Say You Swear

I turn to my girl, lifting my phone into the air, and her body sags.

She faces me fully now, her words a hopeful whisper, “You got my message?”

I nod. “I did.”

“And you came.”

My lips twitch, and I nod again. “I should have come sooner.”

Tears fall from her eyes, and a broken chuckle slips from her. “It’s okay. Just don’t do it again,” she teases, but it’s not enough to hide the pain in her voice.

Pain that I fed, fearing I was the only one who felt our loss.

I wasn’t. She felt it.

She feels it.

She’s mine.

“Never, baby.” My chest clenches. “Never again.”

The back of her hand comes up to cover her mouth, and she sniffles as I step around the old truck at the curb.

Her arms fall to her sides, and she smiles, and then she breaks out into a run.

I chuckle, but then a flash catches my eye.

My head snaps left, panic erupting within me.

I dart forward. “No!”

“Ari!” Mason shouts, Cameron’s scream echoing around him.

Arms wrap around my shoulders, and I’m yanked backward.

In the same second, the squeal of brakes pierces the air, followed by a boom so loud it shakes my core. Screams fill the air, and I tear free of the body behind me.

Shattered glass fills the street, cutting up my knees and hands as I crawl through it, my body lurching forward as I reach the crunched-up bumper of the old pickup.

A scream tears through me, and suddenly, others are falling beside me.

Someone clutches my shirt.

Someone cries.

Someone pleads.

I don’t move.

I can’t breathe.

All I can do is stare at the girl I love lying lifeless in the center of the street.

Chapter 37

Noah

* * *

Seven hours of no news is excruciating, but the four that follow, when the nurse finally comes up to tell us there’s been a complication, are the worst.

They’re full of nothing but fear and regret.

Of pain and what if.

What if I got to her in time tonight?

What if I didn’t walk away from her the other day?

What if I never get to tell her I love her?

That she’s more than I knew existed, all that I could ever need, and everything I will always want.

Arianna Johnson makes up my entire being.

Without her, I’m nothing.

Not much is said over the next sixteen hours and that goes for all of us. We pace the room, and every so often, one of us punches a wall or kicks a chair, charging into the hall, just to come right back and bury our faces in our hands.

Finally, the doctor comes out, exhaustion showing in the dark circles beneath his eyes. He pulls his mask down with a nod.

“For Miss Johnson?” he asks, even though he knows the answer already.

“Is she okay?” Mason rushes forward.

Cameron grips my sleeve, shaking.

“She’s stable.”

A choppy breath explodes from my chest, and I fall against the wall. Pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes, I drop my head back.

A hand clamps on my shoulder, and I look over to find Chase.

He nods, his jaw clenching, and we look back to the doctor.

“When can we see her?” Brady asks.

“Soon, but I have to tell you, we’re not in the clear quite yet.”

“Keep talking, doc.” Mason swallows.

He looks over us a moment, and it’s obvious he’s picking his words carefully. “Arianna suffered injuries along most of her upper body, and we did find a small fracture in her skull. As a result of that, her body went into shock, and we were forced to put her into a medically-induced coma.”

“Oh my god,” Cameron cries, and Mason quickly spins, taking her in his arms. He pulls her close, waiting for more.

“She’s in pain?” I rasp.

“Not anymore.” He folds his clipboard in front of him. “She was in a great deal of pain, and with her injuries that can lead to a coma. Her brain would simply shut down in reaction to the trauma, which is why we felt it safest to take the route we did.”

“Why?”

“To keep the brain from reacting or responding. We have to give it time to heal as the next step is monitoring her for swelling.”

“If that happens?” Chase pushes forward. “If her brain swells?”

The man nods. “Then we have to go in and relieve it.”

“How long will you keep her asleep?”

“As long as she needs. A day, maybe two. Maybe a little longer. It all depends on how tonight goes. If we can get through tonight without complications, we might be able to breathe a little easier come tomorrow.”

We nod, looking each other over to make sure no one else has questions the rest of us didn’t think about.

The doctor nods, and the nurse who was ordered to deal with us when we got here, steps up. “Dr. Brian, this is Mr. Johnson.” She steers him toward Mason.

The man’s face remains blank as he holds a hand out. “A moment in the hall?” the doctor asks, and then takes two steps outside.