Lukas was suddenly right there in front of me, hands on my arms, his body blocking me from the camera that was still pointed towards me.
It should have been me.
It was all my fault.
I knew that.
“Aimee —” his voice was low, concerned.
More footsteps. I felt myself sinking further into the numbness that was taking over. I felt his hand come up and brush hair back from my face. I found myself wanting more of his fingers on my skin, but also wishing he would stop. I didn’t deserve it—to have him care And have him shield me from these people.
It should have been me.
“Oh shit! The girls weren’t lying.”
“Babe, I told you! She’s right there, clearly wracked with guilt.”
“Dude, she’s not even denying it.”
I flinched, and I felt Lukas tense up in front of me. He tilted my face so that he could look in my eyes. He cursed under his breath, I was vaguely aware of him sending a text, but then he was pressing his lips to my head, apologizing for something, and standing up.
“Man, you do know that she’s the reason for the accident right?”
The other guy laughed. “Yeah, make sure whatever she’s showing you, skates aren’t involved.”
The two girls laughed like these guys were the funniest people on the planet.
“Though, she is pretty enough that maybe it would be worth it,” the first guy said.
“Might not be a terrible way to go, fuck her and then get taken out by a skate.”
“Hunter!”
“Babe, it’s all theoretical. You know I’d never cheat on you.”
“I mean, there are probably worse ways to go,” the other guy said.
“She’s probably a good fu?—”
The guy never got to finish his sentence. I’d watched through tears as Lukas whipped his arm back and punched Hunter square in the face. He staggered, tripping over his girlfriend, both collapsing to the ground. I blinked through tears that continued to drip from the corners of my eyes. Blood gushed from his nose, through his fingers as he tried to stem the flow. I pressed against the wall, curling tighter into myself.
This is why I hadn’t wanted to come on this trip.
People.
If I’d learned anything over the last year, it was that people sucked. If they could take the time to tear someone down, they would—just to feel that tiny bit better about themselves.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Too much.
It should have been me.
It was painless.
My breaths turned from barely there gasps to heaving breaths that sawed in and out in quick succession. I tried to hold my shattering pieces together, as voices started yelling.
CHAPTER 12
