Page 24 of Bleeding Hearts
Someone nearly died tonight in that car all because of this game, and it would have been my fault. If they hit me, then they would have had to live with that. This is about more than me almost dying, this involves other people now, but I can’t stop.
I need that money.
I have to win.
A scream fills the air, and when I glance back, horror fills me. One of the ropes is swinging in the wind, and the person who was on it lies on the road below, blood surrounding them. They are moving though, so they aren’t dead, but they are definitely hurt. The cars have come to a stop now, creating a barricade before the moaning player, as others slip down the ropes and head my way in a panic, taking advantage of the free lanes.
They named it Risk for a reason.
I can’t go back, I can only go forward, so even though I hate myself, I head deeper into the trees, leaving them all, including Alice, behind.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ican’t focus on the instructional video in the seminar. The lights are off, and the screen is bright, but all I can think about is the game and Lally. If she carries on this way, she is going to end up dead. It’s reckless, not brave. She didn’t care if she lived or died last night, and that destroyed me. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I can’t live without her.
I have loved her since the moment I met her.
I don’t care if she thinks we have no future. I don’t care if she doesn’t feel the same way or if she thinks this is a phase. It’s not. I’ve never cared about anyone like this before. I’ve dated, sure, because I felt like I should. They were usually men, but it wasn’t their gender that attracted me. I fell in love with Lally’s soul, not her gender. Why can’t she see that? This isn’t a test. I want her forever.
I want all of her, even the darkness she doesn’t want to share. I want to be the shoulder she cries on. I want to be the only one she smiles at. I want her wild days and her stormy nights. I want to be the one she turns to when things get hard.
I didn’t know much about love, and I still don’t, but the way I feel about her can only be summarized as love.
I never understood Alek’s devotion before or why he was willing to take a knife for Evan, until Lally. I would take one for her as well. I would die to keep her alive, because the idea of this world without her makes my chest tighten. She’s the best part of my life.
We might have fallen in love on a night filled with horror, but I don’t want our future to be filled with nightmares.
Lally and I were meant to meet and fall in love. I never believed in soulmates before, but after seeing Alek and Evan and Sky and Bones, I do. They were born to be together, two halves of the same whole, and I know she is my other half.
If she’s going to take risks, then so will I. I won’t let her do it alone.
I know I’m not the same girl I was at the beginning of the year, and maybe that should scare me, but it doesn’t. I’ll be anything I need to be for her.
My phone vibrates. After glancing at the teacher, I slide lower in my seat and pull it out, shielding the screen as I open the text. I’m hoping it’s from her, but she hasn’t read any of my messages.
Autumn: We were right. Family paid off. Found evidence. We are tracing the money trail now. Anything on your end?
I hesitate. If Leo was right, can they access my messages? I don’t know, but I can’t leave her waiting.
Alice: There was a game last night. Someone ended up in the hospital, but they didn’t die. They don’t tell us beforehand where or what it is. They are worried someone will report it, so they keep it secret. Don’t know when the next one is yet.
Autumn: Okay. When you find out, let us know so we can report it and stop it from happening, okay?
Alice: Will do.
Bones: TMW. Don’t forget your lesson. Skylar also says hi.
Bones: Sorry, his exact words were, “Hi, cutie, come for dinner one night. We miss you.”
Skylar: He slapped me for calling you cute.
A pouty picture comes through.
Skylar: I tried to explain it’s like how you find a Pomeranian cute. I don’t want to fuck it, just look after it, you know? Oh, he looks mad because I’m texting you. Bye. I’m going to fuck the brat out of my boy. Miss you!
I blink at the texts before shaking my head. We’ve gotten close because of Alek and Evan, but they are so unhinged, I worry for them sometimes. They seem to handle each other’s craziness though. I do think Bones might actually murder him one day, or they’ll both end up in jail for committing murder—at least they’ll be together.
Evan: I hope you’re okay. Alek is upset about your argument. You know how stubborn he is though. Let’s talk when you have time, alright? You know he didn’t mean anything he said. He’s just trying to protect me as usual and saying the wrong shit. He loves Lally like a sister. Don’t tell him I told you, but he goes to her dorm every day with food, even before this.
