CHAPTER 049 : HitAndRun *** ~~FINN~~ *** Delilahhasntstoppedglaringatme.
Shessittingtomyleftintheonlyvisitorchairintheroom,armscrossedsotightlyacrossherchestImhalfconvincedshe stryingtofoldherselfinhalf.Herlegsareangledawayfromme,buthereyestheyhaventmoved.Notonce.Notsincethedoctorgavehervisitationclearance.
Couldyoustopwiththelooks,please?Igrumble,adjustingmyselfonthehospitalbed.
Myarmisimmobilizedinaheavydutysling,wrappedandelevatedwithwhatfeelsliketenpoundsofgauzeandVelcro.Imalreadyinpainasitstands.Idontneedyoubreathing downmyneck.
Delilahonlyglaresharder.
IcouldgotojailforwhatIdid,shesays.
No,youwont.Iaskedyoutodoit.Itwasmydecision.
Shelooksawayforthefirsttime,fingersthreadingthroughherhairassherubshertemple.Hervoicecomesquieter.Tighter.
Stilldoesnt changethefactthatIstupidlyagreedtobreakyourarmwitha hammerandpushyoudownaflightofstairs.Youcouldvesnappedyour neckanddied,Finn.Ialmosthada heartattackwhenIheardyourskullhitthatrailing.JesusChrist.
Itsalright.Ididntdie.
Shelowersherhandto herlap.Herfaceispalerthanusual.Thelipglossshereappliedearlierhaslongsincefaded.Hermascarassmudgingunderhereyes,andherearringskeepshakingeverytimeshebreathes,likethey,too,areonedge.Thatswhyyougotmeintoxicated,shemutters.BecauseyouknewIddo anythingyousaidwhenImtipsy.
Irollmyeyesandstareatthewhiteceilingtilesabove.Shesactinginnocentnow.Likewehaventdoneworse.
Therewasthefrathouseincidentincollegetheonethatendedwithhalftheplacecoveredinfoamandtheotherhalfinfireextinguisherresidue.Wedtrashedthe placetogether.Thenwedbothsnuckoutthesketchyfireescape.Istillrememberthewaythatstructurerattledandbentunderourweight.ShewasalwaysateverypartyIwenttoeven thoughshewasntastudentherself.Thecopscame.Someoneelsegot arrested.
Andtheseniorprankinhighschool?Theonethatnearlygot Knoxexpelled?Thatwasallher.Iwasasophomorebackthen,butIknewallaboutit.Hell,weplannedittogether.ShewastheonewhoeventuallytalkedKnoxoutoftroublewiththatsweet,innocentvoiceandafacethatcouldsellliesforaliving.
TherewaseventhatweekendinMaryland.Shestoleacopstaserjusttotestatheorysomethingaboutwhetherelectricitywould arcacrosswet pavement.Itdid.Rightintomy fuckingkneecaps.
ThatwasthethingaboutDelilah.Shesneverbeeninnocent.

Shesjustsobernow.Andsobriety,forher,comeswithalittleregret.
Sheschaotic,loyal,andwhenshehashadjustenoughliquorinherbloodstream,shestopsquestioninganything.ShedfollowmeoffacliffifIsaiditledtoabetterview.
WhenIbroughtthehammertoherearliertoday,sheblinkedonceandasked,Areyoutryingtocallinsicktoworktomorrow? Ireplied,Partofthereason,yeah.
Shejustshrugged.ToldmeIshouldvesnortedcrackfirst.Thisisgonnahurt,sheadded,swingingbackherarm.
Shedidntneedtotellme.
Thepainshotstraightthroughmyboneslikeelectricity.Myvisionhadgoneblackaroundtheedges.Icouldntfeelmyfingers.Iheardthecrack.Feltitvibratethroughmychest.
Shescreamed.OhmyGod.OhmyGod,Finn,whatdidIdo? Icouldbarelyspeak.But Igotthewordsout: Quick.BeforeIchangemymind.Pushmedownthestairs.
Shehesitated.
SoIwhisperedhernameinthetoneIalwaysusewhenIneedherto bebraveforme.
CHAPTER049HitAndRun AndthenItumbleddownthreeflightsofhardwoodstairwelllikealoadedsack.
Nowhereweare.
Themedsarestartingtowearoff.Icanfeeltheachesettlingin.Mybodyisstiff.Myheadisalittlefoggy,butthehazehelps.
Delilahkeepswringingherhandslikeshewantstowringmyneckinstead.
Look,Lila,Isay,shifting again.Howabout youjustgohomeandrest,okay?Illbedischargedtomorrow.Imalright.
Ibrokeyourfuckingarm,Finn.
AndIloveyouforit.

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Shescowls.Hereyeswater,butshedoesntletthetearsfall.
Justgohome.Youllhavetheentirebedtoyourselftonight.IpromiseIllgetyousomethingniceforallyourhardwork.
Shenodsslowly,dazed.
Alright.Butyoustillhaventtoldmewhyyoudidit.
Iwasbored.
Herfacetwistsindisbelief.Sheopenshermouthtoargue,butmaybeshecantfindtherightwordstoretort.Shesighsinstead,grabsherpurse,andheadsforthedoor.
Seeyoulater,then.
Beforeshereachesit,Sloaneappears justoutsidetheroom.
Theybothfreeze.
SlosneseyeslockontoDelilahfirstnarrowingforjustamomentbeforetheylandonme.
Andsuddenly,herwholefacechanges.
Concernfloodsherfeatures.
ItsbeensolongsinceIsawthatlookonherface.SinceshelookedatmelikeImattered.
Iswear,Ialmoststartcryingfromrelief.
Finn, shesays,walking in.Hervoicebreaksalittle.OhmyGod.
Shecomestothesideofmybed,hoveringlikeshewantstotouchmebutisntsureifshesallowed.Herhandsflutteruselesslyather sides.

God,Iwanthertotouchme.
Toplacehersoftpalmsonmychest.Tosayshestillcares.
ButallIsayis, Sloane.Youcame.
OfcourseIdid,shesays,hereyesscanningthebracearoundmyarm.Whatthefuckhappened?Youdidntseethecarcoming? Ilookaway.
Iwalkedintotheroad.Mymindwasallovertheplace.
Herfacefalls.
Iknowherwellenoughtoseetheguiltsettingin.Shesblamingherself.Thinkingmaybeitwashersilencethatsentmespiraling.AndIdontstopher.
Letherfeelit.Letherstay.
Hasthedriverbeenarrested?sheasks.
Hitandrun,Isay.Honestly,itsfine.
Delilah,stillbythedoor, suddenlystepsforward.
Icantbelievethis,shesays.Hervoiceislowanddangerous.Youknowwhat,Finn?IwishthatCARhadcrushedyourfuckingskullandleftyoufordead.
Lila,Istart.
Butsheflipsmeoff.
Andwalksoutwithoutanotherword.
Sloanefrownsinconfusion.Whatwasthatabout?