Page 126 of Fake Game

I hear the door creak open and let out a pitiful groan. I don’t want to deal with more people.

“Thank God, you’re awake.”

Unless it’s Sydney.

She crouches down on the bathroom tiles and gives me a hug. I feel bad; it’s definitely not the best position to be in nor the most ideal location.

“Oh.” She blinks at me, and I see the surprise when she takes in my noticeably brown eyes. “I thought it was weird I could only find colored contacts in your toiletry bag. I figured maybe you’d run out of normal ones, so I brought your glasses.”

Ugh. I hate these things. I never wear them unless I am feeling seriously lazy, but I don’t have much of a choice now.

Everything just keeps getting worse.

Sydney holds out my designer black frames, and I reluctantly slide them on. My surroundings come into focus, and I startle when I notice a woman standing behind Sydney and Jackson. She looks familiar, but I can’t quite place it.

“Jesus, Phoebe.” Jackson follows my gaze. “Give us a heart attack, why don’t you?”

Ah. She’s one of Parker’s older sisters.

I saw her…

Last time I was at the hospital…

Wow.

My luck has not been good these last few months.

“This is some déjà vu, shit,” I mumble.

“That’s what I said!” Parker yells.

Phoebe tilts her head, her short blonde hair dusting over her shoulders with the movement. Her crystal blue gaze runs over me like she is analyzing every inch of my body and using it to connect dots on a map I can’t see.

“Let’s talk, Miss Malloy.”

THIRTY-FOUR

DEER

Ithrow up, for real this time, and Jackson all but shoves Phoebe out of the hospital room. He tells her she isn’t to come back until I’m feeling better. She wasn’t all that thrilled about him telling her what to do, but Parker stepped in to back him up. I feel a little bad because, while she kinda sets me on edge, I could tell she didn’t mean any harm.

Now, eight hours, two panic attacks, and one mandatory therapy session later, we’re on our way to the airport to get on the Covington jet. Since Phoebe’s been waiting to talk to me since last night, she offered to take us all back to California.

I’m secretly grateful because the idea of going to an airport and being around people…

Nope. Not going there.

Dammit.

I grip my seat belt harder.

Just when things were starting to look up. Just when I was all excited and ready to get back out there,thisjust had to happen. It’s like the universe wants me to be a recluse.

Maybe I should just move back to Ireland, visit dear old Da in all of his retirement.

Shit.

He is going to kill me once he finds out about this. The only good thing is that my da hates social media, fame, and the like.It’s why he stepped down as CEO onceGods Leaguereally took off and moved back to Ireland with my mam. He loves the game, loves what he created, but he doesn’t want that to get mixed up with all the stuff online. It’s also how I was able to become Deer without anyone really knowing who I am unless they gain access to my legal name. He kept me out of the limelight; just a few baby pictures turn up on search engines if you really know where to look.

---