Shards

chapter 19

Chapter 19:

I ran my hand up and down the hard exterior of my cast. “We can trust Doctor Jamison. He's good, he just wants to help me. He'll make sure that my medical care gets continued. Plus, I don't think the police will turn me over to anyone... They're suspicious now.”

“They talked to Chris?” It was like Ian had read my mind.

“Yeah.”

He shook his head. “Well, I was wrong. That scum bag is actually good for something.”

I remembered Chris's first words to me. He'd said that he knew I was pissed. What was I supposed to be pissed about?

“Who was he... Chris? He knew Sophia?”

“Yeah.” It was Julian who answered. “He was her partner. He...um...he blamed us for dragging her into this.” He looked like he was about to say something else, but he closed his mouth, casting a sideways look at Ian.

“You swore you'd never do it again. I told you it wasn't your fault, and that Chris was just a scum bag.” Ian placed a hand on my shoulder.

Looking up, away from him, I attempted to meet Audrey's eyes. She'd told me it wasn't like me to go back to them. Would I regret pulling James into this, even if I didn't get my memories back?

“Jaylee.” Ian got my attention. “You do need to go back to the hospital. We've all got first aid training, but we can't deal with that.” He gestured to my leg.

“But we can find a way!” Julian interjected.

Audrey was shaking her head. “Julian's right. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to get more people involved.”

“Well it's her decision!” Ian looked at me, knowingly.

The tension in the air was so thick, I found myself having trouble breathing. Emme and Shay had left the room. Had they even known Sophia? Probably not.

“She's not herself!” Audrey was yelling now. “I thought you knew her. She'll regret this when she remembers. She'll hate us for not stopping her.”

Ian retorted, jumping to his feet. Julian tried to grab his arm, but the blond was getting angrier and angrier.

“Stop!”

No one listened to me.

“You're telling me I don't want to protect her?” Ian was furious.

It was like his anger had come from nothing, exploding outwards towards my two other friends. With a swinging kick, he knocked a lamp from the nightstand. The bulb broke into a million pieces, on the thin, brown carpet.

“Stop it! Stop it now!”

I lunged forwards, balancing on my good leg, and pulled Ian and Audrey apart by the backs of their shirts. Across the room, Julian opened his mouth.

Fixing him with my best glare, I said, “can't you just all shut up for five god damn seconds?”

There room fell deadly quite. In one of the darkening windows, I saw the reflexion of Shay, watching us from around a corner.

“I'm going back. Come with me or don't.” No one spoke. “I don't know if you're usually like this, but it's going to have to stop now. No one is going to be fighting about what I want or what I do, except me. Do you understand?”

They all nodded. Julian bit his lip and I may have been imagining it, but I saw a glint of tears behind his eyes. “I'm sorry Jayls. I really am. Things have just been so terrible since you disappeared. Everything's been going wrong.”