Harris grabbed his hand and held so tight that Kaden couldn’t pull away, though he tried.
“Another sip,” the nurse said.
Kaden tried again. This time it went down.But it hurt.
“We looked at your phone,” the nurse continued. “Your top two contacts were your dad and your boyfriend.” She smiled at Harris, then turned to Kaden. “Your dad’s on his way.”
Kaden managed to tug free of Harris’ hold and mimed writing.
“I’ll get you a pad.” The nurse stepped away.
Harris leaned in close, his breath warm against Kaden’s ear. “Someone stick a monster cock down your throat?” He sniggered. “Fucking serves you right, you wanker.Nowwe’re even for this.” He pointed at his face, then suddenly clutched his stomach. “Ah fuck!”
Kaden felt as if he’d been thrown into freezing water. He was paralysed with shock. What did Harris mean?And why was he holding his stomach?
“Kaden!”
His dad rushed to his side, breathing heavily, his eyes sharp with worry. “Are you okay?”
Kaden glanced at Harris, who was still doubled over, then back at his dad, silently begging him to understand.
“You can leave, Harris,” his dad said flatly. “Why are you even here? You’re no longer his boyfriend.”
He isn’t?Kaden was stunned.
Harris opened his mouth, clearly thought better of it, and stumbled off. Did what was wrong with Harris have something to do with what was the matter with him? When had he and Harris finished? Kaden couldn’t remember telling… Whatcouldhe remember?
The nurse returned with paper and pencil and handed it to him.
“What’s happened?” his dad asked.
He was looking at Kaden, but the nurse answered. “Kaden was found unconscious in a hospital toilet. He managed to pull the emergency cord.”
I did?
“The drip?”
“He’s dehydrated and his throat is extremely sore and bruised.”
“Oh. It’s not his heart then?”
“I’ll get the doctor to speak to you.”
His dad turned to him, shock all over his face. “What the hell has happened?”
Kaden pointed at his mouth and shook his head.
“You can’t speak?”
Another shake.
“Write it down.”
Oh shit. Write what down? I have no idea what’s happened?
Kaden wrapped his fingers awkwardly around the pencil, let his hand tremble and scratched uselessly at the paper like he couldn’t make the letters behave. It was close to the truth. He allowed despair to flood his face—that part wasn’t even hard. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t remember.
His dad studied him for a long moment, then stroked Kaden’s hair. “You can raise one finger for yes. Two for no. Right?”
