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“So, what now? Will you be arresting CJ? Because I hit him, too. I hit him over the head with a stool.”
Grady steps forward, squeezing her foot. “Allie, calm down. We aren’t arresting CJ. We still have a lot of investigating to do, but from CJ’s statement, it’s clear it was self-defence.”
“You aren’t going to take him away from me?” she asks, a sigh of relief escaping her. “He saved me.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Cupcake,” I whisper, kissing her forehead.
“We’ll leave you to get some rest. A uniformed police officer will be by in the morning to get your statements. We just wanted to stop by and keep you updated.”
I nod, watching them leave, and glance down at Allie.
Being arrested hadn’t even crossed my mind. I’ve been too worried about Allie and facing the fact I took a life to even think about it.
But knowing I won’t be held accountable is a huge relief. Because looking down at Allie, I can’t picture my life without her.
*** *** ***
It’s just after midnight and Allie and I have been put into our own room, thanks to my mum. She wanted to give us privacy, since the doctors admitted the both of us to stay overnight.
Mum walks in with two cups of coffee. She hands Allie one, and I pout. “Where’s mine?”
She leans over and kisses my forehead. “None for you. They told you to drink water and to eat something.”
“I’m allowed food?” I ask, my mood brightening.
Allie laughs, shaking her head. “The doctor said it’s fine, as long as you don’t overeat.”
I scoff. “I don’t overeat.”
“You do,” Allie and Mum say simultaneously.
“Anyway, your dad is waiting for me outside. We’re going to stay next door—in the hotel. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will. Can you bring me something to eat in the morning? The food is crap here.”
Mum nods. “I will. I promise. They have a McDonald’s down the road, and a Greggs. Oh, and your friends are going to come in. They can’t stay long, but under the circumstances, the nurse has agreed to let them in.”
We both nod and say our goodbyes. It’s not long before we hear feet stomping outside the room.
“Do you think they’ll hate me?” I ask before they reach the door. “I’m part of the reason those girls were killed.”
Allie moves, glancing up at me. “I’ve blamed myself for so much, for so long, CJ. But it hasn’t been until tonight that I realise we don’t control the actions of others. We can factor in it, but we don’t cause it. We aren’t the ripple effect that sets something into motion. We didn’t do anything to set Alex off. We didn’t bully him, we didn’t hurt him, and we certainly didn’t raise him to be this person. All we did was be his friend.”
I watch her in awe. “When did you start making sense?”
She forces a smile, lowering her gaze for a moment. “From the moment I realised I’d never be able to live in a world you aren’t in.”
I lean in and capture her lips with a kiss.
The door pushes open and we pull away, taking in our friends stricken faces. Jordan is the first to enter the room, her face bright red and blotchy.
“I’m so fucking sorry. I butt answered your call and didn’t realise until twenty minutes into it that something was wrong. I called the police straight away when I heard what Alex was saying. I’m so fucking sorry,” she cries.
Allie sits up, pressing the button to our bed to sit us up higher. “You saved our lives, Jordan. Thank you.”
Jordan pauses at the end of the bed, her cheeks paling. The others file into the room. Willow, Rosie and Becca head to Allie’s side, and Cole to mine.
“What?”
