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“Have you asked him about it?”
“Yeah, but he just brushes it off as work.”
“You don’t think it is?”
“No, it probably is... but that still doesn’t make it okay,” she says vehemently.
“You’re right.” She doesn’t need me to tell her that’s a shitty way for her to be living. She sighs again before putting on a brighter voice.
“But enough moaning from me. When can we get together?”
“Can I check the roster and get back to you?”
“Absolutely. Call me soon!”
She says bye and hangs up as I get into the car, worrying about my best friend on top of everything else already filling my brain.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Sawyer
The days turn into weeks, and training for The Games continues as usual. It’s hard to make time for each other, with each of us trying to fit working hours around training sessions. Harlow seems determined to be with us at as many of our individual sessions as she can, which means we get to spend some time with her, but she’s dead on her feet by the time she gets home with whoever’s training runs the latest, and Nico arrives back later and leaves earlier than any of us.
It’s not the best environment, and we’re all slowly but surely getting frustrated and irritable. Even Ezra, who’s normally cool as a cucumber. It feels like we pass like ships in the night, and outside of the compound, I feel like I haven’t seen Harlow awake for more than two minutes for days.
I walk into combat searching for Harlow, who is meeting us here after her shift at The Grind, but instead, I see the backs of a crowd of people.
“What’s going on?” I ask one of the guys as I pass, heading for the locker room, and he turns, nodding in front of him.
“She just passed out.” I stop in my tracks, knowing there’s only twoshes he could be talking about, and push my way through the circle of people blocking my view. Sure enough, Harlow is sitting, propped up on her hands, blinking warily up at the ceiling as the instructor kneels beside her.
“Harlow?!” She turns to face me as I crouch and place the back of my hand against her forehead. “What happened?”
“I just got a bit lightheaded,” she explains weakly, before glancing at everyone surrounding her.
“Alright, show’s over,” I call out, and they lose interest and disperse, finding their individual mats again.
“Take her to the medical bay,” the instructor grunts before standing up and dismissing us both.
“I don’t need to go,” Harlow tells me. “It’s just that time of the month,” she whispers.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I hadn’t even noticed, life being too busy recently, and I feel like a shitty boyfriend. “Come on.” I stand and hold my hand out, and she pulls herself up with my help.
“I told you, I don’t need to go to medical.”
“We’re not. I’m taking you home.” I’m not sure that’s allowed, since we’d be missing a session, but seeing as Nico is back in our good graces, I think he’ll cut us some slack. Ezra is heading toward the doors as we exit, my arm around Harlow’s shoulders.
“Aren’t you going the wrong way?” he asks lightly.
“Harlow passed out,” I explain, and his brows lower in concern. “I’m gonna take her home.”
“I just got a little lightheaded,” she argues. “I’m fine.”
“Let’s go home,” Ezra agrees.
Ezra drives us home but pulls up outside the building rather than parking. “I’m gonna pop into the shop, seeing as we have some free time. I’ll be in in a minute.”
“I’ll come with you,” she says, sitting back in her seat, but he turns to face her with a shake of his head.
