𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕟

Chapter 20 : Lara

"Alex, c'mon, wake up."

Tyler's hand is shaking my shoulder gently, causing my eyes to flutter open, and I am momentarily blinded by the bright hospital lights.

The beeping sounds and rushed footsteps of doctors pushing through the crowd bring me back to full consciousness, and I blink up at Tyler.

"We just got back, we went to shower and eat at the house and we took some clothes and other stuff. I brought this with me," Tyler juts his chin towards the right side of the couch, and when I turn my head, I find my guitar.

Tyler shrugs, "figured it would help pass the time." When he offers me a sad smile, I stand up on wobbly knees and grab his arm gently, "thank you."

Tyler pats my back twice and pulls away, lifting his hand to rub his eye.

"I told you to stop doing that. You'll mess up your eye one day," a third voice scolds.

We turn to find Dexter walking up to us.

"Sorry, Dex. I forget sometimes. M'tired," Tyler pouts as he does it again, stopping abruptly when he realizes his mistake and lowers his hand cautiously, peering at Dexter, but the latter teases him with an amused smile.

"I figured you would be, I've secured two rooms for you to stay in, one for Kin and Luca, the other is for you, Alex and Ivy."

"Rooms ? How long is Mason staying here exactly ?"

"I don't know. About a week at least. I know you guys need to go to work so you won't want to stay at home on your free time, you'll want to be here and you can't spend all that time in the waiting room."

"Thank you, I think we all need some rest. It's almost dinner time anyway. We should go unpack."

"Go to the receptionist, and she'll give you the room numbers. I've spoken to her already, so you're all set."

Tyler nods once at Dexter before leaving us to find the rooms.

Dexter sits on the couch, moving my guitar and placing it on the floor gently, "I need to speak with you, Alex." I join him and release a breath when the back of my head hits the wall.

"Hit me with it, Dex."

"There is a reason Ivy knows so much about Mason's condition," he starts softly.

"Let me guess, his name is Tristan, and he's a psychopath ?" I chuckle, shutting my eyes and banging my head against the wall once. There is no humour in it. Only frustration upon having to say his name again.

"He aimed for the face," Dexter swallows, and I straighten my back immediately.

My throat has gone dry, and I find it very hard to look into his eyes, so I keep mine on the ground.

"If I remember correctly, the story is that she went home later than she had initially planned, so he delivered the first blow before her second foot was in the house. She never told me exactly how it happened, but apparently, he kicked her in the chest when she fell to the ground." I hear Dexter sniffle, but I still can't bring myself to look at him.

"I remember Tristan calling me that night," he snorts, "he told me Ivy had fallen down the stairs and that he was bringing her to me. He got here fast enough, I took her in and once she was stable I told him he could go in and see her, a few minutes later I joined them and when I asked her what had happened Ivy gave me the same bullshit about the stairs."

I can't listen to this, I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head, trying desperately to rid myself from the image of a threatened Ivy, being told to lie even after she ended up in the hospital.