Another one for Ellie.
I tried texting her to let her know I’m thinking about her, but she never answered, so I figured she was sleeping. I know she had to work, so I left her alone, and eventually fell into a deep, dreamless sleep myself that almost had me missing my alarm this morning.
Lucky for me, I woke up with a few minutes to spare for a quick shower before I gathered up my shit and hopped into my car, making my way toward Evergreen’s offices in downtown Los Angeles. I stayed at a hotel nearby, because I wasn’t about to let the traffic fuck with this appointment. It still takes me longer than I predicted to get there, so when I’m finally pulling into the parking garage, I’ve only got a few minutes to make it up the elevator and into their offices to be on time.
“Park it for me, will you?” I ask as I climb out of my Mercedes, leaving the engine running. I throw my keys at the valet dude and he catches them with one hand, tearing off the slip I need to collect my car later. I exchange it for two twenties, pressing them into his palm.
“Thanks, man,” he says, shoving the bills in his pocket. “I’ll take good care of it for you.”
“Thanks,” I tell him as I dart into the building, running toward the elevators. By the time I’m strolling into the lobby of Evergreen, it is exactly nine o’clock on the dot.
Perfect timing.
My phone is buzzing in my pants’ pocket, but I ignore it, flashing a charming smile at the pretty woman sitting behind the counter.
“Here for my nine a.m. with Rick,” I tell her, sounding way more confident than I feel.
She glances at her computer screen before smiling up at me. “Jackson Rivers?”
“That’s me,” I say with a nod.
“Go ahead and sit down. He’ll be right with you,” she says. Her voice and her smile are flirtatious, and I wink at her in return, making her smile grow.
I mean nothing by it. She doesn’t interest me. I have a pretty girl sitting at home waiting for me, and I’m pretty sure she could be the love of my life.
I practically collapse in the chair the moment the realization hits me.
Yes. I love her. I do. And not just as a friend, though I’ve loved her like that for well over a year. I was just flat out in denial over it, over her. But here I sit, in a total daze, after staying up half the night working on a song that’s all about her. While I have the biggest opportunity of my life waiting to happen in one of those nearby offices, all I can do is think about her.
And wish I was sitting with her right now. Holding her close and telling her I love her, right before I kiss her.
Fuck. I’m such a sap. But only for her.
My phone starts buzzing again and I pull it out of my pocket to see I have a call from Hayden. I answer it, my voice low.
“Thank God you answered. Where are you?” she asks, sounding frantic.
“I’m about to go into a meeting,” I tell her, turning away from the reception desk. “Can I call you back after it’s done?”
She ignores my question. “Are you on campus right now?”
“No, I’m in L.A.” I hesitate for only a moment, my heart sinking as I hear noises in the background. The quickened sounds of her breathing. None of this feels right.
It doesn’t feel good either.
“Jackson, you need to come home. Ellie—she’s been hurt.”
“What?” I practically yell, leaping to my feet. “What do you mean?”
“She’s in the hospital. She’s okay,” Hayden rushes to say before I can interrupt her. “They kept her overnight for observation, but she’s fine.”
“Wait a minute, she was in the hospital overnight? Are you saying something happened to her yesterday? What the hell? And why the fuck didn’t someone call me sooner?” I glance over at the receptionist, who’s watching me with wide eyes. I send her a pleading look and point toward the door, letting her know where I’m going before I exit the offices completely, standing out in the corridor.
Jesus, I’m probably fucking this up with Evergreen, but I don’t really give a damn.
“It all happened so quickly,” Hayden says, and I realize she sounds exhausted. Worried out of her mind. “I got a text from her, asking me to pick her up, and I went there. To the restaurant. I brought Gracie with me, and we found Ellie in her car.”
“What do you mean? Was she in a car accident?”
“Someone—a guy—” She goes silent for a moment and fear seizes my throat. I stop breathing, waiting for her answer. “She was attacked, Jackson.”
