Sign Your Name Across My Heart

Chapter twenty-five

I woke up the next morning and reached for my phone like my life depended on it. I dreamt that Ash had finally contacted me and profusely apologized for never showing up, for ghosting me.

The second I woke up I was hoping and praying that my dream would become a reality and I would see a message from him. When I turned the screen of my phone on, there was no message from him and my heart sank. Why isn't he speaking to me?

Is everything okay?? You're kind of making me worried now.

I sent the message to him. This is getting ridiculous now. Did I do something wrong? I can't recall doing anything wrong. Everything has actually felt perfect between us.

Even if I did do anything wrong, is it really grounds to completely shut me out and ignore me?

As I get out of bed and make my way to the bathroom to shower, I feel an uncomfortable sensation in my stomach. It tightens and twists and I clutch it, wondering where this sudden pain is coming from. I feel myself grow sweaty and I quickly turn the shower on. I get in and shower as fast as I can, fighting the nausea that's growing. What's going on? Is it from all the drinking last night? It must be.

Once I finish, I get out and put my clothes on, taking a seat on my couch. I stare at my phone for a while, somehow trying to manifest a message or a phone call from him. The sickly feeling is only growing stronger. I don't like that not hearing from Ash is able to make me feel like this, to make me feel helpless and ill. I don't think it's the alcohol anymore, I think it's this whole situation with Ash. I shouldn't let a man make me experience this.

I lay on the couch for a solid two hours trying to get over the way I feel. I wake up from a nap to my phone ringing and I feel my heart nearly burst out of my chest. I lunge forward to my coffee table, nearly falling off the couch and I grab my phone.

It's Ivy. I groan aloud and roll my eyes. I just want to speak to Ash.

I answer her call, despite not wanting to talk, and I place the phone to my ear. "Hello?" I mumble quietly. I hope she hears my tone of voice and gets the hint that I don't want to talk to her right now. I don't want to talk to anybody right now.

"Libby? Oh my god, Libby! Are you okay? I'm so sorry. What's going on? I'm freaking out!" She frantically yells into the phone.

I frown and curl the side of my mouth upwards, confused. "What are you talking about?" I question her.

"Libby! Fuck, you didn't hear. It's Ash." She sighs, exasperated.

My heart skips a beat and I feel it fall to the pit of my stomach. It tightens even harder. I stand up, becoming alert, my legs feeling weak beneath me. "What about Ash? Wh-what happened?" I ask her, feeling myself grow scared.

This wasn't the conversation that I was expecting. Is she going to tell me that he broke up with me and somehow I'm the only person on earth that doesn't know?

"He was mugged. I don't really know the specifics. I just know he's in the hospital. H-he's alive. But they really messed him up, bad." She explains.

I gasp and hold my free hand over my mouth. My ears start to ring. "Who's them? Wh-when did this happen? I don't understand!" I begin to shout. I have no thoughts going through my head, oddly enough. It's empty and spinning, I feel like I'm going to pass out and throw up at the same time.

"I don't know who. I just found out, from Bram. It happened last night... He was found near some dépanneur near his house." She says. So that's why he didn't come to my party, that's why he wasn't answering me.

I instantly feel horrible for getting so mad at him. I was feeling sorry for myself while he was getting robbed and beaten.

I press my lips together into a fine line before speaking. "Where is he? What hospital?"