Chapter Four
Vivian
“Girl, did you and that monkey wrench finally do it like animals?”
“What?”
“Come on—don’t deny it. You have a mark on your neck, and he was so dang possessive of you in the hall,” Shelby continues.
“Ms. Colman, please keep your conversations down. We don’t need to know about Ms. Lawrence’s relationship with Mr. West.”
“It’s okay, Mr. Hart. Shelby’s just jealous because she’s been trying to get her hands on someone like Simon and it hasn’t worked,” Quinn says, sticking her tongue out at Shelby who flips her off.
“Enough, girls.” Mr. Hart rubs between his brows in frustration. I receive glares from Shelby for the rest of dinner, but I ignore them because my mind is on Simon. I’ve been thinking about what he said. Even though he was a jerk, I want to talk to him and maybe figure this thing out between us.
“Where’s Richie?” I ask Quinn in a hushed voice, hoping that bitch Shelby didn’t hear me.
“Why? Looking for another fucking lay?” Shelby hisses.
“He said he wasn’t feeling well and stayed back at the hotel,” Quinn says. She rolls her eyes at Shelby who sticks her tongue out at Quinn.
Funny, when I saw Richie earlier, he was fine. Maybe it was the encounter with Simon that upset him. He has that effect on people—ruining plans is his thing.
My plans for the future aren’t set in stone, and they sure as hell aren’t solely based on Simon.
The way he said that I was his makes me believe he’s been telling me the truth.
A part of me needs to know more. When we return to the resort, I pretend to go to my room, but instead, I stroll toward Simon’s room.
I pace back and forth outside of his door after coming back from dinner with my classmates.
I’m still thinking about the way his mouth was on mine and the dirty promises that he made to me about our future.
I paced outside his door when he doesn’t answer for at least twenty minutes. I’m about to leave when his parents come down the hall with his brothers and sister. “Is Simon inside?” his mother asks.
“No. In fact, I was waiting for him to come back.”
“Come back?”
“Yes. We had a fight and he stormed off, and I left with my class to dinner.”
“He didn’t come back in all that time?”
“No. At least, not that I’m aware of.”
“Oh my God.” Mrs. West looks at her husband. “Simon. My baby. Where is he?” she sobs.
Simon’s brother Eric comes up to me and says, “We didn’t get to talk earlier, but I wanted to show you something —”
He’s about to tell me when Simon’s dad says, “He’s not answering his phone.”
The sound of sirens can be heard in the distance.
Mrs. West places a hand on her belly; panic is etched on her face.
“Calm down, Dash. Our boy is okay. There’s always someone getting hurt on the slopes or out drunk.
Simon is probably at the bar or gone to get some food. Maybe his phone is out of battery.”
A classmate of mine comes running in. “Mr. and Mrs. West. It’s your son.” He tries to catch his breath and then continues, “It’s Simon. He was hit by a car. They are taking him to the hospital right now.”
“Oh my God.” I can’t hear anything as the room spins and goes dark.
****
I’m woken up by Eric, who wipes a towel over my face. “Viv, you’re awake. Thank goodness. We’re so glad that you’re okay.” I look around, and I’m on the sofa in the middle of the hotel luxury lounge with Simon’s siblings.
“Who cares about me? What is going on with Simon?” I question.
“He’s in surgery, and we don’t know what’s going on.”
“What about your mom? Is she okay?” I can’t imagine being in her position. My heart is breaking for both of us.
“She’s with my dad right now. They are in the OR waiting room.” I look around and see all of his siblings staring at me with so much worry when they should be at the hospital with their parents and their brother.
“Why aren’t you all there?”
“Dad wanted us to wait here and get ready to check out in case we need to move to the hotel next to the hospital,” Eric answers.
“Oh.”
“Here, drink this,” his sister, Abby, offers, handing me a bottle of water.
“We have everything packed,” Jack says, taking a seat on the sofa across from me. “So we are ready to go to the hospital.”
“Oh my God. Who would be that stupid to be walking out in this bad weather in the first place?” we overhear someone say. My fists are balled up in anger at the person with a big mouth.
Someone else adds, “It’s not stupid. It’s a fucking ski resort. It’s cold everywhere—duh. Besides, maybe the asshole who was driving should have been more careful. It was a hit and run. Still, it’s lucky that Sarah found him and got an ambulance before it was too late.”