“What? Is she okay? Did he—” I close my eyes, pressing my forehead against the wall. My knees are weak. Like, I feel as if I could collapse to the floor. My mind can barely wrap itself around the terrible things that might’ve happened to her.
I can’t even say the words out loud.
“No, no. He didn’t rape her or anything like that. He was really drunk. A pissed-off customer, I guess? That’s what her boss told me. Everything happened so fast, and it became chaotic, really quick, especially after Gracie called 9-1-1. We’ve been sitting in the hospital all night, and I didn’t even think to call you until now. I didn’t even call Tony until an hour ago,” Hayden says. “I’m so sorry.”
My mind is racing. I need to get out of here. Go home. Go to Ellie.
I turn to look through the window, spotting Rick standing next to the reception desk, watching, waiting for me with a frown on his face. I hold up a finger at him, hoping he’ll give me a minute, before I turn away.
“Is Tony with you?”
“Yes. Well, he’s coming to the hospital right now. Gracie’s still here with me too. The hospital was able to call Ellie’s parents and they’re coming to get her. It was so crazy, Jackson. Everything happening all at once,” Hayden says.
“Is she going to be okay?” My voice is hoarse and I swallow hard. I feel like I’m going to be sick.
“Yes. He broke her nose when he knocked his head into hers. That’s why they kept her overnight. She took a pretty hard hit to the head,” Hayden says.
“I’ll be right there. I’m leaving now.” I don’t even have to consider where I need to be. I’m going home to Ellie.
“She’s woken up once, but only for a few minutes. She was groggy. I think they’re keeping her sedated.” Hayden’s voice lowers. “It was so scary, Jackson. I feel so terrible, but I didn’t see her text until I got out of the shower, and that was like fifteen minutes later. I think about if I’d been any later, what would’ve happened? When we got there, I found him on top of her in the car. He was crying, saying he didn’t mean to—to kill her. She was passed out, but I didn’t know, and I became hysterical. God.”
Hayden chokes on the last word and starts to cry. I close my eyes, hating this. Hating that I’m not there.
“I’ll call you back in a few. Let me hop in my car,” I tell her, ending the call before I walk back in to speak with Rick.
“Jackson.” Rick smiles, approaching me with his hand out. “So glad you’re here. Ready to talk?”
“No,” I tell him gruffly, noting the surprise in his gaze. “I have to go. Something came up.”
Rick frowns. I’m sure he doesn’t get turned down often. “Jackson. I rearranged my entire schedule to fit you in this morning. And I don’t know if I’m going to be able to fit you in again.” He pauses. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“I do, I understand.” I tell him with a firm nod. “And I get it. Sorry to waste your time, sir, but my girlfriend is in the hospital. I gotta go.”
Before he can even say anything, I’m tearing out of his office, my mind going a million miles a second, telling me I need to leave.
I need to get to Ellie.
By the time I’m driving through the south end of Fresno—in record fucking time I might add—I receive a call from Tony.
“What’s up?” I answer, knowing he’s been with Hayden this morning at the hospital.
“They released Ellie. She’s going home with her parents,” h
e says.
“How is she?”
“She’s okay. Awake at least. Tired.”
“How bad is it? Tell me the truth. Don’t sugarcoat it,” I demand.
“Her nose is swollen and she has two black eyes,” he says.
“Fuck. I’m going to murder that guy,” I say through clenched teeth.
“He’s in jail,” Tony says. “Got arrested for public intoxication and assault. Maybe a few other charges. Not sure.”
“Where is she now? At her apartment?” I can’t even compute exactly what Tony is telling me. I don’t know how to feel about it. I don’t know what to do. My emotions are everywhere. I feel helpless. Disappointed in myself. When things got rough, I wasn’t there for her. And if I plan on having any sort of career in music, I won’t be here for her most of the time.
Which makes me feel like absolute shit.
“Her parents took her home. She’s with them,” Tony says.
I punch the steering wheel, frustration rippling through me. “I’m going up there. I’m calling her right now.”
