“Honestly, Blaine. I am going to be right as rain in no time. This is nothing to beat yourself up over.” I don’t know what else to say. It’s true, right? I am going to be fine eventually.
“Thank you for that. I needed to hear it. Char, can I ask you something?”
I cock my head to the side as Blaine’s eyes dart to the floor. “Sure.”
“Would you consider letting me take you out to dinner when you’re up to it?” he stammers.
Well, that came out of left field.
“Blaine,” I breathe out, not entirely sure how to let the guy down easy. “You’re so sweet, but I don’t know if that is a good idea.”
His face twists as he grips the arms of the chair.
“I like Xander,” I continue, letting my admission swarm around in the still air.
“He’s not good for you,” Blaine growls low through gritted teeth. “You deserve someone better.”
“Someone like you?” I ask, not sure where the hell this conversation is going.
“I didn’t say that, just someone better.”
“Knock, knock,” a familiar voice sings out. “Oh, you already have company.”
My eyes break away from Blaine to Ellie ambling in, still in her school uniform. Saved by the fucking bell.
“Hi,” I breathe over, excited to see my friend. Especially since she just interrupted the most awkward conversation in history.
“I should go,” Blaine rises from the chair. “I’ll come back to check on you soon.”
“Thanks for stopping by.” I wave goodbye to Blaine as Ellie plops down in the seat he just vacated.
Blaine stands in the doorway for a second, looking like he wants to say something else. After a few long seconds, he purses his lips and waves quickly before shutting the door behind him.
Once Blaine leaves, Ellie turns to me. “Wasn’t he the driver? How is he not all fucked up and shit?”
I force a shrug. “I don’t really know. I can’t remember. Everyone just keeps telling me that we’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”
“You’re telling me. It’s all anyone has been able to talk about around school. I saw the pictures of his car. It looks like a crushed soda can.”
“Really?”
Ellie nods. “There was a rumor going around that you had died and that Blaine did it on purpose.”
I gasp. “What the fuck?”
“You know how kids are. Their lives are too boring so they make shit up to get a little bit of attention.” Ellie giggles. “But at least I can put that stupid gossip to bed now that I have seen you’re all right with my own two eyes.”
“I’m glad at least one person at that school has my back.” I smile over to her as she pulls a binder out of her backpack.
“Always. Speaking of having your back, I got all of your assignments and bribed kids from your classes that I am not in to let me photocopy their notes for you. I’ll try to stay on top of it until you’re back on your feet.”
“You’re too good to me.” My chest tightens. It’s been far too long since I had a real friend like Ellie. An overwhelming sense of love for her floods in. Damn, I am all types of fucked up and emotional right now.
“It’s what friends are for.” She gets up, coming to sit next to me. “I haven’t seen Xander around school, but I could have just missed him. There’s talk going around about him, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“People are saying that he flew off the rails when he heard about your wreck. Like completely went off the deep end.”
“I’m sure that is all just idle gossip, too. It’s not like Xander and I are together or anything. He’s probably just cutting class or getting to school late like he always does.”
The mere mention of Xander’s name makes my skin prickle with heat. He really loves me. The realization of what those words actually mean ping pong between my ears for a second before my brain buzzes with question after question.
What in the hell is going on? What is Xander actually doing? His last few declarations to me buzz in my mind. He told me he loved me. That he would prove it to me. What could he be planning to make that happen?
I shake out of my paranoia. He’s just being Xander, ditching school to be the lackey for his jerk of a brother or something like that.
That has to be it.
“Charlotte?” Ellie quirks her brow. “What are you thinking?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. These drugs have me all loopy. That’s all.”
“Lucky.” She lets out a little giggle. “I should probably go. I’m still on house arrest. If I get home too late, my father will stack time onto my sentence.”
“Sorry for getting you in trouble.”
Ellie leans over to give me a very gentle hug. “Don’t be, I had a blast. Being grounded is totally worth it.”
“We’ll have to do it again after all of this clears up.”
“It’s a date.”
Right when I am alone again, Xander floods my thoughts all over again.
He loves me.
He said it.
He meant it.
But where is he?
Why hasn’t he checked in again?
He seemed so concerned about me when he was in the hospital. And now he is completely MIA? What is going on?
I try to force it out of my brain, but it’s futile. Even though there aren’t answers for the questions I have. Well, there are, but no one is going to give them to me. Especially not Xander. He is a complete mystery, still. After everything. I still have no idea where I stand with him. That’s the hardest part.
Chapter 7
Xander
I run down the court, my sneakers slapping against the concrete, my fingers expertly dribbling the ball. I twist around Chase and dart through the human wall he and Asher tried to make. They thought it would prevent me from taking the shot.
They always underestimate me.
I always take the hardest shots.
And I usually sink them.
It’s pretty much the story of my life.
I don’t win all the time, but I never run away from a challenge.
And challenges in my life are very fucking brutal and often bloody.
And sometimes, they can be deadly, not that I’ve experienced that personally.
Yet.
Being out here with my friends, schooling them at a sport I’ve played practically since birth, it doesn’t do much to further my business goals but my head is in a million places right now, and basketball doesn’t require me to think about any of the shit plaguing me.
It’s not really a death-defying feat to score on Chase and Asher, and because they’re more accustomed to playing tennis than basketball, I have the obvious advantage, although they’re tall enough to give me a good run for my money.
That’s the thing about being the teacher. You need to develop your students so they can be useful to you someday.
I jump into the air, shoot out my arms, and send the ball rocketing toward the hoop where it lands with a clean swish.
It’s one of my favorite sounds.
I like it a lot better than the screams I hear when I need to take a box cutter to a body part.