18. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
Rory
" G irl, I'm honestly so mad that I'm not there with you to see all of this wild shit going on. It sounds like I'm missing out on so much drama," Chrissie says, watching me as I hurriedly get ready on facetime.
"I'd happily swap places with you in a heartbeat. The ride home last night was the most awkward situation I think I've ever been in."
"But you admit that you felt safer in the car with that scary motherfucker than you did on the bus, right?"
I huff and nod my head as I run a brush through my hair, wincing when the bristles get caught on a knot.
"Yeah, surprisingly I did. It's weird, Chrissie. I hardly know any of them, and yet I feel more comfortable around them than any other men I've ever been surrounded by, excluding Nathan obviously."
"Maybe that just goes to show that being away from here is helping you heal," she suggests.
I shake my head and laugh as I slip my shoes on.
"If that was the case, I wouldn't feel my body lock up every time someone's about to touch me, and I wouldn't have to calm myself down every time someone's behind me or walking past me."
"It's going to take time, but eventually, it won't be like that. "
"Is there any update with things?" I ask, biting on the inside of my cheek, waiting for her response.
She glances around and then leans closer to the screen, even though she's in the comfort of her own home and no one is around her.
"Honestly? Not really. Killian thought he was getting through to Danny, convincing him that he'd search for you and telling him to just let you be.
Danny seemed to accept that, thinking Killian was on his side, he even sent Danny to New York to deal with some shit with the Garcia's to make it seem like everything was normal, but Killian thinks he found something whilst he was over there because since he's been back, he's been on a rampage. "
"What do you mean he's been on a rampage?" I ask, my voice shaky.
She grimaces as she looks at me through the screen, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she takes in my worried and fearful expression.
"He's just a little out of control at the moment… you know how he can be."
"Yeah, unfortunately I know that side of him better than anyone," I mutter, wiping my sweaty hands along the leg of my scrubs.
"You don't need to worry though. Killian's keeping me and Nathan updated, so we know that he's still in Ireland, and he's not actively searching for you. Plus, Killian's still making some sort of plan, and with how Danny's been acting lately, I'm sure he'll speed things up soon enough."
"I'm still not sure how I feel about all of this, Chrissie."
She scoffs and shakes her head.
"Aurora, I love you, but you seriously need to lose that conscience sometimes.
That man put you through hell and he deserves to be punished for it.
We both know that with him still living and breathing, you're never going to stop looking over your shoulder.
He deserves everything that's coming to him. "
A tear trickles down her cheek, and I sigh.
"I know."
"Talking about all of this, I have a book recommendation!"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I've been reading a lot lately because Nathan doesn't really want me doing anything else. Anyway, I think you'll love this book, and I even think it might help you out at the moment. It's called Bound By Secrets , and I promise, the cover is beautiful."
I chuckle slightly at her comment about the cover, and I swipe out of the call so I can search the book and read the blurb.
"Honestly, the book sent me on an emotional rollercoaster, and I will say, it may be a little triggering, but the storyline as a whole is beautiful, despite the devastating events that happen."
"Okay, well, I'll add it to my library now and then take my Kindle to work so I can start reading it later."
Just then, a loud knock sounds through my apartment and I sigh.
"That'll be those two psychopaths at my door again wanting to take me to work," I say, rolling my eyes at Chrissie on our video call.
"Well, have fun with that situation. I'd actually suggest just getting into the car with them this time instead of being stubborn and walking. Talk later!"
I jokingly glare at her through the phone and then say bye, chucking my phone into my handbag, along with my kindle and then make my way through the apartment to my door .
When I yank the door open, I'm surprised to see Sophia on the other side, beaming up at me.
"Hey! Are you ready?"
I frown and look around, seeing that she's standing outside by herself.
"Yeah, I'm ready… How comes you're here? Not that I'm complaining," I say, closing the door behind me and locking it.
"Well, I thought if I came along, you'd feel more comfortable and hopefully get in the car today so that I don't have to deal with Kaleb grumbling about it later.
