Page 44 of Collided

I CAN FEEL IT.

The nervous energy radiates from her.

Putting the car into brake, I give her my full attention to find out what’s bothering her. I never like it when she’s not her usual self. For some fucked up reason, it irks me.

Hope is bouncing her leg, and her eyes are filled with fear.

Questions run through my mind; I ignore them. She doesn’t want me to intervene. She’s been vocal about it enough.

I can’t just fucking ignore when someone’s hurting her.

My hands tighten around the steering wheel. I try to vanish Hope out of view. It’s damn near impossible.

I wait for her to get out. She stays put.

She’s stalling and it makes me worried.

“Something wrong?” I finally ask.

“No.” She hesitantly slips out of the car. Leaning down, she says, “Thank you for everything.”

I nod, too distracted by the lady watching me from the window. She’s pulled the curtains away and is studying me with a peculiar gaze.

“Goodbye, Heath.” She goes inside her house.

I stay out for a minute then drive away.

I offered her help. If she needs it she’ll ask for it.

I come out of the bathroom in a pair of shorts and throw some punches in the air to get ready for my fight.

Sebastian watches me curiously.

“Your girlfriend won’t like you appreciating my body, Bash.” I tease him.

“You wish. Mineis so muchbetterthan yours.” He gestures to his body that’s ripped and filled out with muscles in all the right places. Like me, he spends a lot of time in the gym to be this fit. Also, it helps him cool off and release stress.

I walk deeper into the room. “I found you passed out on the treadmill yesterday.”

“I was sleeping!” he says flushed.

“So that’s what we call passing out now?”

“For someone who didn’t say a word at the diner, you’re quite chatty now.”

“I didn’t have anything to say.”

“Huh?” He smirks.

“What’s that look for?” I sit down and start wrapping my knuckles with the tape.

He arches an eyebrow. “Are wenotgoing to talk about it?”

I know exactlywhat he means. “No.”

“You like her, man.”

I have no idea what he’s babbling about. I like no one.

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