Seth looks at Phoebe. Then he looks at me. Then back at Phoebe. "Those aren't your clothes."
"Jeans would have pulled up the bandages. So they gave me these. It's not a big deal,"
He takes a step closer. "Bandages? You . . . you told these people about Mom?"
She swallows and nods.
He stares, sinking to his knees in front of her. "Phoebe, we talked about this." his voice is muffled by his hands over his face.
"We can trust them. I promise,"
I clear my throat. "Do you guys want me to step out so you can . . . I don't know, sort this out?"
Phoebe says "no," at the same time Seth says "yes,". She glares at him until he rolls his eyes and mutters "I guess not".
I sit at my computer and pretend to look busy so they can finish their conversation.
"Is your phone off, at least?" Seth sits down on the couch at the very opposite end.
"Of course. You?"
"Yeah,"
Seth's face screws up and I hear his teeth grind from across the room and cringe. Then his voice comes out hoarse, choked, and angry. "This sucks."
He gets up, starting to pace across the floor. Phoebe stands and grabs him in a tight hug on his next pass. Seth wrestles out of her grip and pushes her away. She trips backward, shocked.
Hesitant now, she takes the few steps back to him and reaches out. "Seth . . . "
I start to get up, ready to get in between them.
"Don't, Phoebe. Just don't," he takes one heavy step toward her and pushes her again, harder. I see her lose her balance and realize she's going to fall. Crying out, she twists, arms wheeling, trying to retain balance, and hits the floor hard. I can hear her crying.
When she gets up, she just looks sad. By the time I'm to Seth, she's up on the couch and has drawn into herself against the arm.
"Hey, you do not push her!" my fists are clenched and I'm standing over him before I realize it.
The next thing I realize is I'm on the ground, my jaw throbbing. Then Seth is on top of me and his fist snaps my head to the side over and over, slashing my vision blue.
"Get off him!"
Through the pain, I see Phoebe over Seth's shoulder. Must be trying to help. He jerks a fist up and she's gone. Focus back to me.
Phoebe's screaming now.
And then it's over. My vision is blurry and fading in and out. Someone—I think Michael—has Seth by the back of his shirt.
I blink a few times and my vision seems to clear. Michael shoves Seth away and comes toward me.
"Ashton? What just happened?"
I just shake my head, dizzy. My face hurts too much to try talking right now.
"You—" Michael jams a finger into Seth's chest. "—had better start explaining yourself. Now."
Seth crosses his arms. "I don't have anything to say."
I can see Michael losing his temper. "You just assaulted my best friend and his patient. Start bloody talking, kid."
Seth just scowls.
Michael scrubs a hand through his hair. "I'll deal with you later."
I sit down, the room spinning. My mouth tastes of metal. Michael crouches by Phoebe, shaking her shoulder. She sits up slow, her nose bleeding, hands and face and shirt stained red.
