“Honey, I suggest you go to the waiting room and when the doctor comes out, you tell them exactly who you are.” She gives me a knowing look. “They can tell you more.”
“Come on,” Rebecca says under her breath, pulling my arm. “Thank you,” she tells the lady.
The lady gives me a sympathetic smile as I’m pulled away.
Rebecca drags me into the elevator as I feel the panic building inside my chest.
No. No. Not again. I can’t.
“Breathe,” she demands, pushing me to the floor before shoving my head down between my legs.
“Surgery isn’t good, Becca,” I whimper, tears filling my eyes.
“Stop thinking the worst. He needs all the positive thoughts and prayers he can get,” she chastises.
The doors open and she basically drags me out of the elevator and toward the waiting room. She drops my hand, making me look up as she rushes toward Jack. He sits with his arms on his knees, hands covering his face.
“Hey,” she whispers, kneeling in front of him.
He drops his hands and weaves them into her hair and buries his face into the crown of her head. I slowly approach and sit down next to them.
“Have you heard anything?” I whisper.
Jack shakes his head, messing up Rebecca’s hair. “They won’t tell me anything, but Tinsley will be here soon and she will get us some answers.”
“Why would Tinsley come?” I bristle.
Jack turns, glaring at me. “This isn’t the time for your little jealousy act but if you must know she was on the phone with him when he was hit and she’s his emergency contact.” He says harshly. “If I were you I would adjust my attitude real fucking quick. This isn’t the time and it sure as hell isn’t the place.”
“You’re right.” I nod, looking away.
I move a couple seats down to give him his space, while I take a seat, settling in to wait as long as it takes.
“Can I get you anything?” Rebecca asks Jack.
“I just want to hold you.” I hear him murmur.
Chill, Cassi, it will all be okay. When Ryan died, we never made it this far.
The music blasting as we drive down the gravel road. I’m sitting in the middle of the back seat, swaying back and forth. Ryan’s driving and Jared’s in the passenger seat.
“Hey, move over, I want to see if I can hit the sign with the bottle,” he says to Ryan.
Ryan moves over as Jared rolls down his window. Once close enough to the road sign, Jared chucks the empty beer bottle out, hitting the pole and not the sign itself.
“Fuck!” he growls, making Ryan and I laugh.
“I thought you were good at throwing things,” I tease, pushing on the back of his head.
“Fuck off, Cass,” he says, turning and trying to give me a dead leg.
“Hey,” I yell, moving my legs just in time.
“Now, now guys. Knock it off. Keep your hands to yourself,” Ryan says, amused.
“Yeah, Jared. Keep those hands to yourself. Who knows what you’ve touched recently that you shouldn’t.”
“I swear to God, Cass,” he hisses.
“Cass, give him another beer and stop teasing him,” Ryan says, breaking up yet another fight. “Jared, you know she’s just giving you shit.”
I had Jared another beer reluctantly. “I made sure not to open it so you know it’s not tampered with,” I quip.
“How thoughtful.”
I lean back and stare out the window.
“Are you sure you don’t want a beer?” Jared asks Ryan.
“You know the rules, driver doesn’t drink,” Ryan chastises.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jared says. “So you fucked Becca yet?”
“What the fuck?” Ryan hisses.
“Excuse me?” I demand.
“What she’s a hot piece of ass.” Jared shrugs.
“What the fuck is wrong with you,” Ryan says harshly.
“I’m sorry, but my best friend isn’t a whore,” I say.
“Trust me, I know. She’s a stuck-up fucking prude like you,” he spews.
I reach forward and punch the back of his shoulder.
“Fuck you!”
“No fuck you, Cassi!” he hisses, turning in his seat trying to get at me.
“Guys knock it off!” Ryan demands, trying to grab on to Jared’s shirt and pull him back into his seat. “Oh, fuck!”
I feel Ryan slam on the breaks and the back end of the car fishtail.
“Ryan,” I yell, scared.
“Get control, man,” Jarred hisses.
“I’m trying,” Ryan says with fear in his voice.
Then I feel it and close my eyes tight. We roll once, twice, and a third time. I whip from one side of the back seat to the other like a rag doll until we come to a stop on the driver’s side. I can’t help but whimper as I take stock of myself and “Roll On” by Kid Rock plays.
Nothing feels broken.
“Cass.” Jared looks back at me. “You okay?”
“I think so. You?”
“Yeah, I’m going to open the door and get you out. You’ll have to jump down,” he tells me.
“Okay,” I whisper, trying to push off my side.
Jared struggles to get the door open but after a couple of tries gets it to stay.
“Climb up. Use the side of the seat as a step to boost you. I’ll lift you.”
I do as he says and with no time he has me sitting on the edge of the car on the frame.
“Jump out and down.”
I do as he says and whimper when I land. My ankle throbbing.
“You okay?” he asks frantically.
“I’m okay, just get down here.”
With less grace and more struggle, Jared finally jumps down. I hobble into his arms and embrace him.
“I’m going to call 9-1-1, okay?” he whispers. “Stay where I can see you.”
I nod against his chest and pull away. Jared gets on the phone and starts relaying our location.
Ryan.
“Ryan,” I whisper, frantically looking around.
“Cass.” Jared tries to grab me, but I move around him and around the car.
There. Laying halfway out the window, crushed under the car, is my brother.
“Ryan!” I screech. Running over, I fall to my knees. Hands shaking, not knowing where to touch him. “Ryan,” I whisper as tears fall down my face. I brush his hair off
