident!.I cursed under my breath and ran outside my room, just then my mum coming from the other side stopped me and pulled me back into my room.

"You should rest" she said firmly.I couldn't,I was so drunk the previous night I didn't even know how I drove that far,I guess I was sleeping on the wheel,and I was waken up when the accident happened,I was so shocked and shaken but my friends convinced me to drive away,now I regret it,what if we could have saved her?

"Mum,no,you don't understand,I made a terrible mistake last night" I replied shakily.My mum made me sit on the bed.

"We know everything,your dad and I,and even though we're so disappointed,we'll take care of everything." She replied and patted my head.

"No no no no no no" I replied removing her hand

"We have to go find her,and her family and compensate them, and take them to whatever hospital they want, mother"I said and got up and headed for the door.

"She died a few hours ago, there's no point" she said and I fell to the floor.

"No no no no no no no...." I repeated tears now falling from my eyes.

"What have I done? Mother,what have I done?" I asked in between tears. She got down and hugged me.

"You didn't do anything,you were drunk,and I refuse to let your life be jeopardized over one mistake,go back to the bed and rest up,you need strength to be able to face the rest of your life with pride"I pulled myself out of her embrace.

"How could you say that,mum?,I have committed a crime,I should be punished,this is wrong!"

"We're doing this for you,one day,you'll understand"She answered,got up and left the room,I tried to follow but she had locked the door from the outside. I fell back to the floor again.

"Fuck".

Dahlia

I took a taxi so I could get there quickly, the driver said something but I didn't hear him, I got out of the taxi and met Jason in front of the restaurant using a broom to scrub the floor, my eyes got cloudy.

"Is that....is that my mum's..." He dropped the broom and ran to hug me, I could feel the tears burning my eyes,I sniffed,I had to hold them back.Jason pulled out of the hug and looked at me,I could see pity in his eyes.

"Come" He said quietly and dragged me into the restaurant,he pulled a chair for me to seat on and went inside then he returned with a cup of tea.

"Are you okay?" He asked sitting in front of me. I didn't want sympathy,I wanted answers.

"What happened?"I asked,he tried to hold my hand,I shifted

"Drink a little bit, I bet you haven't even eaten today"

" I honestly do not have time for this, just tell me what happened"He sighed and looked away.

"I woke up earlier than dad today,cause he was feeling sick so he couldn't come over,When I got here she was on the floor......I saw no one,it was most likely an hit and run" He said tears staining his face. I wanted to cry too.

"And the police? Did the police come here?"

"Yeah,they asked me what I knew and I told them the same thing,they also asked to see if we had CCTV cameras and I told them we didn't,so they left." I couldn't stop it this time,I could feel the tears,I cleaned it off but it kept coming.

"So that's it? That's all? she's literally not moving and that's all you have to say? I need answers Jason answers! What the fuck am I supposed to tell my sister now? Where are we going to go?" I asked voice shaking,Jason got up and moved closer to hug me,I stepped away from him.

"Where are we going to go Jason?" I ask again trying to search for answers,he looks away. I close my eyes and more tears stream down my face, I ran my hand through my hair,my phone rang I looked at the caller ID,it was Jenny's teacher.I clean the tears off my face,it was probably time to go pick her,I shove the phone back into my pocket.

"Bring her here,you don't have to tell her now" Jason said noticing me,I shook my head and pulled out of his hug

"I can take care of my own shit" I replied and left the restaurant.

I decided to swallow my tears in front of Jenny,until I had clear answers,I needed to seem strong in front of her,so when her teacher pulled me aside to tell me she had heard about the accident,I put on a neutral face,so that if Jenny was looking,she wouldn't suspect a thing,I held her hand as we entered the bus,she kept telling me about her day and I was just trying to not burst into tears,so I held her hands tighter until we got home,our home that we moved to about a year ago when we finally left dad's place.He was abusive and they argued all the time,she decided to leave him when he hit me,pulled all the money she had and rented this place,and then she promised to take care of us,to care for us so much that we would not remember him anymore,and now she was gone,and I was left alone to take care of Jenny,my head ached,and my throat stung,I went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water.Jenny had gone to her room to change,I had received countless calls from the hospital already,I didn't want to go back.I absolutely could not go back.My phone rang again and I took it out to switch it off,it was jason,I answered.

"We found something, it's not a lot but you said you needed answers and maybe this would calm you down." He said as soon as the call connected.