On Our First Attempt

Chapter Eighteen

On bringing Conor back home, cole tied his hands to the back and dumped him in a very chilled water on a bathtub and since he was still not yet awake, he chained his legs to the bathtub and left for him room, making him sleep through the night in a cold water.

Conor made annoying noises as he shivered from cold early the next morning, causing Cole a shortage of sleep and hence increasing his anger and thereby intensifying his punishment. Cole angrily stood up from his bed and went to give him a slap on his face.

"I should tire your mouth as well." He threatened, eagerly looking for something to cover Conor's mouth.

"Big brother you can't do this. I'm freezing." Conor said shivering thoroughly.

"Are you back to your senses now?" Cole asked angrily,

"Yes....yes. So you can bring me down now." Conor replied anxiously and then Cole pulled him out of the bathtub and also untied him. He ordered him to go take his bath and come down for breakfast afterwards.

In a few minutes time Conor was dressed and ready for breakfast. He came down stairs and met the table fully adorned with delicious Persian baked rice cakes with yoghurt, rice, saffron and chicken. Conor was delighted as he saw the well prepared food but also wondered why his brother would go through all this trouble to make such delicacy, though he still doesn't look truely happy and guilt could be seen all over him.

Cole watched him eat quietly but thoroughly and this gave Conor a hint that something was off.

"Where were you on the night of 20th of April? 10:53pm to be exact." Cole asked him the exact same question Kyle asked him back at his office just as he was about to swallow the last chunk of food on his plate, thereby making him to choke on it. "With my car." He added

Conor coughed for over a minute before he finally stopped but didn't answer. One look at him and it's obvious that he knew what happened that day as his eyes were now watery as tears were threatening to fall off.

"You want me to repeat the question again?" Cole asked, this time very harshly.

"No. Nothing happened. I was at school because we had a competition to prepare for." Conor lied.

"Oh, is that it?" Cole asked in a subtle manner.

"Yes that's it. That was all that happened, you can ask my reading group mates." Conor replied.

"No problem then, I was worried for nothing, you don't have to look this way man, smile!." Cole said with a smile as he picked up his phone and scrolled through it.

"Talk to Mom. She's being worried about your not calling him." He said as he handed over his phone to Conor in which he had already started a video call.

Conor and his mom talked at length as she complained about his not calling her for over a week or two now. Immediately after his call, Cole asked him to go get his car keys as they needed to be somewhere important and Conor did exactly as told, still wondering where this very important place could be.

Cole drove for a few minutes before arriving at a central police station all through with a bright smile on his face. Conor became alarmed and tried fleeing but Cole's grip was too strong for him to resist. He dragged him to the station and ordered one of the police men to lock him up in a cell and immediately his orders were carried out.

"Stay there and reflect on that night properly, then give me a call if you remember anything." He said and immediately he left the station, not minding Conor's nonstop pleading and yelling.

SUN CITY, LAS VEGAS.

Ariana woke up very late the next day after her visit to Kyle's hospital and was surprised to not see Dylan besides her. She came into the living room and saw him and Logan watching TV and immediately she came to sit with them, Dylan hugged her and afterwards, Logan asked him to give them some space to talk.

"What's up? Why did you send Dylan to his room?" Ariana asked curiously.

"What's up with you girl? You've been acting kinda moody and annoying ever since you came back yesterday." Logan asked after much observation.

"How's that? I really don't know what you are.........." Ariana was trying to deny Logan's observation before his interruption.

"Don't even give me that. Do you seriously have a thing for that guy?" Logan asked irritatedly.

"We were just really very close, That's it. He was kinda annoying but sweet and funny when he's being naive." She said with a smile dancing around her lips. "Or maybe that was just how I interpreted it and that he actually had a monster within." She added, this time frowning.

"What did he do to you?" Logan asked curiously.

At first Ariana didn't want to tell him about Kyle because of his temper, but then, Logan has always been her best confidant, so what's the use of keeping this one away from him. But she sure made him to make a promise to her.

"Promise you won't do anything stupid when he wakes up." She said firmly.

Logan thought for a while before replying. "Okay. I promise." He said.

"Kyle isn't really the cause of my accident. He just detested the fact that I had a child and sent me out of his house in the middle of a pouring night. Val was out of the country and I was practically homeless. Then I got hit by a a stupid person who left me to die. Later I got saved by Oscar, my supposed stalker or rather bodyguard which I didn't know of and whom I didn't knew of." Ariana explained.

"She's really your guardian angel. But who the f**k hit you and left you there?" Logan asked.

"We don't know. The CCTV's in that area weren't in function." She replied.

