Page 55 of Unraveled

“Hi,” she greeted, looking both hopeful and apprehensive.

“Hi.” I pulled a chair up next to the bed and straddled it. “So, you fractured it, huh? I wondered.” I pointed to her leg in the full length cast up to her hip. “I just ran into your parents in the hall,” I explained at her questioning look.

“Yeah. There’s a massive bruise where I hit on both of them, too.” Her voice was still gravelly, but not as severe.She looked down, but the movement was very slight, and I noticed she was keeping her head very still. I figured it had something to do with her concussion and the golf ball-sized bump on her forehead.

“Your head hurt, too?”

“Yes,” she murmured.

“Figured.” I looked out the window, not interested in seeing the hopeful look on her face. It stayed silent between us for several minutes until Lisa sighed.

“Why are you here, Tucker? You’re making it very clear you don’t want to be.”

I shrugged and absently picked at the back of the chair. “You wanted to talk. I’m here to talk.”For Izzy. Becausesheasked me to.We needed this done.

Lisa made a slight groan. “Now? My head and legs are still throbbing, and my throat is raw. Can’t we do this later? I get to go home tomorrow. How about then?”

I finally looked at her. “No. If we’re going to talk, we’re going to do it now. You’re lucky I’m here at all.”

“God, I hate you in dick mode.”

I shrugged again. “And I hate you in obsessive bitch mode. I’m tired of it. You actually got yourself severely hurt this time. If I hadn’t gotten to you, what do you think would have happened? So, if getting my attention is worth you jeopardizing your life, if it’sthatimportant that we talk, you’ll talk now. I’m not extending the offer again.” I held back a wince when it looked like she might cry. She was in the hospital, and I wasn’t a monster, but she’d done it to herself.

That, and I was just done.

Lisa looked down at her hands where she held them together over the blanket, her brow furrowing.

“Look, if you’re not going to talk…”

Silence.

I stood up.

“Are you really getting married this summer?” Lisa whispered.

I froze just steps from the door. “Where’d you hear that?”

“I heard you and Emma talking. She mentioned you and Izzy getting married on the beach in July.”

I took a deep breath, trying to stem my irritation, and sat back down. “July of next year.”

“Oh.”

“Why the fuck were you eavesdropping?”

Lisa shook her head and groaned at the movement. “I wasn’t. At least, I wasn’t trying to. Larissa and Phoenix were on the other side of y’all, and I was going to try to talk to them, but I overheard y’all when I was passing by. It just surprised me so much. I had to know if it was true.”

“Did you get the answer you were looking for?”

Her eyes watered, and she just slightly shook her head, her throat tight as she answered. “No.”

“Eavesdropping sucks then, doesn’t it?”

Lisa slapped the covers next to her casted leg. “Just stop it, Tucker. You’re always such a dick to me.” She reached up and brushed a tear away. I watched, expressionless.

“I can’t help it. I tried being nice in the beginning. I’ve tried ignoring you. I’ve tried confronting you and being blunt with you. None of it’s worked. So, tell me what options I have left other than to be a dick to you.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know… But it sucks.”

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