“Hot’n’Cold? What the fuck are you talking about?”
“She was hot and then cold, like a fucking Katy Perry song. You know. And she sings like an angel.”
I hear Eli calling for Rose on the other end of the line. There’s talking, but I can’t make out any words until Eli talks again. “Wait, do you mean Soph at Warm’n’Cool?”
“Yep.” I pop out the p sound before taking another drag of a cigarette to calm my nerves.
My Isla is gone. My singing angel is evil, after all. Fuckity fuck.
“Oh shit, man. If you do mean Soph, is she okay? What the fuck happened, man?”
It sounds like Eli is worried about the vixen who stole my bike. No way, Jose. “Okay, first of all, didn’t you hear how shecrashedIsla? The last good thing in my life,” I declare in my drunken haze. “Second, we don’t talk about Soph.”
“Jax, fuck, focus. It isn’t time to joke around,” Eli shouts. There’s rustling at the other end of the line before he continues. “Rose is here. I’m putting you on speaker—tell us what’s happening.”
“Soph fainted after crashing Isla, and they’re taking her to the ER at Genesis,” I mumble as I run a hand through my hair that has seen better days. “Anyway, I think she broke her fuckin’ arm or something. Um, do you guys mind meeting me there? I feel like she needs a friend once she wakes up. You better call her family as well. Just in case. You know.”
Rose gasps and lets out a little cry. I bet Eli is holding her right now. That’s what Eli or Ollie would do if someone cried. Fuck, I need to sit down. My head is spinning. Those shots of vodka weren’t my best idea tonight. Like giving her my keys. Those damn keys. What wassheeven thinking? Nothing. That’s what.
As I’m closing my eyes while leaning against the closest surface, I realize that Eli and Rose are still talking. I can’t understand a word they are saying.
“Sorry, I zoned out. What now?”
“Jax, man, get yourself coffee or something. Then meet us at the hospital when you have your shit together,” Eli bosses me.
“Yeah, yeah,daddy. Whatever you say.”
“Get it together, man. Rose is scared for Soph, and I don’t have time for your bullshit right now. I know you’re upset, but cut the attitude before we meet you at the hospital.”
I let out a humorless chuckle. “You think I have time for this? My night went from shit to good and back to shit. At least she’s still alive. There’s always that fucking silver lining in every damn cloud.”
Eli mutters something and hangs up without another command. Like I just said, every situation has something positive.
What feels like hours later, I sit in the waiting room at the local hospital. It’s as depressing as you can expect from an ER on a holiday weekend—full of drunk people, people coughing their lungs out, babies crying, and everyone generally being fucking annoying.Fucktastic.
Sometimes I hate people. Let me correct that; Ioftenhate people, just like I hate Soph. Even though she sometimes acted cold, I thought we were getting somewhere with our talks. It was obvious that she didn’t have the best impression of me when we first started talking. But I noticed how her glances my way got longer and more heated. Then she did what she did, and now I can’t think about her without seeing red, like the blood she spilled after the accident.
Looking to my left, I see Eli and Rose in one corner of the waiting room. Rose looks like she has seen a ghost or is ready to turn into one with her paler-than-usual skin. Eli is drawing circles on her left palm like he often does if she’s upset. Next to them, Ollie is talking with Haisley. Once Rose called her and told her what had happened, she was in a taxi within five minutes. She was more than happy to tell me that when she arrived. Her long blonde hair is in a messy bun, and her bright orange jumpsuit looks like she escaped prison earlier today. But in a weird yet cool way, it matches her style and vibes.
Everyone here loves and cares about Soph, so why am I the only one with problems?
Why?That’s the question on repeat in my head until my phone beeps in my pocket, and I take it out.
King:U okay, J?
I appreciate my cousin keeping his message short and simple. It makes reading them more accessible. Using speech-to-text, I reply honestly.
Jax:I have been better. But shit happens.
King:I want to make sure you’re okay. Call me.
Jax:Shit, don’t start the dad act. I’ve survived my entire life without having one, so I don’t need you acting like one.
King:I’m calling you anyway. Don’t even think about not answering
As King promised, my phone rings. I stare at his name on my screen and wonder if I should answer or let him go to voicemail. I understand that he hasn’t done anything wrong, and putting all my hurt into him would be childish.
“I’m sorry I’m acting like a dick,” I groan, letting out my frustration. “My life, in general, is just a lot to process right now.”
