Ridgewood Town

Chapter 12

Jean

June 25

Thursday; 11:21

I'm on my way to the hospital. I was at the WIC training center when I received a call from Peyton. His voice was panicky, making me worry. He was shouting on the phone as I heard Coover’s voice telling him to calm down. He accidentally dropped the call. I hesitated to call back when my phone dinged. A new message has arrived. A picture of a woman on a hospital bed was sent. I immediately drove there thinking about what could possibly have happened.

And I saw her on a hospital bed with stitches and bandages on her head. Ana, who was lying on another hospital bed beside her, had a large bump on the side of her head. She looks better than the state Sophia is in.

“What the hell happened with these two?” I asked, pointing at the two beds where Ana and Sophia lay. Coover was silent beside Ana. Peyton’s face was painted with worry as he was sitting beside Sophia. He was watching her intently like she was about to die any minute.

Ugh. Who does he really like?

I don't know why I am even here. I kinda feel bad. I don’t feel worried nor feel sympathetic towards Sophia. Before I could read the text Peyton sent me, I was hoping that it was news about Luis. I was hoping it was another scenario. I thought they had already found Luis; how wrong I was.

“She bumped into me,” Ana started as she looked around but me. “It’s not my fault,” she continued as she lowered her head. I saw her biting her lower lip, maybe stopping herself from crying. The way she said those words, it made me suspect that she did something really bad.

“And she ended up like that?” I replied astonishingly, a low chuckle escaping my lips. “A simple bump wouldn’t get you to the hospital with stitches, you know?” I mumbled. A simple bump and they both end up in the hospital? Unless they exerted too much force, it was possible. So, which of them?

“I’m sorry, okay? It was an accident. I’m out in the woods-”

“-out in the woods? Why would you go to the woods?” I interrupted. Her eyes looked everywhere but me. I’ve know her. She’s not the type of person to go into the woods alone, unless it's for things she’s very curious about.

“Why are you in the woods, Ana?” Coover asked. Ana bit her lower lip, seemed contemplating whether to confess or not.

“Fine…” she said with an irritated voice followed by a low groan. “She’s acting suspiciously since yesterday. I just want to see what she’s doing.”

“Ana, we have already talked about this," Coover reminded her, his voice laced with controlled anger. "Sophia has been suffering a lot these days. Is this for another scoop for your page again? Look at what happened to Sophia,” Coover lectures her more as his voice continuously rises. I’ve never seen him get shaken like this.

I saw the flicker of pain in her eyes. The familiar pain I used to see years ago. Time passes by too fast, huh?

“I didn’t do anything to her, okay?” she says, her voice clouded with her sobs. “I swear. You can even ask her when she wakes up.”

I gave her the eye. She continues to lay on her bed as she weeps. Coover didn’t answer either but continued to stare at the floor.

I couldn’t help looking at Sophia. She was peacefully lying on the hospital bed. It seems like I always get to see Sophia in a bad state. The last time was during the burial of Taylah. She suddenly fainted and when she woke up, she was a complete person. The eyes that have been clouded with fear have been empty. I wonder if her amazing parents will be here shortly too.

“Peyton?” a small voice called. Her voice was soft and clear. Sophia was now awake and was now looking at us. She touches her head and looks at us confused. “Did something happen to me? And, why does my head feel weird?”

My sight travelled to Ana’s place waiting for her to explain. She told us Sophia knows what happened but it seemed like Sophia was out of it too.

“You bumped into me. You hit your head and now you’re here,” Ana answered shortly. She speaks too fast, making Sophia confused. Ana cleared her throat and took a deep breath. She faced sideways so she could face Sophia. “I followed you.”

“You what?” another raised tone came from Coover. He stood up from his seat. I couldn’t see his face because his back was facing me, but based on his voice, he was quite mad.

“I followed her to the woods, okay? She has been acting so weird since the other day,” Ana insisted. There’s no trace of guilt in her voice.

“But Ana, that wasn’t right either?” Coover answered back.

“How can I not when she’s sneaking out late at night?” she retorted.

“Don’t you really know how to mind your own business?” the words escaped from my mouth without thinking.

Her brows knitted and shot me with a glare. “What now? I’m just curious about what she’s going on about. Aren’t you curious too?”

“No/Nah/Not!” came out in unison from all three of us. It made her shut up. Dejected, she curled herself into a ball and pulled her sheets over her, blocking us from her world of embarrassment.

“The night you’re talking about, is that the night after the burial?” Peyton asked Ana, and she hummed her yes as an answer. “I was with her. We went to check the place where she last saw Luis,” Peyton continued.

“You’re with her?” Coover’s turn to ask, but it was directed to Peyton. They looked at each other knowingly and walked to the corner of the room. They talked in hushed voices with Peyton laughing from time to time. Coover looked like he was about to snap. He was glaring at Peyton as they continued to talk.

I walked to Sophia, who was watching them silently. I sat on the seat beside her and smiled.

“Hey," I called out.

“Hey!” she greeted back in a small voice.

“I don’t know what happened actually. Ana was supposed to be telling us but she thought you already knew. And now it has dawned on us that it’s actually her fault.”

“I told you I’m sorry!” a muffled shout came from the other side.

“Hey, Ana!” I reached for an apple from the basket on the table and threw it at her, hitting her head. “Ops! Sorry.” I teasingly apologized. She rises from the sheets and looks at me with her brows knitted.

“She bumped into me. Why won’t you just believe me?” she complained.

"You aren't worthy enough to be trusted," I shot back. The trust I had in her had been broken.

Sophia was about to get up from her bed but I caught her. She was about to go to Ana. I first thought she was about to pounce on her, but I forgot that she's different.

“I’m sorry, Ana. I don’t remember anything after I bumped into something hard. I felt my body roll on the ground. My world was spinning and everything turned black. And when I opened my eyes, I’m here with you guys," Sophia explained. I could feel the sincerity in her voice.

"It's not your fault either, Sophia. Haven't you heard what she said? She followed you. Aren't you even mad?" I asked her. She smiled faintly. Does she even know how to hold a grudge?

"She has a reason to doubt me after all. I'm the last person seen with Luis. Maybe the town thinks the way she thinks too." She looked down as she fumbled with her hands. So this is Sophia Chase. Now I understand why she was chosen instead of me.

"But we don't think that way. Okay, I think we all need to calm down and talk now.” I clap my hands to get the attention of the two boys. “Are you guys done now? Can you now put your attention on our victim here? Ana, you can explain yourself.”

“Why do I feel like I was accused by how you put those words?” she complained. I raised my brow and rolled my eyes as an answer.

“Because you are,” Coover answered, annoyed. It seems like Coover has been snapping too much today. Attaboy!

“Whatever. Sophia, please listen to me.” She faced Sophia once again and bowed on her bed. “I’m sorry it’s my fault. I followed you this morning because I thought you might know where Luis was hiding. I’m really sorry.”

“Seriously, Ana.” Another side comment came from Coover. I think he’s really mad right now.

I should remind myself to never get on the bad side of Coover Philips.

“Do you still think Luis could do that?” Peyton’s voice was laced with anger. I was mad too, but I don’t think that this is the right time to address the issue.

“I’m sorry, okay? And by the way, why were you running? I heard you calling out for Luis too. And you were running too fast that made you crash into me. And now you’re in a hospital bed right now," Ana asked. The weight of her words caused Sophia to be silent.

“I saw him,” she whispered. She looked at me and the look of determination was evident. My heart races, images of his face filled my mind.

“Who?” I asked, my voice cracking.

“Luis Mason.”