Page 76 of Rhys: and the girl who was always his

The urgency in her voice makes my grip tighten around the phone. “What happened?”

She hesitates for half a second, then rushes out, “It’s Ally. She had a seizure in the middle of class.”

I don’t even remember grabbing my keys. One second, I’m at my desk, and the next, I’m shoving my way out the door, barely registering my surroundings as I sprint toward my car.

The drive to university is a blur of red lights, honking horns, and my own erratic breathing. My hands are clenched so tightly around the steering wheel that my knuckles ache.

She was supposed to beokay. The medication was supposed to be working.

By the time I skid into the parking lot, I barely throw my car into park before I’m out and running towards the main building. Yasmin is waiting near the entrance, her expression tight with worry.

“Where is she?” I demand, breathless.

“Health centre,” she says, already leading the way. “She came out of it a few minutes ago, but she’s shaken up.”

I push through the door of the small on-campus clinic, and the second I see her, my whole world narrows.

She’s sitting on the examination bed, her hands gripping the sides as if she needs to keep herself grounded. Her hair is slightly dishevelled, her hoodie bunched up around her arms. There’s a dazed, distant look in her eyes, and itkillsme to see it.

“Ally.” I cross the room in three strides, crouching in front of her. She looks at me, and a flash of relief crosses her tired features. “Hey, baby. I’m here.”

She exhales, her fingers twitching before she reaches for me. I take her hand without hesitation, squeezing tightly. “I—I hate this,” she mutters, her voice raw. “Everyone saw.”

My jaw clenches.Of course that’s what she’s worried about.“I don’t give a damn what anyone saw, Ally. I only care about you.”

She lets out a shaky breath, but before she can say anything else, the nurse returns with a clipboard. “Miss Monroe, your vitals look stable now, but I’d still recommend taking it easy for the rest of the day. If your symptoms worsen, go straight to the hospital.”

Ally nods, but she doesn’t look at the nurse. Her grip on my hand tightens like she’s afraid I’ll let go. I squeeze back.Never.

Once the nurse clears her to leave, I help her off the bed, keeping my arm around her waist as we make our way out of the clinic. Yasmin gives her a concerned look. “You okay?”

Ally tries to force a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah. Thanks for?—"

“Don’t,” Yasmin cuts in. “You don’t have to thank me. Just rest, okay?”

Ally nods, but I know she’s still too overwhelmed to process everything. I keep my arm firmly around her as we head to my car. The moment I shut the passenger door and get behind the wheel, she slumps back against the seat, rubbing her hands over her face.

“I feel so stupid,” she mutters.

“You’re not stupid, Ally.”

“It’s just—" She exhales sharply, dropping her hands. “IthoughtI was getting better. I thought the meds were working. And then... this happens. In front of everyone.”

I reach over, tucking her hair behind her ear. “One bad moment doesn’t mean you’re not getting better. It means we figure out what’s next.”

She looks away, pressing her lips together. “I just—I don’t want people looking at me like I’m broken.”

With a gentle touch to her chin, I bring her eyes back to mine. “You’renotbroken. And if anyone thinks otherwise, they’re an idiot.”

She stares at me before finally nodding slowly. I lean forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead before starting the car. “Let’s go home.”

When we get back to the house, Ally is quieter than usual. She changes into one of my hoodies and curls up on the couch with a blanket. The rest of our friends give her space, but I stay close, sitting beside her, my arm resting over the back of the couch.

She doesn’t say much for a while. Just leans against me, letting the silence settle around us. Then, finally, she speaks. “Rhys?”

“Yeah?”

She hesitates before whispering, “I’m scared.”

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