Chapter 17
Ren
It was quiet in the library today, which was fabulous. I loved it when we could take the large table on the second floor, and it didn’t matter if we laughed a little too loud, because the place was empty.
“And here I thought that I had drama,” Lizzy said.
She was sitting in bed with the laptop on her legs as she ate a plate of fruit.
“But I have to admit that having two guys fighting over you in a club is hot. I’d be down for that, but I don’t think anyone is going to be fighting over me in my current condition.”
“Stop it, you’re beautiful,” Ivy said.
“Sure…I’m just what every guy our age is after…pregnant. One look and they run for the hills.”
She popped a grape into her mouth, pouting in a way that only Lizzy could, and it still looked sexy. The girl really had no idea how pretty she was.
“Anyway, enough about me, I want to hear more about you two.”
“That’s it for me. I haven’t talked to either of the guys since Friday. I’m not sure if they’re going to ever talk to me again,” Ivy said.
“They’ll come around,” I said, rubbing her shoulder.
“What about you, my sister from another mister. What is new with you,” Lizzy asked, and I sighed.
“Ethan is back in the hospital, but he’s getting out today.”
“Oh no, what happened,” Lizzy asked.
“He fell and tore some of his stitches. But the thing is…and maybe I’m making a mountain out of a mole hill, but no one called me to tell me, not until today. I had no idea that Ethan had fallen or that Theo and Blake were taking turns staying at the hospital. I…I just feel cut off?”
“So would I,” Lizzy said.
“No, don’t,” Ivy said.
We all laughed at the conflicting responses. Sobering, I looked at Ivy.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t feel cut off.”
She shrugged as she spun her pen between her fingers like a little helicopter.
“Okay…I think they should have sent you a text. But you’re still healing, Ren. And…you know, I love you, but you tend to want to fix things. Maybe that isn’t what they need, and it’s possible that Ethan doesn’t want to see anyone.”
Sighing, I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms.
“Maybe.”
I was tempted to tell them about the creepy text, but decided not just yet. I didn’t need to freak the two of them out…
Wait…I just did the same thing to Ivy and Lizzy that the guys did to me. Dammit. I was just as bad.
“Are you angry? You look angry,” Lizzy said.
Lizzy looked worried when I glanced at the computer. I thought about her question before shaking my head.
“No, I’m not angry. I just realized that I’m as bad as the guys when it comes to protecting people I care about.
So who the hell am I to cast stones? But I am a little hurt.
Regardless of the reason, they didn’t feel they should or could tell me.
I hate that they kept me in the dark,” I grumbled, doodling on the piece of paper in front of me.
“And yes, I’m aware of how ridiculously selfish that sounds. ”
Lizzy bit into a strawberry, and my stomach gurgled. She was making me hungry.
“At least you own up to your shit. Besides, I think Ivy might be right. They didn’t want to add more to your plate. They’re normally great at sharing, aren’t they?”
Lizzy smirked, and by the devious look in her eyes, I knew she wasn’t talking about emotions or possible danger.
“They think they need to protect me. That is what bugs me most. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, and I want to be able to lean on them, but I don’t need to be sheltered or coddled.
When I lost my memory, the doctor told them to keep me in the dark, and they all agreed.
But now it’s like they hide everything automatically. ”
“Then talk to them, let them know. Definitely don’t let it fester. We all saw how great keeping a secret went for me,” Ivy said as her pen flew across the room and rolled down the stairs.
We looked at each other and then started laughing.
“I couldn’t do that again if I tried,” Ivy said, wiping tears from her eyes.
It felt good to smile.
“Is it safe to come up here?”
Rory stepped into view, holding up the pen like a white flag, making us laugh harder.
“Yes, sorry, butterfingers,” Ivy said, getting up to take the pen.
“Is lacrosse practice over,” I asked Rory.
I didn’t know him well, but the guys trusted him, and he had been hanging around more often.
“Yeah, but Myles went to the dorms. Was he supposed to come here,” Rory asked as he walked over.
“No, it’s fine. We didn’t have plans to meet up. Do you want to join us?”
Lizzy made a little sound, and I glanced at her, not sure if she was choking on something. Her mouth was hanging open, eyes wide and focused on Rory. Her cheeks had turned a bright red, and she was utterly still, like the computer had glitched and she was frozen on the screen.
“Hi.” Rory raised his hand in greeting. “Are you okay?”
“I have to go,” Lizzy said.
Before I could respond or even say bye, she closed her laptop and disappeared.
Ivy and I shared a look before I snorted and then laughed.
“Did I offend her? I hope I didn’t,” Rory said, sitting down.
“No, you didn’t offend her,” I said, laughing harder.
“Are you sure, she looked offended.”
Ivy was laughing so hard that she had to cover her face, while I tried to pull myself together.
“I promise you. She was not offended.”
He didn’t look like he believed me, but dropped the topic.
Lizzy had experienced what I called a classic brain-fry moment.
At various points in our relationship, I’d endured the same with all my guys. You couldn’t function and stared stupidly, hoping a single coherent thought would come out to save you.
I’d mentioned Rory before, but he’d never been around when Lizzy was online. Now that I knew she thought he was hot…I was going to have to be the annoying best friend who made sure she got to see more of him. I smirked at the thought.
Rory was good-looking in a swarthy kind of way.
Tanned skin, chocolate eyes, and hair that matched.
He looked like he had stepped right off a beach photoshoot.
He was built like Myles with broad shoulders and a tapered waist, but I hadn’t really paid that much attention.
I smiled, thinking of how cute he and Lizzy would be together.
Rory pulled out his laptop and textbooks.
“What are you working on?”
“Creative writing. The assignment is to take old nursery rhymes and turn them into something new. Something that interests us,” he said, and the smile fell from my face.
“Did you say nursery rhymes?”
Rory nodded as he turned on his laptop.
“Yeah, you know, like Jack Be Nimble and Rub-a-dub-dub. That kind of thing.”
My pulse picked up, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. My eyes darted around the old library that suddenly didn’t feel so safe.
Rory opened his notebook and then looked at me.
“Is everything okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I could feel Ivy staring at me, but I suppressed my initial fear and looked Rory over. How well did I really know him? How well did the guys know him?
“I’m good, sorry,” I said, forcing a smile. “What teacher is that?”
“Mr. Martelli. He is always assigning us strange stuff, but I enjoy the class. I want to write scripts for television or movies one day, but who knows? I’ll most likely end up getting rejected and delivering DoorDash for all the luck I have.”
“How big is that class? I hadn’t considered it, but it sounds interesting,” I said, trying to keep the conversation casual while getting as much information as possible.
Rory shrugged and clicked his pen. The noise sounded like gunshots in the otherwise silent library.
“There are about twenty people in my class and three senior classes. So I guess around sixty.”
He smiled, and there didn’t seem to be anything off about him, but my nerves were shot and my judgement…wasn’t the best.
“It’s too bad you didn’t choose it. I think you would’ve had fun.”
“Yeah, too bad. Anyone doing anything with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?”
He tapped the pen off his chin and then shrugged.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure someone will. We have to write four, and there are only so many nursery rhymes or uncopyrighted children’s songs available. Why? Is that one special to you?”
“No, just curious.”
Ivy touched my leg and mouthed, “What’s going on?” when Rory wasn’t looking. I responded, “Later.”
Turning my attention back to my homework, I tried to focus on what I needed to do, but now I couldn’t stop thinking about that text message. And worse, I kept staring at Rory, wondering if it was him. I hated that I was so suspicious of everyone.
No matter how hard I’d tried not to let it happen…Wayward had changed me, and I wasn’t sure it was for the better.