I try not to cry because he left angry at me, and he wouldn’t have been outside if it wasn’t for me. “Excuse me, but I need to call my parents,” I say. I gently attempt to push off the sofa, but Abby shakes her head and grips my shoulder, holding me down.
“I already did,” Jack says.
“Thanks. What did they say?”
“They will be here tomorrow,” he says.
I’m out of my seat, standing in shock. I can’t believe that they’re rushing here because I fainted. “They don’t need to do that. The trip finishes tomorrow and I’m fine, anyway.”
“You’re not going to stay?” Abby asks.
“I didn’t think anyone wanted me here,” I confess.
“Girl, I told you that my brother wasn’t kidding about his feelings.”
“But I’m the reason he was outside.”
“Did you hit him with the car?” Abby asks me with her hands on her hips.
“No, of course not,” I gasp.
“Then he should have come to dinner with us like he was supposed to instead of sulking like he’s been doing for days,” Abby replies, taking my hand in hers.
“He didn’t want to be here in the first place, and Mom made him come here because she wanted us together for the holidays.
Still, whoever hit him is to blame, and no one else. Understand?”
“Yes,” I say, even though I’m not sure it’s that easy to believe it.
Jack takes a call from their parents, and we wait for their conversation to end to learn the news. “He’s still in surgery, but they said to sleep until we have more news. They aren’t leaving. Mom has been given a room at the hospital because Dad wasn’t going to take no for an answer.”
I start heading toward my suite, but I’m suddenly lifted off my feet and cradled by Jack. “Nope. We’re on strict orders to bring you back to our suite. You can have our parents’ room for the night. We need to make sure you’re okay.” I start crying, clinging to Jack.
“Already moving onto the next brother,” Sarah mutters as we pass her. That woman is worse than Shelby. At least Shelby actually knows Simon is a great guy and wants him for more than the fact that he’s hot.
“Since you called the ambulance, I’m going to let you keep breathing out of that fake nose of yours,” Abby says.
“Don’t be so hostile. It’s not like we can’t get along.
Simon and I were having such a great night together.
After our dinner, we took a long walk and were almost back when that idiot jumped onto the sidewalk and Simon pushed me out of the way.
He’s always a gentleman.” She winks at me before sauntering off.
Deep down in my heart I know she’s lying, but the pain is so real and fresh that I want to scream. She’s the cause of all this, and I hate her from the depths of my soul. Why was she around to help Simon? Did she have something to do with his accident, or was she still trying to seduce him?
Jack refuses to let me get away, and with a swiftness I don’t expect, he picks me up again and carries me away.
“Just rest. Simon will be okay. He’s strong, and we need to be strong for him.
” They bring me into the suite, and Jack lays me down on the bed, kissing my forehead before covering me with the blanket.
“Good night, little sister,” he whispers, closing the door behind him. I close my eyes and dream about Simon.
****
My own screams startle me awake. I sit up with my hand pressed to my heart, breathing heavily.
This trip was a mistake, and I wish I could do it over again.
There is a note from the family saying my parents are here, and that they went to the hospital to see their brother.
I leave the suite and go to mine to change.
After I’m dressed, I go looking for my parents in the main lobby area.
“Honey, there you are.” My mother drags me into her arms, hugging me with a frantic urgency that scares me. I hope they don’t tell me that he died.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. We got here as soon as we could. We spoke to Wrench this morning. Simon is in a coma. The doctor is really worried that he might not make it, but this is good because at least he has a chance. They believe it’s only temporary.”
I collapsed, knees buckled, unable to breathe.
I shouldn’t have said what I said. I can’t believe my last words were full of anger just because I was jealous.
My father picks me up off the floor, scooping me in his arms and carrying me to the sofa—the same sofa I saw Simon standing by the other day.
“We’re going to go there right now, okay, kiddo? ”
“Daddy, he has to be okay,” I sob. My words are barely audible through the tears. I know we will never be together, but that doesn’t mean I want him to be hurt.
“He’s going to make it. He’s too strong. Too pig-headed to just give up.”
“I hope so,” I cry. My mother runs her hand through my hair.
“Sweetheart, we’re going to warm up the car,” my father says, standing up and then leaving. My mother takes his place, hugging me tightly.
“I wish we never came on this stupid vacation.”
“We know.”
Her phone rings, and she answers it. “It’s time to go, Vivian, dear.” We get up, and my legs are so weak I barely can stand. Still, I have to see Simon.
“Dad, I just want to lie down,” I mutter as I slide into the back seat. “We’ll wake you up when we get to the hospital,” my father says.