“I don’t think she has her phone on her, but she told us she wants to see you,” Tony says.
“Where the hell is her phone?”
“It got lost in the car, I think? I have no idea. The police might have it. The car was taken in for evidence,” he says. “Or it was just towed? Not sure. It broke down on her last night in the parking lot at the Doghouse Grill. That’s how the guy caught her in the first place.”
“Fuck.” I pound the steering wheel again, so hard it hurts my hand. “I hate that fucking car. She needs a new one.”
“She can’t afford one,” he reminds me.
“I’m buying her one. Fuck this. I’m tired of it. I’ll trade in this shitty Mercedes and get Ellie something that’s dependable. I can drive whatever.” I don’t care. I was a pretentious little shit in high school, but I’m realizing that material things don’t mean shit if you don’t have the one you love sitting beside you.
“You’re going to actually buy Ellie a car?” Tony sounds amused.
“How can you laugh at a time like this, huh? Fuck, she almost died!”
“Jackson, calm down. She didn’t die. That’s the best thing about this. And you don’t realize that because you haven’t seen her yet. Yeah, she’s sore and she looks like hell, but she has a pretty good sense of humor about it.”
“A sense of humor? Some asshole attacked her,” I stress, barely able to wrap my head around those words.
“A drunk loser who’s upset because his wife left him. That’s what the police officer told Hayden when he talked to her earlier this morning,” Tony explains.
A ragged breath escapes me. I won’t be able to calm down until I see Ellie for myself and know she’s okay. I need to hear her say those words. Until then, I’m in pure freak out mode. “I’ll be at her parents’ house in an hour. Probably less.”
“You know where they live?”
I hesitate for a moment. “Uh, no.”
“I’ll text you the address. Oh, and Jackson?”
“Yeah?”
“She’ll be all right. Really. She’s a lot stronger than everyone thinks she is,” Tony says before we end the call.
His words are supposed to be reassuring, but it doesn’t work. I’m stressed the entire drive, gripping the steering wheel so tight, my fingers are fucking cramping up. I have to shake them out every few minutes, which isn’t good for my game or my guitar playing. I need to fucking relax.
But when the girl you care about more than life itself is suffering, you can’t. It’s just that simple.
By the time I make it, I’m a rattled mess. Still running on adrenaline, and ready to tear that drunk asshole completely apart. Not that he’s going to cross my path anytime soon. He better hope not, because I will fuck that guy up, and then I’ll end up being the one sitting in jail.
I knock on the door, pacing the front porch. It swings open immediately, and an older version of my girlfriend is standing on the doorstep, blinking up at me before she breaks out into a gentle smile that has me staring mutely at her.
Ellie looks just like her. It’s uncanny, the resemblance.
“You must be Jackson,” she says. “I’m Renata. Ellie’s mom.”
“Nice to meet you—” I start.
She jerks me into a hug, surprisingly strong for such a small woman. I return the hug, finding comfort in the tight grip of her arms. The way she holds me, like a mom should. Something I don’t get much of. I’m not close to my parents at all. Since I’ve been in college, I rarely see my dad, and I used to consider us close. I appreciate how welcoming Ellie’s mom is. “It’s so nice to meet you too,” she says after she releases me, looking a little flustered. “Come in, come in.”
I walk inside the house, glancing around. It’s small but clean, and I can smell a candle burning. It’s homey looking, the furniture a little worn, but I bet that couch is comfortable. I glance to my left, spotting a photo of Ellie on the wall right next to where I’m standing. She’s young, like in elementary school, her hair in two ponytails on either side of her head, and she looks absolutely adorable. I smile as I study it.
“She’s in her room,” her mother tells me, her voice soft. “I insisted she come home for the weekend, so I can take care of her.”
“How bad is it?” I ask, my voice grave. I don’t want any bullshit. I need someone to be straight with me.
“She looks—terrible.” She tries to smile, but it wavers, and she gives up. Her face appears ready to crumple at any second, and I really hope she doesn’t start to cry. I don’t do well with women and tears. They make me uncomfortable. “But my girl is strong. I’m so proud of her. She tried her best to fight that guy off.”
