Page 162 of If Ever

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"Chelsea? Are you awake?" Dominic's voice brings me out of my fog.

My head pounds with a jabbing pain and every muscle hurts. I open my eyes. It's light out. I roll over to face the doorway. "Don't come in. I'm worse." My voice cracks.

He steps back. "What can I get you? Do you want me to run out for anything?"

"I could use a drink of water and a painkiller. I left the bottle in the bathroom last night."

“You bet.”

I wish I was home with Tom, and not in a stranger's bed, but we're past that now. I replay all the painful parts of yesterday over and over, where Tom ignores my begging him to stay and leaves me behind.

Dominic returns with a fresh glass of water, two pills and sets them next to the bed. When I sit up, my hand shakes, so I use both hands to lift the glass. The water tastes good, but hurts going down.

"You're freezing." He pulls an extra blanket from the closet. "Do you want something to eat before I head out?"

"I'm not hungry. Maybe I'll find something later." But my throat burns so bad I can't imagine swallowing anything.

He spreads the blanket over the rest of my bedding. "Sorry I have to leave you here alone."

"I wouldn't be very good company." I pull the blanket up around my neck. My head throbs with a fuzziness that leaves me unable to think clearly.

Dominic leans against the doorframe. "I really think Tom would want to know where you are. Especially with you so sick."

I shake my head. "His old girlfriend showed up, and after claiming she was subletting the other bedroom and whispering secrets to him, he left with her. He never came back, and he didn't answer any of my texts or calls." The image of Tom's retreating form haunts me. "We had a lot of fun, but it's run its course."

Dominic frowns. "Don't make any rash decisions. Sleep on it."

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