"She'll answer for this," Cam growls.
"What are you gonna do?" Bash asks him.
"I'm not sure yet. I'm gonna talk to Dekker and Brax and figure this shit out. What she did… Liv, Christ, I'm so sorry. I'm not the one who hit you, but I may as well have. I'm so damn sorry," he pleads.
I close my eyes—so confused, so hurt. I know he's sincere right now just as he was yesterday when we spoke, but is it just a fleeting vehemence, one he'll forget when I'm not there, or will these feelings stick with him, even when I'm not around?
Only time will tell.
Bash gets up. "I'm going to go grab a shower and something to eat."
I don't want him to go. I feel better when he's here—safer.
He must see my panic because he squeezes my hand again. "I'll be back soon. I promise."
I blink my agreement and he winks before he walks out of the room.
"He's been here the whole time?" Cam asks, walking around to the other side of the bed so he can see everyone in the room and doesn't have his back to my parents.
"Yeah," I answer.
"He found her, Cam," Lex reiterates. "Except for when she was in surgery, Bash and I haven't left her side."
He nods. "I wish I'd been here for you, babe."
"I know," I tell him and mean it—mostly.
He lifts my hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. "I'll do whatever it takes to find who did this to you." I stare into his eyes and see the determination, the sincerity, and the love—a love that doesn't burn as brightly as it once did. Why doesn't that bother me?
"I know," I whisper. "I know."
But I really don't. He doesn't have the time—for me.
Three days laterand a gazillion arguments with my mom later, I'm back at the dorm. Mom wanted me to go home and heal, but I need to be here to keep up with my schoolwork. Most of my professors have accommodated me as far as the coursework is concerned, but I still have to take the tests and exams, plus write the major papers that are required. There's no getting out of that.
Honestly, I'm fine. My mom was insisting on staying here since I wasn't going home. I kept reassuring her and arguing until my dad intervened. Really, what can she do to help that Lex or Bash can't help with? She didn't like that—feeling like I didn't need her and that wasn't what I meant. I gave her a hug and told her this is where I needed to be right now. I wasn't going to fall behind on my classes and let whoever did this win.
I'm lying on the couch watching TV when there's a knock on the door.
Lex goes to answer it.
"Hi," Raven Ruiz, head basketball cheerleader greets.
"Hi," Lex welcomes.
"I hope it's okay that I stopped by?" Raven questions.
"Of course. Come in," Lex invites.
"Oh, Olivia," she breathes, her hand flying to her chest, her eyes full of sympathy.
"Hi Raven," I say, hoping she'll lose that look of pity. I hate it.
"I heard what happened and wanted you to know we—the squad—came up with a different way to determine if you would make the squad or not," she tells me.
"Really? I thought for sure my chances were gone," I admit, feeling hope spark.
She nods. " We wanted to give you a fair chance."
