“Because the police let me go, man. There were witnesses.”
Bentley must have felt the tension leave Harrison, because he released him, but stayed close and ready to jump in if he was needed. “Talk,” Harrison said.
“I was supposed to meet her at the library, but…” He looked around at the ten or so other people in the waiting room who were watching us with rapt attention. “I was otherwise engaged.”
“You mean you were with another girl.” Harrison said.
Duran licked his lips, his expression going defensive before he looked at the wall of Harrison and Bentley and thought better of it. “Yeah. Anyway, Frankie came to my place and we had a fight and she punched me. She ran out and I ran after her. I was going to apologize, to try to talk to her, but she…she slipped on the stairs and she fell. She hit so hard, I thought…” He shuddered. “Is she hurt really bad?”
Harrison just glared at Duran, his hands fisted, so I stepped between them. “They won’t know anything until she wakes up, Duran. You should go.” I handed him my phone. “Give me your number and I’ll text you when we know something.”
He took my phone, put in his information and left. Bentley slapped Harrison on the back and we all returned to our seats. “Do you believe him?” Harrison asked.
“It sounds more likely than him beating her up. He never seemed like a violent or controlling guy when I saw them together.”
“And he’s right about the police not letting him go so quickly unless they had proof he didn’t hurt her,” Bentley said.
“Yeah,” Harrison said.
“And why would he admit to her catching him with another girl if he was lying to us?”
Harrison shook his head. “Frankie must have been crushed.”
“Yeah.” I felt bad for Frankie, but more than a little relieved that Duran would be out of her life for good. She deserved someone far better than him.
As the sun rose and warmed the waiting room, Bell and Worthy walked in.
“We’re up,” Worthy said. “You three go home and get an hour’s nap and go to class. And take notes for me.” I’d texted Bell about our run-in with Duran, and I assumed she’d told Worthy.
Worthy’s tone brooked no arguing, but there was no point. As much as we might like to stay, none of us could skip out on our lives. Frankie wouldn’t want that. “We’ll be back after class,” I said.
“No,” Bell said. “We’re here until dinner. You guys come about six and then Byron’s got the overnight shift, from midnight to morning.”
I nodded, forcing my eyes away from Worthy. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes, and he was staring at me, scanning me from head to toe, as though checking to make sure I was okay. I gave him a weak smile and had to take a step back to keep myself from rushing into his arms, his comfort. I had to remind myself that he’d lied to me and he’d used me. So what’s he doing here now? asked a tiny voice in the back of my head. I had no answer and I didn’t want to think about it. Frankie was what mattered, and I wouldn’t waste energy worrying about Worthy.
As I passed him, Worthy grabbed my elbow with a gentle touch. “Happy birthday,” he said.
“Thanks.” He let go and I walked on. I was touched that he’d remembered my birthday, and glad he hadn’t made a big deal about it when everyone’s focus should be on Frankie.
We continued to take shifts at the hospital for the next few days. Frankie’s parents promised us they’d call if anything changed, but we all agreed one of us should be there when Frankie woke up. We wanted her to see a friendly face, we wanted one of our own to make sure she was okay. Everyone assumed Frankie’s parents would take her home once she woke up. Even though we shared a class, Worthy somehow managed to work the schedule so that he and I were never together in that lonely, drab waiting room. He kept his distance from me, but every time I saw him in passing, he studied me and looked me over, making sure I was okay. And I couldn’t stop looking at him, couldn’t stop my gaze from sliding to his and making the same check of him.
Bell and I were together, three days after Frankie nearly died, in the hospital waiting room. Bell had her nose in her Kindle and I didn’t bother trying to talk to her. She’d slipped farther and farther into her fictional worlds the longer it took for Frankie to wake up. Bell moved through her days like a robot, only showing emotion in reaction to what she was reading on her screen. I had my biology text book on my lap and had read the same line seven times, trying to get it to sink in.
“Remington? Liza Bell?” We looked up to see Frankie’s mother standing over us, her hands clasped in front of her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. My heart froze in my chest. “Girls, Frankie’s awake and she’s asking for you.”
My breath came in a loud gush and I leapt to my feet. My textbook hit the floor with a crash that made me jump and remember where I was. I picked up my book and turned to see Bell hovering over her phone. She looked up. “I just texted them. Let’s go.”
We gathered our things and followed Frankie’s mother.
Frankie smiled when we walked in. She looked pale and there were dark circles under her eyes and a bandage on her head. Tears started down her cheeks when she saw us and I wanted, more than anything I’d ever wanted, to find Duran and make him pay for how he’d hurt my best friend, even if he hadn’t meant to do it.
“I’m so sorry,” Frankie said, her voice raspy.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” Bell said. I had to bite my lower lip not to cry.
Frankie frowned. “I know I scared you both. My parents said you’ve been living here, waiting for me to wake up. I’m sorry I put you through all of that.”
“We’re just so glad you’re okay,” I said. “We would do anything for you.”
She nodded, her eyes drooping just a bit, and I could tell she was tired. “I’m so lucky to have you both as my friends.”
“We’re lucky to have you, sugar,” Bell said.
