Tethered Hearts | ✓ | Books 1 & 2

Episode 42| New Places

Sophia's P.O.V.

One of Bryce's friends offered to buy us coffee. The bubbling black substance they claimed to be coffee wasn't appetizing. Most of the food they served at the hospital's cafeteria was nowhere near digestible or editable.

My parents only stayed for an hour, leaving because they had to get the boys from the babysitter. My mother asked if I wanted to come along with her and stay in my old room. I told them that I'd be staying at Nicolas' loft again for the night. I would, however, swing by my old room at her house to pick up some extra clothes.

Bryce got Anthony to pick up Nicolas' car and drive it to the hospital. I still couldn't wrap my head around how he possible got into the car to begin with, but something about how Bryce said Anthony was 'good with cars' made me think he did something to it to unlock it and start it up.

Nicolas didn't mind a stranger driving his car, anyhow. He thought Anthony was cute. I didn't see it, but I wasn't planning on divulging on why in front of Bryce.

The tiny circle of people we had formed in the lobby went back and forth on food breaks until ten pm came around and a doctor entered the lobby to talk to Conner.

He had lied and said he was engaged to her. He couldn't make any serious decisions, since he wasn't next of kin. Her parents were held up in Budapest. Conner had called them a little after we arrived. Once they heard about the shooting incident, they said they were going to take the first flight back home.

Conner returned, less distraught then he had left. "She's going to be okay."

The small group we had formed erupted, cheering until the lady at the receptionist desk properly told us to quiet down.

"The surgery went well," Conner said. "There's still a lot that needs to happen before she can have visitors. She's got a long recovery ahead of her and I don't want her to have to deal with people towering over her."

"I get it, man. You should be the first that goes in once she can see visitors," Anthony chimed in. "No one's going to deny that."

"Do you think her parents will be back in the States by the time she's ready?" one of Bryce's friends had asked. A fleet of people had come to support and send their condolences for Conner and Kelsey when it was first predicted that she may lose her life.

"I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. I called them but it isn't clear on when their first flight out will be."

The rest of the group started to discuss minor things. Conner, in the end, asked everyone to go home. A few initially went against that request, saying they wanted to stay here for him, but he told them that he'd call them if any new information was brought to his attention and that he didn't want anyone to feel obligated to stay.

"I'll be fine here." Conner insisted, patting Anthony's back. "I'm not even tired."

"I'll leave the keys to my car with you then, just in case you want to drive back home." Anthony handed them over to him. "I'll ride with Ernie."

Bryce brought Conner to the side, talking to him quietly about matters I wasn't aware of. He spoke so fast, it was hard for me to eavesdrop. Once he was finished, he returned to where I was seated. "How are you getting home?" he asked. "Are you staying at the dorms?"

"Oh, well, I was planning on staying with Nicolas at his loft for the night. I have to go to my mom's house first though and get some stuff." I replied. "I don't want to go back to that dorm...not anytime soon at least."

Re-entering the dorm room I shared with Brooklyn and Lora was something I was going to have overcome one of these days, but I didn't want that to be today. The strain on my heart was at an all-time high after Kelsey got shot. I didn't have the energy, or the willpower, in me to go into that room.