Losing Love

10

Hope's POV:

Four drinks and two hours later, Nora, Matt, Cheryl, Cole, Kyle, Carter and I are standing in the middle of the restaurant that my dad had booked for my birthday dinner. Ryder had just left to go the bathroom a whole ten minutes ago, what is taking him so long?

The vigorous smell of all types of food attack my nose, and the smoke from the fireplace force me get a headache so I turn around and begin walking outside. As I open the huge door, a strong waft of freezing cold air blows through, smacking me in my face. The cold air flows into my eyes, causing them to tear up when I blink.

I assumed Dominic and I were closer than for him to not even show up at my birthday, therefore I'm slightly disappointed at his absence.

I cross my arms over my body and wrap my hands around my arms as a defence against the cold breeze blowing over my raw skin. In contrast to the blasting music and loud chatter inside the restaurant, it's peaceful out here. I take a deep breath in and watch the lit up streets of New York. The December ground is damp from the previous rainfall. December 12th, what a great day to be born.

My eyes trace over the scenery around me before I hear the struggled coughing of a man and shuffling against the ground. I turn around as my eyes land on the pitch black, narrow alley. "Hello?" I announce, carefully stepping towards the darkness. "H-Hope" the shadow of a man extending his arm towards me cries out. Then silence. My heart skips a beat, how does he know my name?

Desperate to find who the voice belongs to, I speed up my pace into the dark alley despite my fight or flight beginning to kick in. Just as the moon breaks through the crack between the two buildings above, my eyes widen and my heart skips a beat. Right there, laying under the moons light is Dominic.

He's turned to his side, one of his legs bent in front of him while the other remains straight. One hand protecting his head from below him while the other is extended in my direction. His once fresh, new suit is now covered in brown mud and coated in a layer of dark red blood. My legs subconsciously begin tracing towards him at full speed despite the disadvantage of my heels. His eyes remain cracked slightly open, with the street light behind me reflecting off of them while his body remains stationary for the most part, he is barely breathing.

I crouch down next to him, not even bothering to be cautious of my dress, my layered knees colliding with the ground as I reach a hand forward and place it on his neck. I struggle to find a heart beat, but eventually I do. It's faint, extremely faint. I release my hand from his bare neck and lower it to grab Dominic's phone from out of his pocket. It slides out of my hand, but I react quickly and return it to my grasp. I dial the emergency number but stop when I feel his touch against my skin, "M-Mar-" is all he could gasp out before his body gave in and his eyes shut.

The tears begin stumbling out of my eyes, flowing down my cheeks and down my neck. I feel like a part of me was dying with him. I wipe the tears off my cheek with my hand and focus back on his phone, he has a password so I turn the screen over towards him to allow his face ID to unlock the phone. Thankfully, it works and I search through his contacts, typing the letters 'M', 'A', and 'R'. Only one contact comes up, 'Marcel'. I tap on his name and the phone begins ringing.

"Dom?" A voice calls out from the other end, "Marcel?" I announce, "D-Dominic is really hurt, I need help" I say through heavy tears and shortness of breath. "Where are you?" He asks, I reply with the restaurants name and within seconds, I hear footsteps approaching me from behind as I lay next to Dominic's bloody body.

Marcel pulls out his phone and dials a number into it as he runs towards me, he presses the phone against his ear. "Help me lift him up" he instructs as he grabs hold of Dominic's arm. I grab the other arm and pull him up, Marcel puts Dominic's arm over his shoulder so I do the same.