Page 83 of For Three Seconds

Everything I thought I knew was a lie except for her.

The only reason they let me ride in the ambulance with her was because of my football status. I had to watch as they sedated Scar. Thanks to having the pledges following her around, I was able to provide the doctors with info on her therapist.

The doctors said the sedative would help her rest. When Nick made it to the hospital, his eyes were bloodshot. He went to the cops while I stayed with Scar.

“They didn’t deny it,” he spat. “He was fucking drunk, swerving coming fast and his headlights off. By the time my dad noticed, it was too fucking late.”

There were no words I could say that would take his pain away right now. Shit, I was still trying to wrap the fact that I had been mourning the loss of a child that was never mine to begin with. Both Nick and I sat on chairs just processing everything that had happened.

When life fucked you over, it did it raw.

* * *

Scarlett

The first thing I smelled when I became conscious again was the sterile environment. When I opened my eyes, I saw the hospital room layout, but I didn’t freak. In fact, I felt eerily calm.

“Scar.” Nick was right there looking tired and disheveled.

“What happened?”

“God, Scar.” Nick put his head on my lap and cried.

I held my brother’s hands while he grieved. All these years and I’d had the answers with me. I turned my head, already feeling tired again when I saw Gavin sleeping on the other side of the room. I wanted to stay awake, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I was hoping like hell everything wasn’t fucked-up when I woke up again.

Unfortunately, life didn’t work that way. Once again, my life had spiraled out of control from one wrong decision—this time it wasn’t my own. Just like I had all those years ago, I woke up wrapped in Gavin’s arms, except now we were in a hospital bed.

“Hey, sleepyhead.” He gave me a sad smile.

“I kind of hoped none of it was true.”

“Fuck, baby, if I could take the pain away, I would.”

“What happened?”

Before he could talk, my therapist walked in with my brother.

“How are you feeling, Scarlett?”

“Like I lost my parents all over again,” I croaked.

She wanted to talk to me, but I told her whatever she had to say she could do it in front of Gav and Nick. I didn’t want him to stop holding me. Not when once again, he was the only thing keeping me steady.

According to my therapist, I had suppressed my memories. The death of my parents, Gigi’s betrayal, and her involvement in the accident was too much for me to cope with. My brain had prioritized the memory that was more important, repressing the other two that caused me pain—until I was strong enough to handle the truth.

Just like junior year, I lost my shit again. Only this time, because the sight of Gigi and Rhett was enough for my suppressed memories to resurface.

“You didn’t think I was crazy?” I asked him.

“No, Scar, I never thought you were.”

Gavin confronted them, and when Gigi started to shout hysterically, they knew I was telling the truth. That was not the only thing that came to light. Gigi had lied all along. She’d never had a miscarriage, but an abortion. And the real fucked-up part was the baby was never even Gavin’s; it was Rhett’s. I held Gavin a little tighter at that moment. He’d carried a child in his heart; he’d mourned the loss, carried the guilt, all for it to be a lie. God, how could Gigi do that?

I had lost my best friend way before I thought I did. I’d made decisions in my life thinking of her, and all she cared about was about herself.

“Are you okay?” I asked him.

“Seriously, babe? Your whole world got ripped apart, and you want to know if I’m okay?”

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