Send Me a Sign(86)

“Mia? Is that—?”

“Ryan, the song’s not over. Where are you going? Get back here.” Lauren’s anger was ill-concealed in her pretty-me voice.

“Mia, baby, wait up!”

All of my strength was directed at making progress through the gym. I passed through the doors and into the foyer before pausing. “What?”

Ryan looked smaller, like the events of the night had shrunken him. He removed the crown from his head and dropped it on a bench. “I wanted to see if you’re okay. To drive you home if you want. I’m sober now, I swear. I had no idea you were in there.”

“I’m okay, and thanks, but I just need to be alone right now.”

Ryan nodded again, eyes tortured. He turned to leave me, then turned back. “Drive safe. I’ll call tomorrow. We’ll talk.” He gave me a long look before stepping back through the doors.

They shut, closing in the gossip, music, and teenage normalcy. I wanted to slump against the wall and put my head on my knees. I ached. Today had been draining—breakfast to breakup—I wanted it over.

I shook as I tried to take my coat off the rack. I used both hands; it took four tries to unfasten the top button and get it off the hanger. Draping it over my arm, I pulled my cell phone out of the pocket, waiting impatiently for it to load and pull up Gyver’s number. It was so hot in the foyer. The air was oppressive. The hall seemed to throb with a pulse, contracting and expanding with the beat from the gym. I started for the door and the frosty air of the parking lot. My arm spasmed under the weight of my jacket. I let it slip through my fingers and used one hand to steady the other as I held the phone to my face.

The ringing sounded far away, but I couldn’t remember how to turn it up. “Hi. You’ve reached Gyver. I’m not here. You know—”

I heard the clatter of its impact on the tile floor before I realized I’d dropped my phone. Picking it up was impossible. It was so far away. I leaned forward, but the world leaned more—the walls and doors at odd angles. I shut my eyes so I wouldn’t have to see them.

“Get the hell out of my way.” I knew that voice. “Mia? Your idiot ex-boyfriend wouldn’t let me through the door. Mia?” Hil’s voice was echoing off the walls. It hurt my ears. “Mia! Are you okay? Ryan! Ryan!” Something icy touched my cheek, jolted my eyes open. She was right next to me, kneeling on the floor in her formal dress. I was on the floor. When had that happened?

“Mia!” Ryan’s feet appeared, then the rest of him. “What happened?”

I shut my eyes to block out their anxious faces.

“Should we take her to the hospital?”

“Mia?”

“Her face feels so hot.”

“Call an ambulance.”





Chapter 48

My head hurt.

I tried opening my eyes, but everything was too bright and too white. It was noisy: hushed conversations and rhythmic beeping. The talking stopped when I blinked, but the beeping continued. I was in Lakeside Hospital. In pajamas from the just-in-case suitcase Mom kept in the front hall closet.

“Kitten? Are you awake?”

“Mom?” I coughed and forced my eyes open, looking around the room until I located her: Hil, Ryan, doctor-I-didn’t-know, Gyver, Mom, Dad. I panned the room, but went back to the face that mattered most. “Hi.”

“Mia Moore—you get passed over for Fall Ball queen and react by collapsing?” Gyver said. He’d been leaning against the wall playing with a pick, but stepped forward and placed his hands on the bed rails. “A little melodramatic, don’t you think?”

I smiled. My brain felt fogged. “Hi,” I repeated.

“Hi.” His voice was soft, almost shy.

“How are you feeling?” Dad startled me—I’d forgotten there were other people in the room.

“I feel … lousy.” My throat clenched in coughs to punctuate my statement.

The doctor cleared his throat. “I’d imagine you do. You have pneumonia. In fact, now you’ve all seen she’s okay, the best thing we can do for Mia is to let her get some rest. Then no more than three visitors at a time.”

Mom kissed my forehead. “I’m going to go call Dr. Kevin. Say good-bye to your friends, then get some sleep. We’ll be back.” Dad squeezed my hand and followed.

“Five minutes, then go,” the doctor ordered. “I’ll be back to check on you.”

Ryan, Hil, and Gyver hesitated. They each had an agenda; I owed each an explanation. Ryan stepped forward first. He touched my cheek. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.” The words grated against my throat and I coughed to clear them.

If possible, he paled further. “Don’t apologize; just get better.”

Hil stepped forward and pushed Ryan out of the way. He looked like he might argue, then didn’t. Simply drifted back to lean against the wall. She opened and shut her mouth three times before she could get the words out. “I thought it’d be easier to be mad at you than scared. It wasn’t.” Her eyes were anguished; they flitted between my bare head and the needle in my arm. “Don’t ever lie to me like that again.”

“I won’t. I’m sorry,” I rasped.

“I’m sorry too.” She hugged me, wary of my tubes. “I thought you didn’t need me anymore.” She was tearing up and I was too.