“Mmh!” Mano grunted into the pillow. “Be more gentle.”
“Sorry,” Ody said, softening his touch. “You still haven’t told me how they found you.”
“I was meeting Stella at a park.”
“The girl who threatened you?”
“Yeah. We’d planned a walk. I was going to tell her we’re done. So I waited for her.”
“And?”
“I felt a pain in my head and blacked out. When I woke up, I was at that school.”
“They hit you in the head with a bat?” he asked, horrified.
“Yeah.”
Ody’s fingers froze.
“What?” Mano turned his head as much as he could. Ody looked furious.
Mano continued. “I got worried about Stella because they clearly knew about our meeting. And guess what.”
“What?”
“Kash is her ex.”
Ody’s eyes widened.
“He had her phone. Stella told me he didn’t take their breakup well. He’s been bothering her about getting back together.”
Ody tried to process it.
“I don’t know how he found out about our meeting. Maybe he went by her place. I don’t know what he might’ve done to her.”
“Do you think he...?” Ody began, anxious, just as Mano’s phone buzzed.
“Can you get it?” Mano pointed to his right pocket.
Ody reached into his sweatpants and pulled out the phone. “The screen…” he muttered at the cracks.
“That’s the least of my worries.” Mano took the phone and Ody helped him roll onto his back.
He saw who the message was from and opened the chat. “It’s Stella.”
“What does she say?”
He tapped the audio message. Stella was sobbing. “Mano... what did they do to you? Are you okay?”
They both froze.
“He came to me and found out about the date... I’m sorry, I couldn’t do anything.” Her crying grew louder. “Please tell me you’re okay, please... I... I’m okay. He didn’t hit me much.”
At her last words, they looked at each other in shock.
“Please answer me when you hear this…” The audio ended.
Mano stared at the phone, stunned. “He... hit her?”
