Don't move. Don't breathe. Tears rush to my eyes instantly. From pain. From fear. From everything.
It hurts. God, it hurts. And not just the shoulder. My chest. My throat. I want to scream. I want to vanish.
Please leave. Please don't see me. Please.
I hear her take a breath. She hesitates. I squeeze my eyes shut. My fingers are digging into my lips so hard I think I might bleed again. She's still. For one long second. I’m waiting.
She turns. Steps back inside.
I don't move. Everything hurts.
"Clear."
Her voice slices through the air. Then I hear them again. From inside. Closer to the door.
"Sorry for the trouble. Got a tip…had to check. Protocol." Then I hear. Gio.
"Don't look at me like that," he says. "You know I've been clean. I'm a changed man, officer. Ask my mother."
He laughs. They laugh.
God, Gio. You're insane.
I'm still curled up. My shoulder is on fire. My hand is still wet. Everything inside me is buzzing. I don't breathe. Not until I hear the door close.
Car doors. Engine. And then silence. I wait.
Five seconds. Ten.
Still nothing. I shove the rug off me. It rolls forward and flops to the ground with a heavy thud. I stay still. Knees pulled in.
Arms wrapped around that fucking box like it's the only thing that matters in the world.
And it is right now. Because it's what I did. It's what I saved. Gio won’t go to jail today. I kept him here. With me.
But I still feel sick. And definitely not okay. I stare ahead. Unmoving. Like my body hasn't realized I'm safe yet.
"Rava?" His voice. "Rava?!" he calls again, louder this time. I want to answer. I can't. I'm shaking. My throat closes. I can't get air in. Fuck—
"Rava!"
The other rug lifts. I flinch. His face. His eyes. He looks like he's seen a ghost. "Rava," he breathes.
He drops to his knees beside me. "Hey, hey, hey, look at me. Baby, it's me. It's Gio. I got you. You're okay now."
He touches my face, cupping my cheek. His eyes are teary. Furious and terrified all at once. "They're gone, alright? The copsare gone. No one's gonna touch you. I swear to God, breathe. Just breathe, baby." His arms wrap around me.
My body collapses into him like I was waiting for it. I gasp. Then I sob. I cry so hard my whole body shakes. I'm choking. I can't stop it. It won't stop. He pulls me into his chest. One hand on my back. The other cradling the back of my head.
"I'm here, baby. You're safe. They're gone. I promise. I've got you."
My fingers grip his shirt.
"I'm so sorry," he whispers, over and over. His voice cracks. "I'm so fucking sorry. Rava…" He pulls back just a little. Sees my face. Sees my mouth that can't form words.
Sees my bleeding hand. "Wait what the fuck, why are you—why are you bleeding so much?!" He takes a look at the cut. I pull my hand back. I don't even know why. I'm panicking.
I can't get up. I don't want to. He kisses my forehead. My temple. My hair. "I'll be right back," he says. "Don't move. I'm not leaving. I'm just getting water. Stay here. Stay with me."
