Walker doesn’t respond right away. I’m sure he’s pissed. After we decided to go in big with Sugar, I insisted she knew what was going on. We were putting her in danger too whether he wanted to believe it or not. The only rule we made was that she didn’t get to know the details, she just knew it was happening. She’s less than thrilled about it, but at least we’re not completely shady anymore.
My hand is still pressed against my wound, but they feel fuzzy. My whole body feels like it’s floating…
Walker is sobbing incoherently now as my eyes flutter open. When I look around at the streets, not too much time has passed since the last time. Painfully, I readjust myself in the seat.
“Walker.”
More sobbing.
“Walker, listen to me.”
He keeps his eyes on the road and wipes his face with the sleeve of his jacket. “You’re going to die, Perry. You’re going to die and it will be all my fault. I should have listened to you. I can’t lose my best friend—I just can’t.” He slams the steering wheel with his fist, tears streaming down his face.
“Walker, I’m not going to die,” I grit out. Even speaking is a struggle at this point. “You’re going to save me, remember?”
“What if they ask questions? There’s going to be an investigation, and they’re going to wonder why some kid from New Haven just got fucking stabbed.”
I close my eyes and think. It is a bad idea, because Walker starts screaming again.
“Perry! Stay with me, man!”
I chuckle, and it hurts. “I’m here you fucking pussy.”
“I’m not a pussy,” Walker cries. “I love you and I can’t lose you too.”
“Okay, I’m sorry. Just try and hold it together when we get in there. Tell them I got mugged and nothing else. You didn’t see anyone—you didn’t…” My voice trails off and I hack up more blood. I quickly wipe it on my hoodie so he doesn’t see. “You didn’t see shit, Walker. You hear me?”
He nods. “I didn’t see shit,” he repeats back to me.
“Good.”
I lean back in my seat once more as the floating starts to take over again. The next time I wake up, I’m not in the Jeep anymore.
Sloan is staring at me with a deadly gaze. I think she’s pissed. I barely opened my eyes and I already wish I hadn’t. Even though I got stabbed in my side, my entire body feels like it was run over.
Despite the look of disdain, she’s holding my hand.
“Sloan,” I choke out. “How did you find me? You’re supposed to be at school.”
Her grey eyes narrow. “Tess called. She thought you would want me here since you so obviously could have died.” Her voice starts to raise and she stands. “What in the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?”
I laugh. Yeah, I could get stabbed.
Sloan isn’t amused. “This isn’t funny, Perry.” She crosses her arms. “How do you think I would feel if you were gone, if I lost you?”
Slowly, I roll to my side, being mindful of the various IV’s. “Well, you do pretty well any other time.”
She drops her arms and balls her hands into fists. “You’re an asshole.”
“Baby, I’m sorry.” I reach for her hand and surprisingly she sits back down and lets me hold it. “I love you.” I kiss her palm. “I’m glad you’re here.”
She leans forward and whispers, “Why am I here? Who stabbed you?”
I risk a glance out in the hallway. There are several officers and very a distressed looking Walker clinging to Tess along the wall. I look back to Sloan.
“It’s a long story.”
This makes her angry.
“A long story, huh?” She stands again to hover over me. “My boyfriend almost died and nobody will tell me what the fuck’s going on.” She leans in closer. “You weren’t mugged, Perry.”
My nostrils flare. Her outburst is drawing attention to the room and I have no idea what Walker told them. He could be singing like a song bird for all I know.
“Sloan, sit down please,” I say in the nicest possible way.
She crosses her arms again. “Why?”
Now I’m angry. Of all the times for her to throw a fit, this isn’t the best time.
“Sloan, I won’t ask you again. Sit the fuck down and keep your mouth shut unless you want to be visiting me in prison.”
Her eyes widen and a tear slips down her cheek. I know she wants to say something, but she doesn’t. She sits down and takes my hand again.
“I love you,” she whispers after a long moment. “So much.”
I sigh. “Don’t worry, baby. Everything is going to be golden.”
24
Perfectly Wrong
Tess- Then
It’s way too cold to be sitting on my roof right now, but it’s the only place I can think clearly. I have my puffer jacket zipped all the way up and a beanie on my head that I stole from Perry. I also have a half a pack of cigarettes that I stole from him.
Maybe stealing is a strong word. Let’s just say he lets shit sit around a lot.
After the whole stabbing incident, the guys have been keeping a low profile. I’m almost positive the cops thought their story was bogus, but with no evidence, the investigation went cold. I really wish they were smarter than this. At least Perry. He always seems like the one who has the most sense—except when it comes to Sloan. That defies any rational logic.
I just lit a cigarette when I hear the familiar stomping on the shingles. He would make a terrible burglar, he can’t do anything quietly. I take a drag and hand it back to him without looking.
“Thought you had a date with Sloan?”
When he doesn’t answer, I tilt my head to him. His eyes are hardened and red around the edges. In all the years that Sloan has been messing with his head, and even when Jeremy died, I never saw Perry cry. I have a feeling I’m about to.
He sits down beside me dressed in his usual dark hoodie with the hood pulled up to shield his face. He nods to me. “That’s my hat.”
I place my hands on either side of my head, pulling it down. “Well, it looks cuter on me so I’m keeping it.”
I smile and he gives a half of one back. “You’re right, Bishop. It does.”
With a sigh, I nudge him with my shoulder. “What’s going on?”
He shakes his head, flicking his ash roughly.
“So, you came over to my house just to ignore me?”
No answer.
“Fine,” I say, standing. “You can sit here and brood all you want. I’m going inside where it’s warm.”
I make it a few steps before he speaks.
“Why are you out here?”
I shrug. “Walker had to work and you were supposed to be with Sloan so…”
I let my voice trail off and retake my seat beside him.
“Don’t you have other friends?”
I raise an eyebrow. “That seems kind of harsh.”
Perry laughs. “No, I don’t mean it like that. I just wish you had other things that made you happy besides two future inmates.”