Fiona wasn't one to back down easily.
She cast a quick glance at the crowd that had been lingering at the hospital entrance, then calmly turned and walked into Jackson's room.
“Hey, brother, let's get out of here,” she said, her voice a soothing melody. Casually, she slung a bag over her shoulder and helped Jackson sit up. “You want me to grab a wheelchair?”
“No, I’m good,” Jackson replied, placing his feet on the floor. Despite a dull ache, he was alright.
While Fiona was away for a few minutes, he had caught up on the news alerts. Clearly, this crowd wasn't planning on letting Fiona off easy.
Together, they made their way out of the hospital, only to find the mob still there, ready to pounce if not for the security guards holding them back.
The protesters held signs of all sizes, some scrawled with ugly slurs, others with Fiona's picture crossed out in red. The most extreme had even brought a mock gravestone labeled “Fiona the Harlot.”
The level of hostility towards a young girl was alarming, even to passersby. Whoever had orchestrated this chaos was downright sinister.
“Why don't you just drop dead, you witch! Flirting with every guy you see, using your looks to snag them, have you no shame?” one yelled.
“Still in high school, and this is what your parents taught you? A homewrecker!” another shouted.
“Anyone who gets mixed up with you is cursed. How did the car crash not take you out? If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to show my face. Just go and die already!”
Suddenly, someone in the mob hurled a mock gravestone at Fiona.
Instinctively, Jackson shielded her, but Fiona acted swiftly, kicking it right back. These people had no shame.
The gravestone flew back, hitting the woman who threw it, leaving a cut on her forehead.
Fiona snorted softly. Were these people for real?
It was all fine and dandy for them to attack her, but the moment she defended herself, she became their enemy?
But Fiona wasn’t about to waste time arguing with them. She turned, supporting Jackson as they headed out.
Jackson's face was a storm cloud of anger, but he kept it in check for Fiona's sake, looking like he might explode any second.
“Come on, brother, let’s go.”
No sooner had she spoken than a woman broke through the security line, grabbing Fiona's arm, trying to pull her into the crowd.
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