Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
“Lyles,” Marissa whispered, running her hand over my head. “We need to figure out a way to tell the police. Even if it’s over the phone when we’re someplace safe, he can’t keep doing this.”
I nodded. “I’ll call when I’m untraceable, and he won’t go after me.”
“Rest,” Prescott said. “I’ll be back later.”
“Are you going to see him?” I asked. Fuck, it hurt to ask.
“Yeah.”
“Can you do something for me? Can you try to get black roses?”
“Sure. I’m not sure anyone sells goth roses, but I can try.”
That made me smile a bit, but the smile quickly turned into a full-on sob.
“I need to write something for him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Marissa said.
“If you want to disappear, I’m sure I can make it happen, but I don’t think writing him something will help matters,” Pres said.
“I need to. I need to do this.”
“Okay. I’ll be back before I go visit him then.” He walked to the door.
“Pres.”
He stopped and turned around, waiting.
“I love you.” I started sobbing again. “You’re the best support system I could ever ask for.”
He walked back. The three of us hugged. When we pulled back, all of us were wiping our faces.
“I’ll be back,” he said and walked out.
“You’re going to be okay, honey.” Marissa sat on the bed. She said that but cried each time she looked at my face. She wiped her face. “We need to take pictures. We need to have some kind of proof that he did this.”
“I agree.”
I let her take pictures. I couldn’t recognize myself in them. My thoughts returned to Lachlan. The same questions continued to run through my head — what did he do to him? What does his face look like? My mouth quivered whenever I pictured him lying on a hospital bed because of me. My light was gone. I promised myself that as soon as I was far enough, I’d call the police. I just hoped they’d listen to me.
CHAPTER 21
LACHLAN
I woke up in a hospital bed surrounded by people. What the fuck? I tried to move and my head felt like it might explode, so I immediately stopped. Did something happen during the game? I tried to think about it, but my mind was blank. I remembered getting to the arena and calling Lyla. I remembered sending her a text telling her to let me know when she arrived. Then, I got out, and then. . .nothing.
“Can’t they look at the camera feed?” Coach Jameson demanded. “There are cameras everywhere.”
“That’s true. And people were still getting there,” Coach Rob added. “A student from Ellis found him and called 911.”
“We’re trying to get the camera feeds,” someone else said.
“What’s happening?” I asked, my voice a croak. How long had I been lying here?
“You need to come back and ask your questions later,” my mom said. “He needs to rest.”
A man, Officer Hughes, I realized, sighed. “Just one question. Do you remember anything?”
“Nothing at all.” I frowned at my own words.
They all said goodbye to me as they left the room, and then it was only Mom and Liam. Both had worried looks on their faces that made my heart drop. I moved my arms and legs to make sure they were working. They were. Why were they so worried? I was fine. I’d be fine. . .right?
“How long have I been out?”
“Three days,” Liam said.
“Three days?” I tried to move up but instantly regretted it again. Mom launched forward to help me lie back down.
“You need to rest, Lach.” She fluffed my pillow.
“Where’s Lyla?” I asked, and followed the question with, “Did we win?”
He blinked. “You’re not serious.”
“Did we or not?”
“You’re in the fucking hospital, and you’re worried about the stupid game?” Liam spat. “You won by default. The game wasn’t played,” Mom replied.
“Because of this?” I asked. When Mom nodded, I shut my eyes and thought about my teammates.
Most of them weren’t going pro, either because they weren’t good enough or didn’t want to. They’d been looking forward to that game, since it was their last. I tried to comfort myself with the reminder that we’d won both previous games, but it wasn’t enough. Guilt still took hold of me. I shut my eyes and felt myself dozing off. Thoughts of Lyla infiltrated my mind, my dreams. When my eyes snapped open again, I expected her to be there. She wasn’t. My mom was still there, but Liam was gone.
“I’m going to go get coffee,” Mom said, kissing my forehead. “Liam went to get food. He’ll be back before me.”
She was walking out, as Prescott walked inside.
“Hey, man,” he said. “How are you feeling?”
“Like shit. I heard you didn’t play the last game.”
“Who cares?” Pres frowned. “They gave us the option, and not one person on the team said yes. Same with Ellis. When they heard what happened, they chose to end the series. We were up anyway.”