My brows furrow at the distant voice. It’s feminine and familiar.
“Call 9-1-1!”
“No, don’t do that.” The words are barely audible, but I think they heard me.
“You’re bleeding and your house?—”
Vienna’s frantic, shrill voice has me sitting up. “Wait, what are you doing here?” But it’s Angel standing next to her, his phone in his hand, that has my eyes almost popping out of the sockets. “Why are you guys in my house?”
“I don’t know what he’s doing here, but you weren’t answering your phone! What the hell, Josie? You had me sick and worried and then I find you like this? Who did this? I’ll call the police and?—”
She was worried? “No, don’t. I’m okay. I did this, but I’m okay. It’s really not that bad. Wait, how did you guys get in?”
“I broke a window. It was the only way I could get inside,” Angel answers.
“You broke my window?” I feel so disoriented and anxious. “What are you doing here?”Is Daniel here?I want to ask, but I don’t. Still, he must hear the question in my head.
“It’s just me. I, uh, I came to check up on you.”
“Why?” Vienna and I simultaneously ask.
He side-eyes Vi and then looks down at me. “I know about Christmas Eve. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Isn’t that something Danny should be doing?” She stares at him quizzically and skeptically.
“We broke up,” I mumble. Saying it out loud makes everything shatter inside me again.
She gasps, staring at me with disbelief. “What? How? I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard that correctly. You guys broke up, but Josie, he looks at you like?—”
I shake my head, rubbing my eyes as they sting. “I really don’t want to talk about it. I’m sorry I worried you, and I still don’t understand what you’re doing here, but I’m fine. I just…” I’m embarrassed now. They weren’t supposed to see me like this. “Had a moment.”
“He says he’s fine too, but he’s not. So don’t lie.”
“What happened on Christmas Eve?” She’s not being pushy, but she looks and sounds concerned.
I lower my gaze, hiding my face behind my hands. I’d lie but maybe she’ll leave me alone if she hears how fucked up I am. “I was going to kill myself, but Daniel stopped me. Is that what he told you?”
“He went back every day after that until I followed him on New Year’s Eve,” he confesses.
“Josie.” Vienna sits on the ground in front of me, her face distraught. “I—” She clears her throat and blinks repeatedly as if she were trying to stop herself from crying. She sits up and hugs me.
That takes me by surprise. I don’t know what to do, so I do nothing but sit here.
“I’m fine,” I whisper but my voice breaks. “I’m fine.”
“Don’t say that. You’re not fine. You don’t have to pretend. We’re here for you.”
I feel so awkward and don’t mean to but accidentally make eye contact with Angel and see him nod. He doesn’t know me like that, so why does he even care?
“You guys don’t have to be here.” I’m pleading more than telling them. I told Daniel the same thing and he stayed and now he’s not here. I can’t afford to let myself care for anyone else.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here and I’ll be here as long as you need.”
I’m crying again. I didn’t want to, but the tears just keep coming down, and Angel is looking at me.
“I’m here too,” he says but then he walks out.
“You’re not alone. As long as I’m breathing, I’m going to have your back, Josie. You’re stuck with me for as long as we’re alive.”
