“Did you just use nothing as a verb?”
“I believe I did, sir,” I quip with a small smile. “My ultimate goal is to feel nothing when I think of her, which is better than the anger I used to have toward her. I don’t wish her well, but I don’t want terrible things to happen to her. I don’t miss her, but I wouldn’t refuse her company.”
“Why such hostility?”
“If you must know, she dated a couple of my boyfriends.WhileI was still dating them.”
Ellister frowns. “And you’re sad about losing these lovers?”
“Ew.” I snort out a giggle. “What did I say about the gross words? Let’s not call them that.”
“All right. But you’re upset that you’re no longer with these… men?”
“No, that’s not it at all. I don’t have regrets about the relationships ending. Just with how they ended. Someone I should’ve been able to trust betrayed me.”
“Trust is a big deal to you?”
“Of course. Isn’t it to everyone?”
“Where I come from, you trust no one. Not even yourself.”
“Sounds like a harsh place.”
“It is.”
I’m about to ask him where he’s from, because we still haven’t covered that, but then I start to feel weak. My good leg quakes, and I grab a fistful of Ellister’s shirt collar to keep myself from going down.
It’s a good thing he’s holding me so tightly.
Gritting my teeth, I mentally beg my mind not to go dark. Not now. The funny thing is, I’m not feeling any pain like I usually do before I pass out, but the spots are bursting in my vision.
“Hannah?” Ellister is still and stiff, his hand gripping mine to the point of squeezing too hard. “Hannah?”
“I’m just a little dizzy.” I blink. “It’ll go away.”
My parents must’ve been watching me because all of the sudden, they’re next to me. Mom links her arm through mine, and Dad pries my hand from Ellister’s before pressing the handle of my cane to my palm.
Then my dad kneels and unties my shoe, disconnecting me from Ellister completely.
I don’t know why, but it makes me irrationally angry. “It’s fine, Dad. I’m fine.”
With his lips pursed with concern, he stands. “No, you’re not. You looked like you were about to faint.” He turns his focus to Ellister. “She can’t be up for long periods of time.”
“I see that.”
“Maybe we should have that meeting now. Get it out of the way.”
“All right,” Ellister agrees, but I’m not letting this happen in the middle of my party.
“No,” I protest. “The event lasts until nine. Everyone is going to have fun, including you, Dad.”
“I’m getting the wheelchair.” He turns on his heel, and he’s back within seconds rolling the contraption toward me. “Get in.”
If I argue, I’m just going to make this a bigger spectacle than it already is.
Plus, I really am dizzy, and I realize letting someone push me around for a while is a better alternative to falling on my face in front of dozens of people.
I sink ungracefully into the seat, and I feel like such a damsel when my dad fusses over the footrests to get me situated.