Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
I frowned. “What is it?”
Shay invited me to his room again, but I thought it’d be better to head home. I could go up there. We both knew what we’d do, and I could even spend the night. A part of me wanted to. It was the part that enjoyed being around Shay, the part that enjoyed his touch, but there was another part of me that didn’t want to come back to my dorm. I didn’t know why that was, and I ignored it for the night. Besides, things just started with Shay and me. Spending the night was too much, too fast. It would have been too hard to ignore the friendship budding into something more if I did that.
But now, seeing the strained lines around Missy’s mouth and the bags under her eyes, I wished I had stayed. I’d be wrapped up in bed, not feeling the pit of my stomach drop to the ground.
“I’ve been calling you. Don’t you check your phone?”
Shit. My phone had been buzzing on and off all night, but seeing they were only alerts for my social media, I turned it off. “I’m here now. What is it?”
“Your friends from second floor, one of them is in the hospital.”
“What?”
“You’re supposed to call Kristina.”
Icy panic lined my veins as I dug through my bag, turning and heading downstairs at the same time. I was rounding to their floor when the line connected to Kristina’s phone. It began ringing, and I was through the door and onto their floor. I was racing for their room. If they weren’t here, maybe there’d be a note on their door board, or maybe someone else knew.
A second ring.
I was at their door, searching. I couldn’t find anything but the normal scribblings from Casey’s friends.
The phone rang a third time.
A door opened farther down the hallway, and Sarah appeared. Her wide eyes filled with tears, and she sniffled, pressing a Kleenex to her reddened nose. “It’s Casey.”
“What happened?” I asked as Kristina answered, “Kennedy?”
“Kristina!” I exclaimed. My heart was pumping so fast. “What’s going on? Did something happen to Casey?”
She got quiet. “She drank too much. They had to pump her stomach.”
Sarah stepped closer to me, asking under her breath, “What’s she saying?”
I frowned. She didn’t know, but I asked Kristina, “Is she okay?”
“Yeah, but she wants you to come here. She said she’s going to make a statement and you’d know what it was about.”
The rape.
The entire bottom lining of my stomach opened up. It all fell out.
I could only say, “Okay.”
Kristina sounded strained. “I don’t know what’s going on, but can you get here as soon as possible?”
“Of course.” I was turning for the back door again.
“Hey.” Sarah hurried behind me, her hand stretched out. She was chewing the inside of her cheek. “Is she okay? Can we come?”
“Uh.”
I relayed the questions, and Kristina’s response was as subdued. “Casey doesn’t want to see them. That’s all she’ll say.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I know, but those are her wishes.”
“Okay. I’m leaving right now. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Text me what hospital and room number.”
I hung up, and Sarah edged even closer. Both her hands were pressed against her chest, holding on to that flimsy Kleenex. She was waiting.
I hated this. “She doesn’t want to see you, but she doesn’t have a say who sits in the hospital lobby.”
“Are you saying to come?”
“It’s up to you.”
I headed right back out to my car. The texts came through a moment later, and I knew which hospital that was and where. It took ten minutes with barely any traffic, and I didn’t have to get lost or drive around searching for the parking lot. Gage came to this same hospital and emergency room a year ago with a broken leg, so I was familiar with the layout.
I went inside, emptied my pockets for the security guard, and did the same for the nurse manning the last emergency room entrance.
Kristina was outside Casey’s room, her arms hugging herself and her head bent down. My heart ached seeing her like that. Casey was just changing to her. She didn’t know why, but she’d be hurting just as much once she found out the reason.
“Hey.”
Kristina’s head came up, and she opened her arms. I walked right into them. I ran a hand down her arm. “How are you?”
She shook her head, stepping back. “Confused. Concerned. And a whole ton of other emotions.”
I nodded to the door. “She’s awake?”
“Yeah.” She turned around. “She was at some party. Laura and Sarah didn’t recognize the guys’ names who were throwing it. I guess that’s where she stayed last night.”
“I thought she went to my brother’s.”
“Me, too, but I guess not.”
Kristina looked so torn, and I made a decision. I took her hand. “Come with me.”
“What? No. Casey doesn’t want me in there. She said only you.”