“Can you take the helmet off?”
I didn’t realize I was still wearing it. I’m half afraid to look at the damage. I do it, though. As soon as it’s off, I examine the top and sides. It’s scratched, but there aren’t any dents.
I wince when the first swipe of the antiseptic wipe hits my knee. “I really think we need to take her in,” says Bill. He tried to take off my shoe, my favorite pair of Converses, but I winced and whimpered, so he stopped. “Her foot is too swollen to pull the shoe off without pain. I’ll need to cut it off.”
No. Not that. I finally got these broken in. They’re soft and comfy and black. My favorite color, even though it’s technically not a color. “Just take all the laces out.” That’ll open it up.
Bill mumbles something, but he does as I suggest, opening the shoe wide enough to get it off my foot.
“See?” I say, doing my best to keep the pain from showing on my face, especially when he begins to poke and prod my foot.
“You’ve either got a serious sprain or it’s broken. You’ll need an X-ray.”
“See? Told ya.” This sucks. I can’t afford an X-ray. But what else can I do?
Gage is still next to me. He must sense my hesitation about the hospital. “The driver of the SUV will have insurance. They were at fault here.”
I nod as Bill puts a brace on my foot. It hurts. Looking over at Bluebelle, I sigh. “Do you think she’s totaled?”
Gage walks over to her and lifts her off the ground. “She’s banged up, but I bet she can be repaired.”
“That’s good,” I say, but there’s not a lot of excitement behind it.
Maybe he’s right. I should just start taking the bus.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“Thanks for picking me up, Tayler.” It’s well past two in the morning by the time I’m released from the hospital with bandages on all my wounds and a big boot on my left foot. At least it’s not broken. Nope, badly sprained was the verdict. But it’s going to hurt for a while, since I sprained the side of my foot. I didn’t know you could do that, honestly.
“No problem, Quinn.” Tayler’s been quiet since she strolled into Mary Greeley’s emergency ward, though I haven’t had a chance to ask her why before now.
“What’s up?” I turn to face her as she drives down Lincoln Way.
“First. I heard about Luke. He called me and fessed up.”
“Uh-huh.”
“He’s sorry, by the way. Says you aren’t fired.”
“Did you make him not fire me?” I ask with an arched brow.
“No. He said he was an asshole and that he was proud that you stuck up for yourself.”
I did stick up for myself, didn’t I?
“Before I left, I told him I was going to tell on him… to you.” I giggle, then wince because the left side of my ribs hurt, and laughing makes that worse.
“Well, he beat you to it.” She’s not laughing. Hell, she’s not even smiling.
“So, what’s wrong?”
“Dylan.” I roll my eyes, but she can’t see me. It’s dark in the car. “He wants me back.”
“Of course he does.” My eyes roll so hard this time I bet she can hear it. “But you’re not taking him back, right?” She’s quiet. Too quiet. “Tay?”
“We were together for so long.”
“And?”
