BOUND 2 (GxG)

I Should've

KARTER'S POV

I knew this was all a bet.

I knew she wasn't actually my girlfriend.

I knew that for both of us, this was a game—who can make who fall in love first?

So why am I worried?

Why am I pacing the hospital corridors like a maniac?

I should've taken her home when I got the chance, maybe I could've prevented the entire thing.

I shouldn't have even let Tate touch her in the first place, or let her stand out in the cold—I should've just taken her back to my house upon seeing her mom was back in town. We didn't have to go to school.

I... should've, no, I could've done more.

"Karter, she's going to be fine—the doctors are taking care of her right now," Davis assured me as he sat in one of the plush hospital chairs under the insanely bright lights.

Cher nodded, "They're just checking her out right now, and she should wake up soon."

I nodded quickly, but I somehow couldn't stop pacing—stop reliving the moment and what led up to the moment.

It was actually the most terrifying thing—watching her eyes roll back and her body jerking rapidly.

I felt completely helpless.

Everything was a blur after she had passed out—the ambulance coming, riding in the ambulance, and then getting escorted out of the emergency room to sit in the eerily silent halls with Cher and Davis.

It was odd, I remembered what life was like before actually knowing Sloan—I remembered how it all felt.

I remembered thinking she was stuck-up and always seemed to have a problem, but now It's like I can't even label her as that anymore—not after actually knowing her, and seeing what she's gone through.

It felt unfair that the student body gave her that label—that they, and even I, thought of her as the rude girl you didn't want to talk to.

Honestly, flirting with her and joking with her was only a game to me—to see how much I could really get on her nerves. Truthfully, she was funny when she was mad.

But somewhere along the way, the flirting wasn't just to get on her nerves, and the joking became something I did to make her smile or laugh.

I don't love her—I know I don't love her.

But I would be a liar in denial if I said I didn't care for her, or even that I like her.

"Is she okay? Me and Nina came as soon as we heard the news," my mom rushed down the bright corridor with my ma.

I nodded quickly, but somewhere along the way, it turned into me shaking my head—not because she wasn't okay physically, but because she wasn't okay mentally.

And that hurt me.

My mom's wrapped their arms around me, automatically soothing me. At this moment, I felt so small... and on a literal edge—worried about what her mental state would be when she woke up.

"It's okay, she's okay," My ma whispered, rubbing her hand up and down my back as I felt my throat close up and my eyes grow heavy.

I felt two more pairs of arms wrap around us, "We got her here in time," Davis said.

"And that's what matters," Cher added as we all stood in a tight group hug.

"Ryan and Serenity will be here soon," my mom said, pulling away, rubbing the back of my head as her dark eyes peered into my own with pure worry.