Page 83 of Like You Know
I sobbed and he hushed me, stroking my head again and murmuring soothing things.
By the time the wail of ambulance sirens was so close it sounded as if they were inside, I’d managed to tell Jet I’d been shoved and kicked, and he’d poked at my ribs and run his hands over every inch of my body. He spoke to me the entire time, keeping my focus on him and away from the bustling activity where my mom’s bloody body lay.
Even when the cops started clearing out the cabin, Jet still wouldn’t let me look in her direction. He crouched right by my head, blocking my view with his body as two EMTs came to examine me.
The emergency workers whisked Mom out to an ambulance, and then the wail of the siren rent the air once more—this time getting fainter.
Not long after, I found myself in the back of another ambulance, Jet right by my side. As we prepared to leave for the hospital, I caught sight of Raine Clayton. She was leaning against a car, handcuffed, as she shouted something over her shoulder. Just before the ambulance doors slammed shut, she caught me watching and sneered.
Jet stayed with me through all of it, keeping me tethered to sanity with his touch, his voice, and his very presence.
Whatever the EMTs had given me seriously numbed the pain in my body. It made my head feel kind of fuzzy too, but the absence of pain made it easier to think.
“Jet?”
“Right here, beautiful.” He gave my arm a squeeze.
“How did you know? I tried to call you so many times but ...”
He smiled down at me. It didn’t reach his eyes. “You have some very clever friends.”
Donna had read between the lines of what I’d said on the phone as clearly as if I’d shouted the information at her. The rest was easy enough to guess. Harlow had tracked my phone, they’d gotten through to Jet, and he’d come to the rescue.
After a stretch of silence, I asked another question. “Is my mom going to be OK?”
When he didn’t immediately answer, I tried to turn my head to look at him, but they’d put me in one of those neck brace things and I couldn’t move an inch.
Maybe he hadn’t heard me? But I knew he had—he’d started stroking my arm right when I asked it. He just didn’t know how to answer.
I couldn’t find the strength to ask again.
EPILOGUE
The teal silkfelt cool to the touch, despite the warmth of the day. I ran my hand over it, smoothing the fabric over my lap.
My ribs still hurt if I took too deep a breath, but I could sit up on my own and walk, and that was all I needed to cross a stage and graduate with the rest of my class.
Despite everything, despite how recent all the pain and chaos was, I refused to miss this. I refused to let that evil woman and her corrupt organization take one more thing from me. I was going to wear the silk gown and silly cap and graduate with all my friends if it was the last fucking thing I did. It wouldn’t be, of course. I was going to be fine.
I had one cracked rib and some gnarly bruising, but I was OK otherwise. Unlike Mom ...
A round of applause went up, and I belatedly joined everyone in clapping along to whatever Headmistress Perry just said. Once she started speaking again, I found the back of Donna’s head, several rows in front of me, and focused on her perfectly smooth, short hair for a moment. Then I turned to look several rows behind me. Mena caught my eye immediately and gave me a small smile.
“OK?” she mouthed.
I nodded and turned back to the front.
The stage was set up in the middle of the football field, the bleachers packed with the graduating class’s loved ones. My peers and I sat in alphabetical order, ready to go receive our diplomas.
Donna’s last name—Mead—should’ve put her behind me, but she was seated in the front because she was valedictorian. Becauseof courseshe was. I was so proud of my friend.
Fulton being about as exclusive as you could get for a school, the graduating class wasn’t massive. No one had last names that started withForG, so Hendrix (Hawthorn) sat right next to me. As much as I was determined to be here for this rite of passage, it had been a rough few weeks, and it felt good to have someone beside me who knew what it had been like, who had been there for me right along with my girls.
He leaned sideways slightly and whispered in my ear, “You know, for a while I thought I’d never even finish high school, let alone graduate with half-decent grades.”
I covered my mouth as we both chuckled.
“I guess you never know what life’s going to throw at you,” I whispered back. I was painfully aware we should’ve been too young to fully appreciate that sentiment. We’d seen too much. Experienced shit no one should have to.