I furrow my brow. “Who?”
I started PT five days ago, but I’m trying to whip myself back into mental shape, too—which involves erasing any lingering attachment to Lewis Conley whatsoever. April is just around the corner—in three months’ time, he’ll be leaving SHU, and everything will be normal again. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. Whatever happens, I can’t cave now.
“I get it.” She looks at me knowingly. “You’re training yourself not to give a crap. Am I right?”
“You are—and I think it’s working.” I brighten. “I already feel a little less mad at him.”
I’m so full of shit.It isn’t working—not even a little bit. There’s a cloud of pure rage hanging over me, bursting with unanswered questions. I can’t stop thinking about him.
“Well, he’s really trying to make things right. Maybe that’s helping,” Raven says.
The way he was back there at the hospital felt different.Differenthow, I can’t exactly say, though—and I don’t have it in me to find out.
I roll my eyes. “Remind me why you’re on his side, again?”
I ended up telling Raven everything, expecting her to curse his ass and back me up without hesitation, but she didn’t seem in the least bit surprised, and she’s been consistently playing devil’s advocate. Which is annoying.
“There are no sides here, Amy. Just two stubborn-ass people. He cares about you, and you can try feeding me all the bullshit you want… Iknowyou still care about him.”
“You’re a Hitman, Raven—how can you be that naive?”
“How canyoube that cold? You didn’t even give him a chance to explain!”
“Explain what!” I yell. “This is surreal. Where’s your ‘I’m gonna break his balls’ talk now? Why’s it different with him?” I narrow my eyes at her. “He’s really got you hooked, hasn’t he? Not that I’m judging—he did the same to me.”
“Aren’t you curious to hear what he had to say at the hospital?”
“No.”
“He was going around telling everyone he was your boyfriend,” Raven presses. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“He said that because he was feeling guilty. Where’s he been since then?” I smile at her triumphantly. “Nowhere to be seen!”
She goes to say something and changes her mind in a split second.
“I give up,” she sighs, whipping the comforter off me. “Time to get ready for PT. Your driver is on his way.”
“I just want a normal life,” I grumble as I ease myself out of bed.
I point at a shoe on the floor and watch as Raven laces me in.
You wanna dote on me? I’m gonna drive you hard, lady!
“I think your life is pretty awesome.”
Oh, sure—a real fucking fairy tale!
As if things weren’t bad enough, the Campus Drivers have started stalking me whenever I leave the house, and it’s knocking myconfidence. Every time I need to go somewhere, there’s a driver waiting for me. At the garage. At the PT office. Everywhere I turn.
The whole situation is just weird. I’m not their friend; I’m not a client and I’m not a Campus Driver; but I’m getting free lifts left, right, and center, and all I can think is that they’re trying to ease their friend’s guilty conscience. Today’s a case in point.
The moment I step foot out of the shop, Donovan’s Plymouth is ready and waiting.
“Hey, Firebird!” He grins. “Looking better than yesterday!”
He goes to reach for my arm but thinks better of it when he meets my eye.
“You think a broken leg is gonna get in my way?” I arch an eyebrow at him. “Take a step back, sir!”