“I bet she did,” I murmur, never doubting Ellie’s strength for a second. “Do you mind if I go see her?”
“Oh, of course. She wants to see you. She keeps asking about you. Her room is the last door on the left,” her mother says, shooing me down the hall. “Would you like anything to drink?”
“I’ll be fine,” I reassure her as I make my way down the hall. I slow down as I approach the door, hesitating in front of it. It’s partially open, but I hear no noise coming from within the room, and I wonder if she’s sleeping.
I don’t want to disturb her.
But I’m dying to see her.
Slowly, I open the door to find her in bed lying on her back, her head propped up on a stack of pillows. Her eyes are closed, and her face…
Holy shit her face.
Tony didn’t lie and neither did her mother. She looks fucking awful. Two black eyes have caused dark purple and yellow bruising. There’s a bandage across the bridge of her swollen nose. She looks like she got into a fight and lost.
Rage fills me and I clutch my hands into fists, wishing I could hit something. Someone. It hurts me to see her hurting. My chest aches. My heart pounds. That asshole tried to hurt her, and for no real reason. He could’ve done serious damage to my girl. I’m just grateful she’s still here. Alive.
She must hear me because her eyes crack open and she studies me from where I’m standing across the room.
“Jackson. You made it.” She tries to smile, but she winces, giving up. I’m sure she’s in pain. “I look terrible.”
“Yeah,” I croak before I slowly make my way toward the bed. “But what’s the other guy look like?”
“Terrible. Even worse because he’s in jail.” She closes her eyes, lying still for a moment as I carefully settle onto the edge of the bed beside her. “I did my best to beat him up.”
“I bet.” I drift my fingers down her arm and she smiles, her lips barely turning up at the corners. “What the fuck, Ellie? Tell me what happened.”
She explains everything that occurred last night. How the guy was a drunk asshole and got kicked out of the Doghouse Grill. How he blamed her for getting escorted out, yelling at her in front of everyone. How her car wouldn’t start and then he magically appeare
d. Her car is old, and the doors don’t always automatically lock and that’s how he was able to get inside. How he jumped her and hit her.
“He hit you?” I see red. I want to tear him from limb to limb.
Ellie nods. “It was so shocking. It stunned me more than anything else. I’ve never been hit like that before.”
I can’t stop touching her, but I don’t want to hurt her either, so I keep stroking her arm, needing the connection. “Do you remember what happened next?”
“I kneed him straight in the balls,” she tells me, her voice edgy. As if she’s mad, reliving the moment. “It all happened so fast. His head snapped forward when I hit him, and he nailed me right here.” She reaches up to demonstrate, pointing at her nose and the spot between her eyebrows. “He smacked me so hard with his forehead, I passed out. That’s why they kept me for observation last night. They were worried over how hard the impact was. He gave me a concussion.”
“But you’re okay,” I say, needing to hear her say the words.
“I’m okay,” she whispers, nodding. She smiles, her eyes swollen little slits when she does. “I look terrible.”
“You’re beautiful.” She is. It doesn’t matter if she was toothless and bald, I would still think she’s stunning, because she’s mine. Because I care about her so damn much. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“I’ll get better. This is temporary.” She grabs my hand, squeezing it. “Where were you? You were so mysterious about going to Los Angeles. What happened?”
“It was nothing,” I say dismissively. “I had an appointment with Evergreen earlier this morning, but I bailed on him the moment I found out what happened to you.”
Her mouth drops open and she snaps it shut quickly. “Jackson. Don’t tell me you left without talking to him because of me.”
“Yeah. I did. I had to. None of that shit matters, El, if I don’t have you in my life. Can’t you see that?” I lean forward, dropping the softest kiss on her upturned lips. God, I don’t want to push, but I want to show her how much she means to me. “I freaked out. I didn’t know what happened to you.”
The Sophomore Page 28