after he goes to the hospital.”
“But, he did nothing wrong,” I tell Glenn.
He doesn’t answer.
So I reach for my phone and call my sister, who picks up straight away.
“Is Noah with you?”
“Umm… yes,” she says, her voice confused.
“Can you put him on, please?”
She doesn’t ask any questions, which I’m thankful for.
“Rylee, everything okay?” Noah’s voice echoes through the phone.
“No. Two people just tried to break into August’s house, and he got shot. The police are taking him in for some reason after he’s been to the hospital. Can you help?”
“Where are you?”
“Still at his house.”
“Don’t move. Collect your things. I’ll be there soon.”
As I hang up, the ambulance arrives, and an officer puts cuffs on August, making him groan as they jostle around his wounded shoulder. He doesn’t say a word, just goes with it as they carry him off to the ambulance.
“I want to go with him,” I say to a different officer, who adamantly shakes his head.
“No can do, miss.” He blocks my path as the ambulance drives away. I watch as the ambulance turns the corner then Noah’s car pulls up. My sister rushes through the house to get to me. Her way is clear now that the other two men have been moved, cuffed, and taken away in another ambulance.
“Ry… oh my God, what’s happening?” She checks the blood on the floor then wraps her arms around me.
“Got your things?” Noah asks while scanning the house.
I nod, and Rhianna pulls me out and to the car.
Noah gets in and drives while I tell them everything that happened. Noah nods but doesn’t say a single word as he comes to a stop out the front of our apartment.
“I want to go with you.”
“No. I’ll bring him back here, though. You need to go inside and wash up.” I glance down at myself and see my white blouse has blood splatters all over it.
“I can change real quick.”
“It will be easier if you aren’t there. Let me handle it.”
Rhianna gets out of the car, then comes around and opens my door. “Come on, Noah will handle it.”
I nod even though I don’t want to and get out, looking back down at Noah. “Make sure he’s okay.”
Noah nods as I shut the car door, then he drives away.
“Ry, are you okay?” Concern laces her voice, and a shiver racks my body.
“I think so. Holy shit, Rhi. Holy shit,” I say while shaking my head.
She pulls me to her for a hug, not caring at all that I have blood all over me while I cry on her shoulder.
“It’ll be okay. You’re okay.”
I nod on her shoulder, then pull back. “I need to shower. Then we need to call Noah to see what’s happening.”
She doesn’t argue with me.
She knows me.
Better than anyone on his planet.
When I get to the shower and strip the clothes from my body, Rhianna picks up the shirt and carries it out before she comes back in and sits on the toilet while I shower.
“Ry, do you like him?”
I pause while washing my face, not even caring that some of the wetness now on my face is my own tears.
“Yes,” I answer quite simply because I know what she’s asking. Not if I like him as a friend, but do I want more.
“Does he like you?”
“I’m not sure how to answer that.”
She pulls back the shower door. “It’s a yes or no. Does he like you?”
“I think so.” I shrug. “I mean… as far as I am aware, apart from Paige, I’m his only friend.”
“But it’s not friends you want to be, right? You want more?”
“Yes, I want more.” I don’t bother lying because she’ll know I am. Rhianna nods and sits again, leaving the shower door open. It doesn’t bother me. Our bodies are exactly the same, there isn’t much difference between us apart from our personalities.
Her phone starts ringing, and I hold my breath as she answers and puts it on speaker.
“Hey.”
“They fixed him up, but he’s refusing to stay the night, and the officers said he can’t go back to his place.”
“Bring him here.” I hear myself saying before I even have time to think.
“Rhianna?” Noah asks her.
I look at her.
“Yes, bring him back here,” she confirms.
“Okay, we’ll be there soon.” He hangs up, and Rhianna focuses back on me.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“No, but he has nowhere else to go,” I say, closing the door and stepping back under the shower spray. I let the warm water wash away