“I think my parents want to take me home for a little while,” Frankie said. “We have to work things out with the school, but I’ll be back next semester, so don’t let anyone take my spot in our room.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said. “I’ll text you every day and tell you what everyone’s doing.”
Frankie nodded and more tears welled. “I’m so sorry. It’s so stupid. I was pissed at Duran and I wasn’t looking where I was going and I just fell. I fell really hard. It’s pretty embarrassing.”
I gave her a weak smile. “No one will tease you about it, I promise.”
“Has Duran been here?” she asked.
“He stopped by,” I said. “I’ll text him and let him know you’re okay.”
Her smile slipped and her expression darkened. “Don’t hurry. He deserves to suffer a little while longer. I really liked him.” She looked over our shoulders. “I had sex with him, because he told me he loved me and then he…”
“You’re way too good for him, sugar,” Bell said. “And Remy won’t text him for another day at least, right, Remy?”
“Right,” I said. “Let him hurt for a while.”
Frankie’s eyes clouded and she frowned. “Do you really think he’s hurting? Oh, that was so mean of me. Just text him, Remy. I don’t want him to worry.”
Bell bent and kissed her forehead. “We know you don’t, sugar. You aren’t a bad person for wanting him to hurt a little. Maybe it will teach him to be more respectful of the girls he’s with.”
Bell stood and I took her place, squeezing Frankie’s good hand and kissing her cheek. “We’re so glad you’re well.”
“I broke my hand when I punched him,” she said. “I don’t even think it hurt him. I couldn’t even do that right.”
“I’m an expert at throwing punches,” I said. “I’ll teach you next semester.”
“Okay,” she said. “I want…” She looked at both of us and hesitated, her eyes drooping a bit. “Maybe you girls can teach me to be as strong as you are.” Then her e
yes drifted shut and she fell asleep.
I squeezed Frankie’s hand again and kissed her. “I was wrong,” I said in a low voice. “You aren’t my best friend, you’re my sister, my family. Take care of yourself and come back to school after the break.”
I stepped aside and Bell said her goodbye to Frankie’s sleeping form.
“What happened to Harrison?” I asked as Bell and I left the hospital. Byron and Bentley had been in the waiting room when we got there and were going to hang out and speak to Frankie when she woke, but Harrison hadn’t been there.
Bell handed me her phone and I looked at a text from Harrison that said, I’m the last person she needs right now, but I’m glad she’s awake.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Hell if I know,” Bell said.
I dialed him on my cell while we waited for the bus. “Hey? Is she okay?” Harrison asked, sounding like he’d just woken up.
“Yes, she looks really good, which you would have known if you’d come to see her.”
“Not a good idea,” he said, his tone curt.
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You’re obviously crazy—”
“Come back here, baby, and finish what you started.” The girl must have been right next to Harrison, because I could hear her like she was talking to me. She giggled and Harrison moaned.
“Eww,” I said. “Harrison do not make those kind of sounds in my ear.”
He chuckled, but the sound carried no mirth. “Then don’t call me while I’m in bed with a chick.”
“How about you don’t answer your phone when you’re in bed with a girl,” I said, not sure why I was so annoyed.
“Deal. Gotta go.”
I pulled the phone from my ear and stared at it. “He hung up on me. He was in bed with some girl and he hung up on me.”
Bell shook her head. “He’s more hard-headed than I thought.”
Before I could answer, Worthy pulled up.
“Sweet,” Bell said, doing a little shimmy. “No bus for us.”
She climbed into the back and I considered getting back there with her, but decided it would be too rude after all the nice things Worthy had done for me and Frankie and Bell. I slid into the passenger seat and the grin he gave me made my heart flip.
“So, she looked good?” he asked as he pulled into traffic.
We told him all about Frankie and, when he pulled up to the dorm, I was feeling a bit giddy from lack of sleep and relief. I started to thank Worthy and hop out of the car, but he stopped me with a word.
“Remy.”
I turned and found all the humor gone from his face. Bell hopped out and headed inside without a glance back. I silently cursed her. I sat and waited.
“Any chance we can start over?” he asked.
I should have known he’d ask, but I truly hadn’t thought much about him and me while Frankie had been in a coma. I’d been focused on my friend and he’d kept his distance enough for me to pretend that distance was our new normal. “No,” I said. “I can’t just forget what you did or who we are. I’m still not sure I believe you aren’t planning to go after my uncle.” I could no longer believe he had any intention of hurting me, not after the past three days, but I also couldn’t believe we could ever go back. “And I can’t trust you, Worthy. I’d always wonder if you had an ulterior motive for everything you did.”
His eyes widened. “What? No, Remy. If I wanted to go after your uncle, I’d go to the police. And I won’t do that, because it would hurt you. If anything, I feel like I need to make up for what my father did to you. It was because of him that you had nightmares all those years, that you were stuck at home with Leon for twelve years.”
“So everything you did these past few days was just to make up for what your father did?” I asked.
