Page 4 of The Lie
But they’d said today’s the day; they were waking her up out of her medical-induced coma. I needed to be here for her when she woke up, but it’s immediate family only. Even Asher didn’t get that privilege. Only his mom and Mila’s dad, James. But they’ve kept us updated at every stage.
“Is she talking? Does she seem fine?”
He looks down at his phone, and I watch impatiently as he types out a message to his mom. I take a large mouthful of water and force it down. The lump in my throat from worrying that something will go wrong just won’t go away. Even with the water. After a moment, he smiles and looks down at me and nods.
“Yeah, Mom said she is fine. But asking for Roman.”
Fuck.
“I don't know where he is.”
And that was the honest truth. He discharged himself days ago, against doctors’ orders, and he went home. But when I went to his trailer to check on him, he wasn't there, and he hasn't been answering any of my messages or calls.
“We'll find him.” Asher nods from where he now sits beside me.
“Am I allowed to see her?”
“Yeah, they said to grab some lunch and come back in an hour. They’ll let us in then.”
I get up and follow the signs to the hospital cafeteria. The food tastes like shit, but I’ve worked out whatnotto buy now. Asher comes up on my left, and we walk the hallway together.
It’s amazing how close Asher and I have become this past week. Like, I want to kick his ass on the football field still, but he really has Mila’s best interests at heart. Hell, we all beat the shit out of that scumbag for Mila. He’s a good guy.
He’s been passing messages on to me when he hears anything from James. Been letting me know how Mila is, even when I’m at home and worried.
I knew she had some internal bleeding and lots of cuts and bruises.
Roman’s face was almost unrecognizable after that beating, and everyone assumed he’d been hit by the car, like Mila. I heard he tried to avoid going to the hospital, but he wouldn’t leave Mila’s side, and that’s how the paramedics convinced him to go.
When I saw him, he looked almost dead, and I was certain that if he hadn’t gone with her, he wouldn’t be here with us anymore.
Roman wouldn’t tell me exactly what had happened, but I’ve worked out enough to know that the car accident wasn’t an accident at all. That the guys who did this to him were the same ones who hit Mila. And he’s been blaming himself ever since. I want to find them, to kill them…
Except, I’m worried Roman might have already done that. And maybe that’s why I can’t find him—he’s gone off the grid. Not because they got to him first. I refuse to consider that possibility.
God, I hope you’re okay, Roman. Or I will kill you myself.
“Who are you playing tomorrow?” I ask Asher, trying to forget about Roman for a moment. I don’t want that on my mind when I get to see Mila. I can’t wait to see her, hold her hand in mine and verify that she’s okay.
It’s Thursday, and even though I’ve barely been at school this week, there’s no way in hell I’m playing tomorrow. My head’s not in the game. My heart is lying in a hospital bed, and I need to be with her. But my whole team is playing for Mila. They’re good guys…except one.
Jace hasn’t been here once. Hasn’t messaged me to ask how Mila is. Hell, he didn’t even ask about Roman. I’m done with his selfish shit. The only people who deserve my time are Mila and Roman. I’m not chasing after him to tell him how she is, he should be here. I don’t care anymore what he does, he’s no friend of mine.
“North Point Royals.” Asher doesn’t seem too enthusiastic.
James and his mom want him to play. He does, too, but I can tell he’s conflicted over the whole thing. So, the fact that she’s waking up today will be good for him. He’s been struggling with Mila being here as much as I have.
I shake my head and clap my hand on his shoulder just as he did to me earlier. He’s roughly the same height as me, and he turns to face me. His eyebrows raise, and he gives me a puzzled look.
I chuckle. “Good luck, man. You’re gonna need it.”
“Hell nah, don’t need any luck. We kicked your asses. The Royals are nothing.” Asher does some really bad karate moves in the air, and a nurse glares at him as we pass her.
I laugh, because that’s a bit of an exaggeration—"kicked your asses.” I think he means we kickedhisass. “Hope they don’t kick your ass, not like Grady did.”
“They don’t think I’m fucking their girl, so I should be safe.”
An older woman gasps, her hand flying to her chest at what Asher just said. Laughing, I grab his tee and drag him faster. In less than an hour, I will be seeing Mila, and I don’t want to be kicked out because Asher has a dirty mouth.
