The Fight

ISABELLA

I WAS not with myself; even the paramedics came and took the lifeless Gianna to the ambulance. I was with her in the ambulance. Aria was with me as well. I held Gianna's hand, and Aria was patting my back slightly. The liquid coming from my eyes was not stopping.

The paramedic had given Gianna the first aid the first time they got there, and when they said that Gianna was still alive, I was relieved. But she is still unconscious, so my anxiety grows again.

"Gia, please fight. You can do it. You are stronger than me, remember? S-so p-please," I felt that my words were choking me. I couldn't finish my words and started crying again.

"She'll be okay. Gianna will be okay," Aria said. Not a single tear will be seen in her eyes, but I know she's worried sick about Gianna, too. "Right? She's okay, r-right?" Aria clears her throat.

I held her hand while my other hand was holding Gianna's.

"She is fine for now. There were no major concussions aside from the one she got on her head," said the lady paramedic. "However, we can only do first aid. She still needs to be thoroughly checked," she added.

We just nodded. I was silently praying for Gianna's safety when I remembered our parents. They don't know what happened to Gianna yet.

I was about to call Mom when we heard Gianna moan.

"Luna," I immediately called her name and held her hand.

Aria came near, and the same as me, she was waiting for Gianna's answer.

Before we could answer her, we arrived at the hospital. Luckily, there was a nearby hospital at school.

The paramedics immediately and carefully lowered the stretcher from the vehicle. They immediately put her on the waiting gurney and doctors and moved her inside the hospital.

"What do we have here?" I heard the doctor ask the paramedic while we were running with Gianna, heading to the emergency room on the gurney.

I heard the lady paramedic telling her medical condition Gianna and what she did so far to ease Gianna's pain. But I was not concentrating on them because Gianna was conscious, and I heard her calling my name.

"Belle...Belle..." she said weakly. My eyes are damped again with tears.

"I am here, Luna. I am here. We are at the hospital now. Y-you'll be fine. B-be strong," I manage to say. I was holding her in one hand.

Gianna was mumbling something, but I could not hear it because they took her to the emergency room. I was left with Aria outside, and since my knees were too weak to stand, I sat on the waiting seat nearby. Aria did the same.

"I will call Uncle Gary..." I heard Aria say, but I was zoning out.

All I keep thinking is about Gianna and her condition. I was staring blankly at the floor. Aria did what she said when I did not react, as I could hear her talking to someone on the other line.

I keep thinking as well if who did this to Gianna? I understand that she has been bullied a lot but not to the extent that they will hurt my step-sister physically. However, if I think of it, I don't know any bullies of Gianna other than The Bewitcher. But it's impossible; the girls are okay now with Gianna. Except for... No! It's wrong to judge someone without concrete evidence.

I was unknowingly clenching my fist. I promise myself that I will get to the bottom of this and make sure that the culprit will pay for the consequences of their action.

"Uncle Gary and your mom will be here soon," Aria said. I looked at her and saw that she was looking up at the ceiling while her back was leaning straight on the chair.

"How did you know? Did L-Gianna tell you?" I asked her when I absorbed the words that she said.

"I am Gianna's best friend, Isa. I think you have forgotten," she said, still in the same position. "I know when she was lying, and I practically know everything about her. Even if she doesn't tell me everything, I know. I always know."

So, she actually knew. All this time, Aria pretended she had no idea of the actual relationship between Gianna and me. I did not see that coming.

"How long have you known?" I asked.

"Ever since Uncle Gary married your mom," she revealed. "My Dad slipped one time while we were video calling. He said Uncle Gary got remarried. I asked her more about it, and she said it was supposed to be a secret. But Dad was shocked that I did not know about it because he thought Gianna had told me about me. I was already in South Korea by that time, by the way. So, I attempted to ask Gianna about it, but we got lost in touch, and Gianna was becoming busy. I was really intrigued by why Gianna wouldn't tell me those important things. So, I decided to make an investigation on my own with the help of my father's connection."

"Investigation? Or more like stalking?" I couldn't help but say that.

"I am not stalking, Isa," Aria defended herself.

"Are you obsessed with Gianna?" There, I said it. I felt like this is the correct term for what Aria is actually doing.

"I am not obsessed with her." Aria calmly said. It pissed me off that she's so composed even when we are in this situation. She's still even-minded even if I am interrogating her. "Gianna is like a sister to me. I treat her as a family because she has always been on my side and supported me even though I am not that good enough. I am not smart and talented like my sister. Though my family loves me so much and doesn't mind my shortcomings, people are cruel and compare me with my sister. Every time I hear other people talking and comparing me with my sister, it hurts me. The worst part is I even hear those comparisons from my relatives. I was beginning to hate my sister because of that. But when I met Gianna, she taught me how precious it is to have a complete family. To appreciate that I have a sister because she does not have one. She envied me so much because I have a sibling. With that, we promised each other that even when we are not blood-related, we will treat each other as sisters, and we will take care of each other no matter what."

Ah, so that's what happened. I was envious, too. I was envious of Aria and Gianna's closeness.

"Gianna's more than a friend to me, Isa. She's like my twin sister. I love her with my dear life. So I wanted to know what was going on with her but not force her to tell me. I swore to protect her as much as I could because she was too clumsy, and people were quick to judge, especially when her mom died. I believe you know how much she suffered from her bullies when her mom died, right?" I nodded as a response. I am not sure if she saw that. "Then I was not there to protect her. I couldn't do anything because I was away from her at that time. Gianna was hurt in pain, but every time we talked over the phone or video chat, she was always happy and just told me the good news. Little did she know, I always knew if she was just acting or lying. She's a bad liar, do you agree?"

"Yeah..."

"So, I asked Willow to look out for Gianna while I am gone," Aria continued. So, that is why Willow was always appearing on the scene every time The Bewitcher was bullying Gianna. It makes sense now. "Then I learned that Uncle Gary got married, and Gianna has an instant sister. I don't know if she forgot to tell me this, but I am unsure. Anyway, I was happy that she came to have a sister but a little bit jealous at the same time. I was relieved that there was someone who would fight along with Gianna. However..." I could sense now that Aria was looking at me. "I thought Gianna had found someone she can rely on except for me… But I was wrong..."

I can't look back at her. I can't face her judging eyes because that scares me.

Before continuing our conversation, which is a bad idea, Uncle Gary and mom came rushing in. It was good timing because the doctor came out from the emergency room and updated us on her condition of Gianna.

We were all relieved when the doctor said that Gianna was fine; she was okay. I began to sob for some reason, and mom was comforting me. That was tears of joy.

Gianna was transferred to the private room. She was sleeping because of the sedatives. And a little while later, Scarlett and Madison came. They were so late, but I did not have time to ask them what took them so long. I was afraid to face Aria too. The police came there too to get our statements about the incident.

I have never seen Uncle Gary angry before, but he was totally exasperated now. Good to know that mom was there to calm him down. I totally understand where Uncle Gary is coming from. If I were in his shoes, I would feel the same way. I might have done worse, actually.

After getting our statement from the police, they said that they would do an open investigation. We stayed at the hospital and were waiting for Gianna to wake up. But the visiting hours were over, and only one person was allowed to stay.

So we did not choose but to leave Gianna with her Dad. Uncle Gary promised to contact us once Gianna woke up.