Working With The Rockstar - JH

Chapter 36

Landon pov

"Dad, we don't know what happened. One minute she was fine, the next she was passing out in Jaden's arms." I explained over the facetime call.

"What do you mean you don't know what happened? You were there when it happened. Something must have been going on beforehand to make her pass out. Even as a kid she's always been resilient and pushed through that kind of thing." I can't.

"I really don't know what to tell you dad. She just passed out. Look, I'm gonna go because hopefully she's gonna wake up soon. I'll call you with an update okay?"

"Lando-"

"Okay bye." I hung up. He sounded too angry to mess with right now.

I sighed and ran my hands over my face. Fuck. I could see it. I could see it in her face she was panicking all over the place. I knew I should've listened to her when she told us to shut up. I shouldn't have pushed her to the court.

I took one last drag of the cigarette before stomping it out on the ground. The growing pit in my stomach couldn't be tamed. Knowing that she was lying in the hospital bed because of me made me feel sick.

I got up and walked back into the hospital. I had left Jaden to keep watch on her while I updated my dad in what went on. She had indeed passed out, and the first responders had to put an oxygen mask on her because her levels were so low. They said they couldn't give a valued determination on what had happened, but their best guess was that she had a panic episode.

"How's she doing?" I asked, walking in to see him leaning on his arms resting on the bed next to her legs.

"She hasn't woken up yet. Doctors said her heart rate has gone back to its resting and her oxygen levels are normal again. They can't guarantee when she's gonna wake up." He answered, sitting up.

"Fuck." I breathed out, running my hands over my face and dragging at the skin. "I knew it. I knew it. I fucking knew it. She doesn't want to go to court." I could punch myself.

It was so easy to spot. She was off about it the moment he asked that question. It's like the only rule of Liza; watch her when she falls silent. I can't believe that Jaden spotted it and I didn't. I really am slipping these days.

I walked over and took a seat on the sofa, leaving him to sit next to her. This is where things get complicated. Without Liza, we can't press any form of charges. She's the only bit of concrete evidence we have against him, but we can't pressure her into giving a statement or taking him to court.

I'm really tempted to walk out of this hospital room. For the first time in a while, I'm starting to remember things from Marley again. It seems any trauma that happens with Liza, it ricochets off me and causes me to remember things.

The sound of the heartbeat monitor beeping makes me more on edge every beep it sounds. A part of me is just waiting for her heart to flatline. It sounds wrong, but in a way I'm hoping for it. It's the sitting on the edge of nothingness that will drive me insane. You're either waiting for the machine to continuously sound or for the persons voice to break through.

"So fucking stupid." I cursed at myself as I smacked my forehead. How could I not fucking see it?

"What? Don't blame yourself for this." Jaden questioned, finally breaking the silence.

"Why fucking not? I mean, I'm supposed to be her best friend, yet I pushed her. She fell silent and I still fucking pushed her further into. It's one of the most simple rules that Liza can have. You just fucking shut up when she falls silent. But once again, I faked as her best fucking friend, because I continued to push her even when she got quiet." I ranted, watching as his bored expression didn't change once.

"Are you done?" Excuse me? "You aren't a bad friend for wanting to keep her safe. She didn't like the idea of court and that's fine. SHE panicked herself over it. You didn't cause her to pass out. Her brain shut off and consequently, she blacked out from the lack of oxygen. It's not your fault so don't sit there and blame yourself." He shot back.

"No. Because it is my fault. I still overloaded her with endless possibilities of taking him to court and the lawyers and the other girls. I knew it was too soon. I could see it in her fucking eyes that she wasn't ready for that kind of conversation and yet I still went on and on and on about it." I continued, hating myself the more I talked.

"Okay. Fine then. Blame me too. Because I was just as much a part of that conversation as you were. It's my fault too she's in here." He shrugged, sounding so chill about it as he leaned back in the chair.

"No that's ridiculous. It's not your fault." I denied as he rolled his eyes.

"Why is it ridiculous? If you're to blame for having that conversation, then so am I. I was a part of the conversation. Unless, you do think that it's a ridiculous notion that you're the reason she's in here. And you're just looking for a way to distract yourself." The cocky smile he wore on his face made me want to punch it off.

"Distract myself from what?" I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"The constant beep beep beep beep coming from her machine. It's driving you up the wall hearing it. The sound is so mind numbing and bounces off the walls so easily that it causes an echo. But that's not what you're focusing on. You're finding a small bit of comfort in the beep for now. But there's a small part of you that is just waiting for the flatline. Because that's exactly what you had to do with Marley." He answered.

His answer made me freeze in place. There's no fucking way. His face wasn't cocky, if anything he had a sympathetic look on his face. But there was that hint of smugness in his voice when he was explaining. I don't blame him. It's human nature be proud when you're right.

"And I can tell by the look on your face that I've struck a nerve." You could hear the disappointment in his voice.

It wasn't towards me. It was towards himself. Just like a part of me is waiting for Liza to flatline, a part of him was waiting for me to argue and tell him he was wrong. But he's not.