If I could shower in the sink I would but that will have to wait until I get to Gerald’s.
When I come back into the room, Janessa and one of the nurses are facing off against one another. They turn to me and I stop.
“Allie. I was trying to explain to your—” the nurse begins.
“She is a minor and the decision has been made. We’re leaving.”
I bow my head. I don’t have it in me to argue with anyone. Let them figure it out.
I slip my feet into my shoes and hear the distinct buzz of a cell phone as Janessa uses hertake no prisonerstone with the nurse.
I don’t bother listening to their conversation. I know how this will go and I’m already resigned to my fate.
I locate my phone on the bedside table, grateful it was recovered at the scene, and unlocked the screen.
Four missed messages.
Roman: Where are you? What the hell, Allie?
Roman: You said you’d be here.
Roman: After everything that’s happened will you at least let me know if you’re okay?
Roman: Tracked down Kasey. She said you bailed for some phone call. Where are you?
I glance at the time.It’s just after ten. The game would have ended almost an hour ago. He would have come out of the locker rooms, expecting to find me waiting for him, but I wasn’t there. How long had he waited for me?
My fingers shake over the keyboard. What do I say? I can’t tell him where I am. What happened. I can’t tell anyone. But I don’t want to lie to him, either.
Another text flashes across my screen.
Emilio: Way to fucking support our boy.
Thenanother
Roman: You know what, whatever. You do you.
A fresh waveof tears cascades down my cheeks.I can’t stop them. I swipe them away but they just keep coming.
Janessa calls my name and I turn to her, shoving my phone into the pocket of the pants she brought for me, then I follow her to the door. On my way out, the nurse hands me a small pill and a glass of water. I don’t ask what it’s for. I know.
I place the pill in my mouth and take a drink, swallowing it down before handing the cup back to the nurse who nods like I’ve done something good, but she’s still not happy.
Janessa watches the exchange with a tight-lipped frown but she doesn’t say anything.
A pair of police officers and a man that must be their boss meet us halfway down the hallway. I don’t recognize the officers but the man with them, he’s the one who found me. I remember that. He’s wearing a uniform like the others. It’s similar to the boys in blue but there are more pins on it. More stars on the shoulders. He has an air of authority the other two don’t have.
I want to thank him. He helped me. But I can’t make the words form. All I can do is stare at his hands. They’re rough and tan and—
I take several steps back.
Janessa turns her head to look at me but all I can see are his hands.
They’re not the same, Allie. They’re not the same.
I know that. My mind knows that. But my heart is racing out of my chest because they’re not the same but they’re similar and I can’t stop looking at them. He takes a step in my direction and my muscles lock up.
My head snaps back to look him in the face and he freezes.
