Page 125 of Freshmeet
I didn’t know what to say.
She patted my hand and led us toward the waiting room and out of the way of the front desk. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, adjusting the strap of my backpack. “I brought Connor his stuff and a change of clothes. He left in a hurry.”
“Why don’t I go grab him for you?”
“Thank you.” I gave her a soft smile.
The girls sat, settling in for what was sure to be a long night, but I paced, watching the hallway for any signs of Connor.
Eventually, he pushed through a set of doors. Dressed in a set of scrubs much too small for him, he shuffled down the hallway looking lost.
“Connor,” I called out, already moving toward him.
His face relaxed, and he rushed to me. “You came,” he murmured into my hair as he squeezed me in a tight hug.
“Of course I came.”
He exhaled, but his hold didn’t loosen.
“I brought you a change of clothes and all your stuff.”
“Thank you.” His voice cracked.
Before I could hand over the bag, Laura came through the same doors. “Connor?”
He turned, keeping me pressed to his chest as we looked at Laura.
“Your mom asked me to tell you she’s going down to the cafeteria.”
“Thanks.”
Laura gave him a slight nod, then looked at me. “Sorry about earlier. I was a bitch.” She lifted her bandaged arm, and her lips twisted into a wry smile. “Don’t worry, I learned my lesson. Getting chased through the woods by a psycho with a knife is a special kind of karma.”
I choked out a laugh. “I’m glad you’re okay. Sorry about your friends.”
She hummed and glanced out the wall of windows. Her face fell, and she took a deep breath.
“What—” I looked over my shoulder just in time to watch two middle-aged people in pajamas rush through the automatic doors.
“Laura!” the woman wailed, rushing to her daughter’s side. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Mom. Just a little banged up.” Laura’s body went limp in her mother’s hold, and her eyes welled with tears.
The tall, stoic man stood nearby, his gaze sweeping the room. “Where’s the doctor?”
“I was discharged,” Laura said, trying to pull her mom toward the door. “Can we go?”
Her dad’s mouth opened, then snapped shut when he caught sight of Connor. Narrowing his eyes, he wrapped his arm around Laura’s shoulder and led his family out of the ER.
“Woof,” Olivia said under her breath.
“He hates me,” Connor said.
“Ya think?” Kat threw her thick legs over the armrest, folding her arms behind her head.
Connor let out a tired laugh.
