“It’s me. How do you feel?”
“Fine. Wha—what happened?” I was confused as to how I ended up in the hospital for the second time in my life…
Keiran.
“Keiran, did he –”
“Oh that devilishly handsome young man in the waiting room? He saved you from the guy who attacked you. Don’t you remember?”
It all came flooding back to me at once and I found myself nodding.
Willow.
Trevor.
The locker room.
I felt sick and wished I didn’t remember at all when I thought about how his hands groped and pulled at me. I also felt guilty for assuming Keiran had done something to me. Wait. He’s here?
“Hi Lake, I’m Dr. Landing. You suffered a pretty traumatic situation. Are you feeling any pain?”
Dr. Landing, a middle aged man with salt and pepper hair, checked me over and asked me some routine questions He then informed me that police were waiting outside to ask me questions about the attack and he would send them in if I were ready.
I didn’t want to talk to anyone but I knew it was better to just get this over with. They came in and I answered their questions and repeated the confession Trevor told me before he attacked me. After they left, the doctor told me I was free to go and left. Immediately after they departed, the door to my room pushed open and in walked Keiran. I took in his appearance and instantly noticed the bloody, broken skin of his knuckles. He looked as broken as I felt.
“Hi,” he greeted in a grim tone. He watched me with hard eyes from his place by the door.
“Hi,” I whispered. We continued to gaze at each other silently.
“I sent everyone home. Willow and her mom are still waiting. I want to take you home. Will you let me?”
“I don’t think –”
“Please,” he cut me off. His plea was nothing less than surprising. Keiran was a “take all and fuck all” type of person. He did what he wanted without permission or worry. It may have been guilty eating away at him that changed his attitude…at least for the moment, so I decided to give him something he never gave me. Mercy.
I nodded my assent and we entered the waiting room together. Willow was there as Keiran said. A flurry of emotions crossed over her face when she saw me and I knew she was on the verge of breaking down. She ran up to me and embraced me with tears streaming down her face.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you.” Her small body shook with tears and I hated that she blamed herself. She was in the midst of her own emotional turmoil. She didn’t need the burden of mine as well.
“Don’t do that. No one is to blame but Trevor and his own fuckedupness. Not you and not me.” I kissed her forehead before releasing her to face her mom. “Mrs. Waters I appreciate you coming but I’m going to ride home with him if it’s okay with you.”
“Oh, um...are you sure? It’s really no problem.”
“I’m sure.” She looked like she wanted to protest further but Willow grabbed her hand to lead her out but not before glaring at Keiran in warning.
“Call me when you’re home and your aunt will be flying in tomorrow morning.” She finally departed, leaving me along with Keiran in the waiting room. He was standing directly behind me and I could feel the heat of his body radiating into me.
Not the time, Lake. I looked over my shoulder at him to find him studying me intensely. “I’m ready,” I stated.
*
Monday morning finally came and I was happy for the distraction of school. Aunt Carissa arrived Sunday morning and I’ve been under her watchful eye ever since. As far as she knows I was randomly attacked in a locker room at school. She wanted to home-school me for the rest of the year and I almost let her but I didn’t want to hide anymore.