“What?” Shock takes hold of me.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know any more than that.” He shrugs like it’s all the same to him. Then nods his head to a figure standing outside the car. “Victor here is a good guy. He’s going to drive you to the hospital. Your roommate, Helena, is already on her way. I’ll call Toby and ask him to meet you there. See you around, Olivia.” My full name on his lips burns, and I swallow the pain into my soul, adding it to the rest. Isaac stands before I have a chance to do or say anything more and slams the car door, walking away.
“Hi, I’m Victor, I’m just going to drive you to the hospital, okay?” a tall, tanned, and tattooed man says sliding into the driver’s seat. I don’t answer him, I can’t. Uncontrolled tears once again roll down my face. Watching out the window as the car turns around, I spot Shelly, Isaac’s supposed girlfriend. The same one he swore he wasn’t really dating. She seems to be having heated words with him, her arms flail about, and she points her finger toward him, then me. Fuck, maybe he has been with her this whole time, and she’s found out what happened between him and me.
He glances over at me and notices I’m staring. Isaac winks and salutes a goodbye, then suddenly he pulls Shelly into his arms and kisses her hard.
“Bastard!” The word rips free from my mouth in feral scream before a sob erupts from the very bottom of my now shattered heart.
I turn around.
I face forward.
I decide never to look back.
Never again.
LIV
The funny thing about time is we never really have enough. Yet, when we’re waiting for something, it suddenly starts to drag. Time itself has not changed. Time is its own master, and we’re merely a participant along for the journey.
While I watch another sunset from my bedroom window, I realise that a fourth day has passed without any contact from Isaac, and suddenly I hate time. I want to blame it for all the pain, confusion, and grief I feel.
“So, that’s it?” Helena asks sharply, bringing me out of my trance-like state.
I don’t bother turning to look at her as I answer. “I’m not sure what you want me to say, Hel. He made his feelings pretty clear. I’ve texted him. Told him I want to talk, sort things out. He hasn’t responded. He’s done.”
“For fuck’s sake, Liv, he came for you, he saved you,” she snaps.
“He chopped a man’s head off like it meant nothing,” I reply. There’s no fire behind my words as I can’t summon up any sympathy for the dead man, for any of them.
“That man he killed was going to rape you!” she shouts.
I twist around in my chair and launch myself up out of it, every part of me is on edge. “Don’t fucking tell me what I already know! He left me,” I say jabbing my thumb on my chest. “I was in a situation I’d never even been close to dealing with before.”
I start pacing, throwing my thoughts at her. “Maybe I reacted badly, yes I flinched, but you know what? I was bloody scared, okay? I couldn’t fucking help it. Isaac gave me no slack, none,” I shout, slicing my hand through the air. “He decided what was best. Him. He decided. Not me. So don’t for even one second act like I’m the one who caused this.” The fight leaves me as her face softens, and I sink to the floor and sob.
“Shhh,” she coos, sitting next to me and curling her arms around my shoulders. “I’m sorry. I just… I don’t want you to give up on him.”
“He gave up on me first, Hel,” I reply, gathering myself once again.
“Not true, baby girl.” She strokes my hair. “I think, deep down, you know that, too.”
“Maybe,” I concede. “But I have no fight left. None.”
“Okay, let’s face your uncle’s funeral, and then we’ll take a holiday, go away somewhere and recoup,” she offers.
“I’m going alone.”
“What? On holiday?” she questions pulling away from me and frowning.
“No. To the funeral.”
“Why?” she whispers.
“Because I need to do this. My family doesn’t know what happened. I’m just thankful my face never looked too bad, and although my ribs are bruised, they aren’t broken. There’s nothing visible.”
“I know all that. It still doesn’t explain why you’re not taking me.”
“Your face won’t pass, Hel. I don’t want the questions. Uncle Saul knows what happened, and so does Toby. The rest don’t have a clue, and they never need to know.” I pull my hand through my hair. “Anyway, I need to just be normal for the day, to be allowed to grieve my uncle. I don’t want a barrage of questions about your bruised face.”
She sighs as her shoulders drop. “I get it, I do. But if you need me, you call, and I’ll be there straight away.”
“Thanks. You’re a great friend.”
“The best,” she informs me with a smile.
“The best,” I repeat.
“What are you going to do about Isaac?”
Although the tears have stopped, my face is still wet, so I wipe it with the back of my hand. “I’m not sure. I think I’ll probably try to act normal around him, you know? I don’t need the questions.”
“Hmmm…” is all she responds with.
“Look. Let’s not talk about this right now. What’s going on with you and Noah?”
Helena can’t stop the smile from forming. “He called last night. We were supposed to be going for dinner, remember?” I nod. “Well, he officially asked me out on a date.”
“What