I also have an appointment at the hospital and was planning to pop in to see Jaylen afterwards, so I figured it makes sense for me to just come along with Kaleb this morning considering we're all going to the same place. "
I follow her down the few flights of stairs that lead up to my level, contemplating on whether I should ask her if she's okay and what her appointment is for, but I decide against it as we walk towards the gate, not wanting to come across as a nosey bitch.
"I have a question actually," I say as we walk out of the gate and towards Kaleb's car across the street.
"Ask away."
"How is it that you're all able to get into my apartment complex?"
She glances at me over her shoulder.
"What do you mean?"
"It's a gated community," I state, opening the back door of Kaleb's car as she opens the passenger door. "You need a key or a code to get in, and as far as I'm aware, only residents have access, yet Kaleb was able to get in yesterday and you've also managed to get in today. "
"Kaleb has his ways," she responds, shrugging her shoulders and smirking slightly before climbing in the car.
Standing with the door open, I stare at the bus stop down the road, wondering if I should make a run for it because I'm convinced, now more than ever, that Sophia is in love with a psychopath.
Knowing I couldn't run fast enough, I climb into the backseat, place my bag on my lap and settle into the leather seat.
"It's a nice little place you live in," Sophia says, swivelling around to face me form the passenger seat as Kaleb pulls away from the curb and drives down the street. "How long have you lived there?"
"Not too long," I reply, keeping my answer vague and turning my attention to the scenery outside so I can avoid her curious gaze.
"Ah, okay. Sorry, I don't want it to seem like I'm prying or anything."
"That's exactly what you're doing," Kaleb says, laughing when she swats her hand at him. "Stop twisting round like that and sit properly please."
She huffs and shakes her head, turning to face the front of the car again and slumping back in her seat.
With the silence in the car growing, I decide to sneakily pull my Kindle out of my bag and begin reading the book Chrissie told me about this morning.
After reading the first few paragraphs, I relax into the leather seat as I become fully engrossed in the book.
"Rory!" Sophia calls out, tapping her hand against my knee and forcing me to lift my head, tearing my attention away from my Kindle. "We're here. "
I glance out the window and see we're outside the hospital and my eyebrows raise when I realise I had no idea the car had even stopped.
"Oh, shoot. Sorry, I was reading," I explain, shoving my Kindle back into my bag and then unclipping my seatbelt. "Thank you!"
I quickly jump out the car and rush through the hospital entrance, fumbling with my phone to check the time as I walk towards the elevators.
"Hold the doors!"
I slam my arm between the closing doors, wincing as I picture them forcing themselves shut and breaking my arm off, but thankfully they stop and push open again, revealing Lola jogging down the hallway towards me.
"Oh, thank God!" she says breathlessly as joins me, slumping against the side of the elevator. "I swear, these early morning starts are going to kill me."
I chuckle as the doors close, and the elevator starts moving.
"They're not that bad once you get used to the routine," I tell her, trying not to laugh as I watch her hunched over with her hands pressing against her knees as she greedily sucks down oxygen.
"I've always been on late shifts, ever since I first started, but now that Rayna's on maternity leave and Kirsty left, Markus has been switching up my time-table and it's hell. There's no sort of routine and I'm honestly falling apart."
"Damn, that sounds tough."
The elevator stops on our level and we both walk down the corridor together towards the staff room.
"It is, but he's promised me that he'll have everything sorted out in the next few days. "
We unlock our lockers, putting our stuff inside and then move over to the sinks to wash our hands.
"Do you want to have lunch together today? I'd assume you're on break at one as well considering we're starting at the same time."
I hesitate for a moment, unsure if I'm ready to push myself into trying to make new friends and get to know someone, but then I nod my head in agreement and push all of the doubts inside my mind out of the way.
I'm here for a fresh start, and I'm here to make a new life for myself.
I don't want to be alone and isolate myself any longer.
"I'll meet you in the cafeteria at one then, yeah?" I ask as I backpedal towards the door.
"Yeah, for sure!"