Page 112 of Puck Block

I take a step forward toward the room, but my knees buckle. The hard floor bites into my skin, and I wince. My eyes droop, and I try to shake myself awake.

Insulin.

I feel for my back pocket, and the empty denim scrapes against my palm.Where is it?

Panic stuns me.Oh my god.

It’s last summer all over again.

Only this time, I know what’s wrong.

“Help.” My voice is so faint I can’t even hear it.

My eyes refuse to open.

Shit.

The hallway comes into view, but it narrows right away. I push myself up on my palms to make it to the bend in the hall so someone will see me, but I know it’s too late.

I close my eyes before I feel the sting of the floor meeting my cheek.

[ 52 ]

FORD

“How couldyou keep this from me?” Emory’s eyes drive into mine, and although we’re almost the same height, his tone tells me he’s looking down at me.

I chuckle sarcastically. “Do you know how long I’ve refrained from admitting to myself that I love her? Let alone confide in you about it?”

Emory grips me tightly. “I’m talking about her not taking her insulin!”

“Because she trusted me!” I stress. “And I had it under control. She stopped messing with her doses the second I caught on! Do you even want to know why she was messing with them?”

Emory scoffs, and I’m instantly frustrated.

“She was trying to make it to where her levels weren’t stabilized so the doctor wouldn’t give her the okay for an insulin pump.”

“She’s so insecure about it that she’s willing to risk going into DKA again?!”

I shove his hand off my neck even though the movement makes the room tilt. “No, Emory! She found out that yourparents were struggling to pay for things. The pump is thousands of dollars. She…” I try to calm down. “She was trying to delay the process until she found a way to pay for it herself.”

Emory’s eyebrows are furrowed with anger, but I refuse to back down now.

“And you can act like I’m not good enough for her, but I know that I am. No one will love her like I do, and no one is more loyal to her than I am, so just fuck off, Emory.” I push past him, and he tries to stop me, but I’m seething. “I even attempted to go to my father to ask for money so I could pay for her pump and future doses—and to save your parents’ house—so tell me again that I can’t take care of her, because the lengths I’m willing to go for her are beyond what you could expect.”

Emory’s mouth slams shut, and I flex my jaw. I pull the IV from my arm and toss it to the ground. Then, I stomp over to her purse and grab it. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you right away about us, but I’m not sorry for loving her. I’m not sorry for keeping her trust and for constantly watching out for her…even if that means keeping something from you and your parents.”

He steps forward. “Where are you going?”

I throw my hands up and raise my voice. “I’m going to find her because she needs her phone to track her sugar levels, and she probably needs her insulin!”

I open the door, but his solemn voice stops me.

“Why her? Why now?”

I peer over my shoulder at my best friend. “How could there be anyone else when she exists?”

My heart aches with the truth, and I turn to go find her.

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