“No, I did what I had to do. I was trying to protect her! It was better to be on the inside than on the outside and have no idea what moves my father would be making. He needed to be taken down! I did that for her!”
“Look at her, Jace! You really think you were doing her a favor? That you protected her? She's like this because of you!”
Jace.
Luca.
They're yelling... about me?
I'm staring up at a white ceiling. Not concrete. The hope starts up in my chest.
“Isobel? Can you hear me?” Maeve's voice comes from my right, I shut my eyes again, shaking my head.
No, no, no, please tell me this isn't a dream.That would be too cruel.
“Isobel? Iz?” Her voice comes again.
I let my eyes crack open, letting them roam around the room. I finally turn my head towards Maeve's voice. My head feels like it weighs a hundred pounds.
There, in the chair beside my bed, holding my hand in a vice grip, I'm not sure how I didn't notice it before—is Maeve.
Her eyes are puffy and rimmed red. She's wearing a large gray hoodie and her elbows rest on my bed.
“Maeve?” My voice is small, but hopeful.
“Iz, oh thank God.” The tears spill down her cheeks, her head falls forward onto the bed. Her shoulders shake as she silently cries.
“Sh...” I squeeze her hand, “I'm here.” I swallow roughly.
“You don't get to see her until she asks for you!” Luca storms into the room, locking the door behind him. He rests his back against it, his head tilted toward the ceiling.
His muscles are rigid. He looks tired. But the sight of him makes something in my chest ease.
“Luca.” I rasp.
His head whips down, his eyes finding mine immediately.
“Iz...Isobel!” he rushes over to my left, sliding into the chair there. “Maeve, why didn't you tell me she woke up?”
Maeve lifts her head, wiping her cheeks, sniffling.
“I literally just opened my eyes,” I answered, clearing my throat.
“Here!” Luca jumps up, grabs the plastic pitcher and pours it into a cup. He grabs the straw from the table and brings it over, holding it to my mouth.
“Thanks.” I try to smile, then greedily suck the water down. The cold water hits my parched throat and I swear I could float up to heaven right now.
“Drink slow, Iz.” Maeve puts her hand on my shoulder. “The doctor said to take it slow. Let me go get him, actually.” She stands up and rushes out of the room.
“I think that's the first time she's left your side.” Luca smiles, his lip ring glinting in the hospital light.
“She's a good egg.” I laugh weakly.
“She is. You should've seen it. She slapped Jace so hard! She also threatened to take him out with a bat.” Luca's smile dims a bit.
My smile drops completely.
Jace. Dakota.