"It's really his fault, you wouldn't have had to be in this condition if he hadn't sent you out that night." He said, frowning.

"Yeah. I know, we know. But you already promised." She said.

"Yeah, I know and we all know that promises are meant to be broken." Logan mocked, infuriating Ariana. The two were still arguing when Dylan ran to the living room with Logan's phone which was ringing.

"Uncle you have a call." Dylan said and he quickly collected it from him and answered. It was Valeria who called, urging Logan to come to the police station with Ariana. They both wondered why but they still had to go find out. They all got dressed and left for the station

with Dylan.

CENTRAL POLICE STATION, SUMMERLIN NORTH.

Ariana and Logan hurriedly came to the station and met Valeria sitting at the waiting room. Dylan was the first to spot her so he ran over to her and hugged her tightly while Ariana and Logan just walked to her and they exchanged pleasantries before going to the main reason they were here..

"What are we here for?" Ariana asked curiously.

"Uhmmm........we found the person who caused your hit and run, he is over there." Valeria said, walking to the cell where Conor was locked in and was sleeping.

Everyone was surprised to see a teenager locked in the cell, as it wasn't what they were expecting. "He's only a teenager." Ariana exclaimed.

"Yeah and also someone am familiar with." Valeria replied.

They were still discussing when Kyle matched in, opened the cell, dragged Conor up from his sleep and gave him and hard punch on his face, surprising everyone.

"Are you stupid, can't you see he only a kid?" Ariana lashed at him.

"A kid who already tried to commit murder." Kyle add, that was when conor realized Ariana was the one he hitted with his car that night. He freaked out on exchanging eye contact with Ana, making him to immediately go unconscious. They immediately attended to him and had him laying on his bed as he was earlier sleeping in the cold floor.

"He's just faking it." Kyle said, unmoved by Conor's condition.

"Can't you see that kid is already scared? Do you have to be this unreasonable at this moment?" Ariana asked not expecting an answer.

"Why are you even here K?" Valeria asked angrily and just then Cole White joined the crowd at his brother's cell.

"What happened here? Why is he like this?" Cole asked worriedly.

"He's just too scared. He fell unconscious of on seeing me." Ariana said, not looking at the person who asked a question.

"Cole I think you'd have to take him home for now after he wakes up. He's mentally unstable as it is." Valeria said worriedly.

Kyle moved closer to Cole and grabbed his collar. "You're such an asshole and a pathetic looser. You called my sister after promising to call me because you know she's too soft hearted and would probably let him go unpunished right? But you know what? That's not going to happen and I will make sure of it." Kyle affirmed. Logan who had been noticing Cole for a while stood up from his sit and pulled him away from Kyle, also grabbing him by his collar just like Kyle did earlier.

"Cole Erikson, you son of a gun." Logan scoffed giving Cole a hard punch on his face. A quick look at Logan and he realized whom he was. He freed himself from him and moved backward a bit, stretching his jaw.

"Chill man. It's now White, Cole White." He said, that was when he saw Ariana, looking as beautiful as she always did, but now without a bandage wrapped around her head.

"Save that for someone who cares." Logan said with absolute disgust.

"Ana!" Cole called. "I-I didn't know you were the one my brother hitted." He said, sounding overly guilty.

"Who could have thought I will be seeing you after all this years in this circumstances. Conor is your brother?" Ariana asked.

"Yes." He replied, this time coming closer to her.

"You never told me you had a brother. Or rather, you never really told me anything important about you." Ariana said.

"You two know each other?" Valeria asked.

"Yes. We were high school mates and (paused to give Ariana a quick look)........lovers." Cole replied with a smile.

"Can you not say lovers? You can say we dated briefly." Ariana said irritatedly.

"That still makes us lovers." Cole said.

"No...... that's different because you ditched me just when it went tough, you don't ditch the people you love. " Ariana replied, this time getting emotional.

"Can we save this stupid topic for another day, it's boring. Kyle said and just then Conor finally woke up and first person he saw holding him was Ariana again. He got scared, pushed her off and flee to his brother's feet pleading.

"I swear big brother, I didn't mean to leave her there. I didn't even mean to drive that night but my friends forced me to. I drank a few bottles of alcohol which was against your will and that was why I didn't want to drive but they forced me and I ended up driving. After I hitted her, I went out and asked them for help to bring her back to the car but there refused saying she might die on us and we'd be in trouble for drinking and also for murder so I got scared and also left her there without calling for help, and your car is totally ruined, I took it to a junk yard. I swear that was what happened so just take me out of here because am scared of her." He pleaded after explaining what transpired that night.

