Chapter 22
But no matter how much I scrubbed, I couldn’t seem to rid myself of the conflicting emotions twisting inside me.
Kyle had stepped in when I needed him most. He had protected me. He had carried me home.
But that didn’t mean he still cared. That meant nothing.
And I couldn’t let myself believe, even for a second, that he did.
So,I closed my eyes under the steam, trying to forget everything that had happened. Trying to forget him.
Shit, shit, shit.
My breath caught in my throat as my mind spun in circles, memories and emotions colliding. I flung my eyes open and immediately stepped out of the shower, my skin slick with water. I didn’t have time to stand there and let myself drown in my thoughts. No, there were more important things. I needed to move. I needed to clear my head.
Violet.
I hadn’t heard from her since yesterday. She wasn’t supposed to go to the hospital today. But the pit in my stomach twisted as I realized I hadn’t checked on
her.
What kind of friend was 1, letting her slip through the cracks while I got lost in my own mess?
I quickly grabbed my phone from the counter, dialing her number without thinking twice. The ringing and when she didn’t pick up, a small knot of worry tightened in my chest. I tried again, this time pressing the phone to my ear harder, like I could will her to answer.
But it wasn’t Violet’s voice that greeted me.
“Hello.”
The voice was rough and masculine. It stopped me in my tracks for a second, and I recognized it immediately.
Ryan.
I was caught off guard. I hadn’t expected him to pick up. Maybe I should have, considering he was always with Violet, but still, his voice on the other end
sent a jolt through me.
“Hi, Ryan! How are you? I need to speak with Violet,” I said.
“That’s actually why I picked up,” he replied, his voice sounding a bit distant, like he was distracted. “Her condition got worse this morning. We’re in the hospital now.”
My heart sank. It dropped straight through my stomach, like a rock. I felt a sharp pang of guilt. “Shit,” I muttered, panic threading its way into my chest. I had been so wrapped up in my own mess that I hadn’t even thought to check on her. I should have. I should’ve known she needed me.
“I’m on my way,” I said quickly, hanging up before he could say anything else. I hurriedly dressed up and rushed out of the apartment, hardly able to think straight.
Fifteen minutes later, I was standing in the sterile, cold hospital lobby, my heart hammering in my chest.
I found her room easily enough, and when I stepped inside, I saw her lying there, pale but breathing steadily. Her eyes were closed, and her chest rose and fell in slow, even intervals. Relief washed over me like a wave, and I exhaled for the first time since I’d received Ryan’s call.
She looked peaceful, despite everything. I pulled a chair next to her bed and sat down quietly, unsure of what to do, or even what to say. The feeling of guilt that had gnawed at me earlier didn’t seem to go away.
wasn’t the kind of person who let my friends down. But it happened. And now, I am here, trying to make up for my own shortcomings.
I waited for an hour–until the nurses came in to check on her and made sure she was stable. It wasn’t until late in the afternoon that I could bring myself to leave. I kissed Violet’s forehead gently, whispering a quiet promise to her that I would be back soon.
Exiting the room, I felt a bit lighter, knowing she was okay. But my nerves were still frayed. I had to get out of suffocating air of the hospital for a while. I needed space to breathe.
I walked down the hallway, making my way toward the main entrance, but just as I passed the elevators, I froze.
1/2
05 AM
Chapter 22
There, just outside the glass doors, I saw a familiar figure.
Kyle.
Oh fucking hell
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