“No—”
“Because you don’t owe me anything. Your father’s sins aren’t yours. If anything, he did me a favor. I was better off being raised by Leon than I would have been with my own father. You’re absolved, you can go on with your life.” I was so tired and worn out, I just wanted to be alone and sleep for about ten hours. I didn’t want to see the hurt on Worthy’s face or understand that he might be sincere, because that would mean I’d have to open myself up to him, to risk my heart to him again, and I just didn’t think I could do that.
“I just want you back. I want things to be like they used to be, when we were together.”
I couldn’t help the snort that escaped my lips. “None of what we had was real.”
I got out and slammed the door before he could say another word.
My room felt empty without Frankie in it. Soon, her parents would show up and pack up her things and the other side of the room would be bare and lonely. There were a couple of packages waiting for me, gifts from Uncle Leon and my cousins. I pushed them aside to open later. Byron had sent a text on my birthday, promising to take me out for drinks once we knew Frankie was okay, but I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate anything. I stripped out of my clothes and curled up in bed, planning to sleep until I had to be at work the next morning.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I was still yawning two days later, when Bentley knocked on my door. I opened it and couldn’t help but return his broad smile. “I think you should give Worthy another chance,” Bentley said.
“I really don’t think…Wait, what?” I’d been prepared for Bentley to ask me out again, I hadn’t expected him to defend Worthy.
“Can I come in?” He pushed past me without waiting for an answer and sat on Frankie’s bare bed. Her parents had asked me to pack up her stuff and I had it by the door. I’d been to see Frankie every day since she’d woken up and was planning to go see her again in about fifteen minutes.
“Um, sure,” I said. “Make yourself at home.”
Bentley smiled and gave a little bounce on the bed. “I met Worthy during my freshman year,” he said. “We pledged together and he…he’s always been focused, you know. He takes school very seriously and he’s not a big drinker or partier, so he didn’t really fit in with the other guys pledging the house. I figured he’d never make it in, that he’d decide the whole thing was ridiculous, but he stuck with it. He just did everything he was asked without complaint, but at the parties he didn’t drink or get rowdy, he took care of the ones who did. He saved me.”
“Bentley I really don’t think—” I didn’t want to hear what a good guy Worthy was, because I knew I was right to be angry at him and I knew it would be a mistake for me to trust him again. I missed him and that hurt, but I couldn’t give in and risk getting hurt worse.
But Bentley was oblivious to my discomfort. “No, he really did save my life. Last year, I was wasted and the guys were having this crazy dart tournament. I was so drunk I didn’t even know my own name and I walked right into the path of an incoming dart. Worthy appeared out of nowhere and knocked me to the ground before I could be hit.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that, though Bentley’s face was totally serious. “Bentley, I really don’t think--”
“The year before that, he helped me study every night for two weeks for my Chemistry exam. I never would have passed without him.”
“What’s your point with all of this?”
He rolled his eyes. “I thought you were quicker on the uptake. My point is that Worthy isn’t just a good guy, he’s the best I know. He’s loyal and he takes care of his friends.”
“He was loyal to you,” I said. “And I’m happy you have a good friend like Worthy. It doesn’t mean I should keep dating him.”
He looked at the floor and cracked his knuckles. “He doesn’t date much, Remy, but sophomore year, he dated a really hot girl.” Bentley caught my eye and winced. “Not anywhere near as hot as you of course, but definitely cute with…” he gestured to show me the girl had large breasts.
It shouldn’t have bothered me, I was done with Worthy, but the idea of him with another girl twisted something in my chest
. It didn’t feel good. “I don’t really want to—”
“I think they might have gotten serious, if I hadn’t slept with her.”
“You slept with her?” All my feelings of discomfort suddenly found a new home in my anger at Bentley. “After everything he did for you? You slept with his girlfriend?”
“For the record,” he said. “It happened before he tutored me in chemistry or saved my life. And she came on to me.” He hung his head. “It was still a shitty thing to do and I will always regret it, but Worthy forgave me. He beat me up and then he forgave me. He’s a good guy, Remy, and, whatever he’s done, you should forgive him.”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t know what he’s done.”
“Is it worse than sleeping with the girl you’re dating?” He asked, eyes wide.
He was such a goof ball, I couldn’t help laughing at him. “I’ll take what you said under advisement, but I’m leaving to go see Frankie in ten minutes, so you should probably go.”
Bentley smiled and left. I sent Worthy a text.
Me: Really? Did you actually think that would work?
He texted back almost immediately.
Worthy: It didn’t?
Me: So you admit it? You put Bentley up to this?
Worthy: It would probably be more effective if I didn’t admit anything, but I’ve promised never to lie to you again, not even by omission.
I closed my phone and pulled on my shoes and coat and gloves to go see Frankie. I tried to pretend the smile on my face wasn’t for Worthy.
***
“They’re going to release me tomorrow,” Frankie said. “And my parents are taking me straight home.”
She looked good, her cheeks had some color to them again and she was smiling. Pain still lurked in her eyes, but I thought there was good hope for her to recover from both the head injury and from Duran’s idiocy.
“That’s great,” I said. “I’ll miss you so much, but I’m sure you want to be home with your parents so they can take care of you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m already bored just thinking about it. Tell me something interesting. What’s going on with you and Worthy?”
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