"You should have told me that after the accident if you were really scared not going to a bar with a fake ID and drinking like a retard drunk." Cole scolded.

"They threatened me not to tell anyone or else I won't be allowed to hangout with them." He said, holding tight to his brother's feet.

"I already warned you severally to stop hanging out with those assholes but you won't listen now look what they've caused you. Get off my feet." Cole scolded, kicking him off his feet.

"That's harsh. Weren't you listening to him? He was threatened and under pressure. It's not like he did it intentionally. Ariana scolded Cole.

"Ariana is right Cole, give him a break and save the scolding for later. You can take him home for now I will call you to inform you about our decision." Valeria said, urging Cole to leave with Conor. Cole went to Ariana to try collecting her contact but she wouldn't yield.

"Find me if you can. Till then, goodbye." Ariana said and Cole knew that was final. Afterall Ariana was always the hardest girl to get back in high school.

Kyle was annoyed and irritated by the unexpected familiarity of the trio. Just as Cole was about to leave, Kyle held him back, preventing him from leaving.

"Are you just going to let them go just like that? Even I got punished so why the hell is he going to go unpunished?" He asked angrily.

"Are you seriously not ashamed of being here? Or Do you seriously think anyone need you or your opinion here? If anyone should be mute, that should be you. Do you seriously think Conor caused my accident? If that's what you think then you are overly wrong because you caused my accident and Conor is also a victim of your stupid decision just like me. If you hadn't sent me out on that pouring night, I wouldn't have been in this condition." Ariana lashed angrily at him, surprising everyone especially Cole and Conor because that was the first time they were witnessing the almighty Kyle being yelled at.

"Look Ariana, I know I was wrong and I got punished fairly, but your words are too harsh." Kyle said. In his voice and eyes, pain were written all over but only Valeria noticed it or maybe others just pretended not to notice.

He left the police station before Valeria could say a word and even before Cole could leave. Ariana felt kinda guilty for what she said but she wouldn't want to admit to it. Soon after everyone dispersed and left for their various abode but Dylan left with Valeria to spend sometime with the twin.

As Logan and Ariana drove home, Logan didn't look happy, and it was obvious to Ariana, so she decided to ask the reason for the sudden change of mood.

"What's up man? Why's your face looking so tough?" Ariana asked.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Logan asked angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Ariana asked cluelessly.

"Cole White or whatever, what do you think or are you planning on do with him? 'Come find me if you can' what's the meaning of that rubbish?" Logan asked angrily.

"Come on Logan, we were friends what's the big deal meeting up in a big city again?" Ariana asked not really expecting an answer.

"Oh God. You're so clueless and stupid, I wonder how my parents gave birth to you." Logan mocked.

"Yeah I know I'm the dumbass in the family but can you please stop rubbing that on my face?" Ariana requested angrily.

They continued their ride in absolute silence as their faces were now both looking tough.

ALL WELL HOSPITAL, SUMMERLIN NORTH

Kyle went back to the hospital on leaving the police station and was surprised to see Lucas, Jason and Miguel helping him to pack up his belongings.

"Are you both back from your trips? And Lucas, how's your health now, did you already get discharged?" Kyle asked cunningly.

"Uh... Yes." They chorused unintentionally.

"Too bad because I don't need any of you right now." He said, collecting his packed bags from them one after the other.

"Come on K, you know we all wanted to help you but we just got busy and Lucas was........" Miguel was trying to explain but Kyle quickly interrupted.

"........sick. Lucas was very sick as a result of my over working and stressing him and needed to be admitted per the doctor's advise. Jason had to go to Spain for an upcoming premiere. And you Miguel, you had to go to Argentina for a business trip. It's still well registered in my head guys." Kyle said chuckling. The guys were not sure of what was happening. Did they got found out? That looks like the case here as Kyle abruptly refused any help from them in packing up. He took his bags to his car on his own and just when he was about to drive off, a group of unexpected crowd consisting of reporters and mostly Kyle's fans and followers, which were mostly ladies took over the whole place. The reporters asked him series of questions about his accident despite Sofia Ryan explicit explanation while his well wishers were just happy he recovered and is back to the community, hale and hearty. Kyle was disturbed by the reporter's continuous pestering so he decided to give them something to write about.

"I had the accident because of my carelessness but one thing am grateful for is the fact that I was the only one who got hurt from it. And most importantly the fact that I didn't turn into a murderer is something I will forever be grateful for, but then, it's all thanks to my sister." He said and immediately he raised his hands up, signifying that was the end of his speech. Most of the reporters already knew this sign well so they made way for him to leave.