Dare For Distance

“No, that's not cool, John. You know I hate it when you say Missouri, like Miss-or-uh,” I reminded John, as he was attempting to push my buttons.

“Miss-or-uh, Miss-or-uh, Miss-or-uh!” John chanted playfully.

I laughed, but was cut off by an extremely loud thud. “What was that?” Kennedy asked.

I scanned the room quickly. Then, frantically asked, “Has Zohey never gotten back?”

Everyone looked up at me, eyes-wide, and shook their head's. I cussed loudly, as I swiftly leaped for the bathroom, the place she said she was going. The door was closed, and locked; I cussed, again.

“Do we not have a key for this?” I practically screamed. Everyone shook their head's, once again. I beat on the door, and it didn't budge. So, I slammed against it, multiple times, with all the strength I had, until it finally flew open.

I fell to the ground, and landed on my hands; I looked down, and they were bleeding, but that wasn't my main concern, after I looked up. Zohey was sprawled out on the floor, facing upwards; her eyes were closed, and her head was leaning towards the right, so I couldn't see her.

I let out an unexplainable sound, as I jumped to my feet. I leaned down, and quickly picked her up; the back of her head was covered in blood. “Get in here! Call an ambulance! Help me!” I started shouting out commands, as the tiny bathroom filled with everyone on the bus.

John had a phone to his ear, and was speaking quickly. “What happened?” Caleb asked.

“Do I look like I know?” I asked rhetorically.

“They're on their way; it should be about five minutes,” John said, closing his phone.

“Five minutes?” I asked, in disbelief. “A lot can happen in five-freaking-minutes!”

“That's the soonest they can get here.”

The hospital wasn't that far, if you drove at the right speed.

I jumped up, with Zohey in my arms, and pushed through everybody. I clomped down the bus steps, and ran to my car; Nick was following me.

“What are you doing, man?” he asked.

“I'm getting her to the hospital,” I replied, throwing the backseat door open, and placing her gently inside. “Get in, and sit back there with her so she doesn't get anymore hurt than she already is.”

Nick grabbed my shoulders. “Man, calm down. This is only a girl we're talking about; merely a fan.”

“A fan? A fan? This is my freaking fiance, we're talking about.” I pushed him in the backseat, and slammed the door shut. I ran to the driver's side, and jumping in, turning the ignition so it started the car; I looked at him in my rear-view mirror. “And, for the record, I would do this for any fan of mine.”