Page 63 of Liar

“Well?” I ask her as she walks up to me. We sit together on the same muted gray couch I occupied. Purple irises bloom in a vase on the small table in front of us, complementing the lavender-painted walls. So far, none of the staff walking through the adjoining hallway have questioned my presence.

“Those nurses mean business,” Aiko says, angling to face me. “I had to put on my best teacher’s pet face and swear to them I was the student council president bringing Zeke homework.”

I smirk. “I don’t think one has anything to do with the other.”

Aiko shrugs. “She fell for it, regardless.”

“Good. So you got in?”

“Yeah, and I had to leave a few of my textbooks behind. I hope I get them back.”

I resist the urge to shake the information out of her. “Priorities, Aiko. What did he say?”

“Zeke had no idea who I was when I walked in. And boy, does he look rough.”

That irk of guilt hits my belly, but I nudge it aside. “Could he talk?”

“He could. Um…” Aiko shifts against the cushion. “Do you want to know what he looks like?”

Maybe. No. Yes. “I’d like to know if he’ll be okay.”

“He will.” Aiko rubs my arm reassuringly. “I may have perused his chart while he was busy trying to understand who the hell I was.”

I wheeze out a breath. “Good.”

“Zeke’s banged up, for sure. His head is all bandaged, and he sports some serious bruises. He did have surgery to reattach his pinky finger, though,” Aiko quickly adds as she watches my face. “Bandages around his ribs. A cast on his hand. He’s otherwise comfortable. They’re giving him the good stuff.”

Nodding, I clear my throat. “That’s a relief to hear.”

“Savvy did the most damage,” Aiko adds softly. “Zeke knows it. He told me to thank you for putting him out of his misery.”

I vigorously shake my head. “I didn’t do that. I hurt him.” And basked in the blood…

“You stopped a beatdown that was only going to get worse. You’re smart enough to know that.” She pats my hand. “Anyway, I made sure to lead with the fact that he owes you. After getting you poisoned and almost killing you in the pool, and then when you saved him by preventing Savvy from maiming his face, it’s the least he could do.”

That was exactly my plan, to blanket the guilt over him until he couldn’t breathe. If anything, I’m becoming an expert on the subject. “Did he go for it?”

Aiko’s expression becomes pinched. “Not at first. Zeke’s too cowardly to agree on the spot. He needed more incentive.”

I smile tightly. “You went to plan B.”

“Yup. I told him that the Societies were behind it all. He believed it was Thorne who wanted to sacrifice him for personal reasons. I guess because of what Zeke did to you.”

“If Thorne was responsible, I would’ve heard about it. From his own mouth.”

Thorne would never let such a barbarous move go unnoticed by me. He’d preen under my horror, swearing he was doing it to protect me. Eventually, I’d believe him. That’s how it works between us.

“No kidding,” Aiko agrees. “Zeke had no idea the Societies totaled his car to cover up their part in his attack. How they even made the type of crash consistent with his injuries. I reminded him that if he thinks the kids the Societies recruit are ruthless, what does he believe the alumni are like? Forensics was covered. The police report forged. Everything you told me about the accident scene, I told him.”

I nod, pressing forward, urging her to continue.

“I swear, his swollen eyeballs almost popped out of his head when Zeke realized he was expendable. Zeke may have given valuable information about you to Damion, which is what got you facedown in the pool and kicked off the team, but that info is outdated now. Used up and wasted because here you are, still alive.” Aiko gestures up and down my body with her hands. “Once someone has outlived their usefulness, what does he think Damion’s going to do?”

“Wow, Aiko.” I regard her with newfound respect. Why the Societies disregarded her, I’ll never know, but I’m so glad they didn’t realize this diamond hidden under the Raven’s Bluff rocks.

“Zeke was confident he’d recover, leave Massachusetts and go back to California for his show, and that no one from the Societies would touch him.” Aiko shakes her head. “To think I was obsessed with him in ninth grade. I thought he was the hottest guy on the planet. Never considered how dumb he’d be.”

“That’s why we’re told never to meet our heroes,” I say.