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A cave.
Shaking so much, I thought I was coming out of my skin…
Adrenaline crash.
Vance pushes up from his seat and approaches her, bringing her into his chest. His eyes are red when they dart to Nolan, then me, reminding me I’m…here.
My gaze drops, my vision growing out of focus.
“We used the EpiPen. The paramedics arrived and made sure she was stable before transferring her here.”
I hear what they’re saying as if it’s coming from down a long, winding tunnel.
“Where is she? Can I see her?” Nolan rushes out, his voice breaking.
I feel something in my own chest crack too at the sound. My fingers twitch at my side, clenching into my palms. The urge to grab him and press my nose to his back is there—right there—like a word sitting on the tip of your tongue.
But I’m trapped in my head. My body won’t cooperate. It just keeps…stalling in place.
“The nurse said to wait here. Mel came here with her in the ambulance. I-I don’t know why they wouldn’t let us back, but—”
“I’ll go see if there’s…been any update, or anything,” Nolan utters quietly, turning, and brushing past me.
I gulp, suddenly feeling very, very alone, and very, very out of place.
Feeling eyes on me, I peek up to find Mel staring at me like she just noticed I’m here—Nolan didn’t come alone—and something in me sinks.
I should’ve stayed in the car. What was I thinking coming inside?
But it didn’t even occur to menotto. I wanted to be here for Nolan. And if the way he gripped my hand the whole way here told me anything, he wanted me with him too. It probably didn’t even cross his mind—it sure as hell didn’t cross mine.
Mel cocks her head curiously, nose and eyes red from tears, but her panic seemingly forgotten, at least for the moment. “Who are you?” she asks, her voice raw from crying.
Vance rubs her shoulders, and presses a kiss to her head, staring somewhere far-off over her head.
It takes longer than it should to get my voice to work, but Mel doesn’t seem to notice or mind. She just watches me with a look I can’t place.
Mel. Short for Melody.
Greek origin.
Music.
An easy one.
“Um, I’m…I’m Skyler,” I finally manage, my voice coming out quiet and throaty. And then words rush out before I can stop them. “A f-friend of Nolan’s.”
Her mouth parts, eyes widening, and I drop my gaze, staring at some unfocused spot below her chest.
I feel her watching me for a long moment, and it takes everything in me to hold still.
This…this wasn’t how it was supposed to go.
Please don’t ask for details.
“You’reSky?” she says slowly.
I still, every restless nerve in me just sparking to a grinding stop.
