“Riley…” Paris whispered, shaking her slightly. “Riiiiley.”
She groaned in annoyance, shifting to her side.
“Wake up,” he pressed, shaking her still, “come on.”
“Leave me alone, Paris…” she muttered.
She was silent then, and her eyes shot open as she turned to look at him, seeming slightly concerned. “Wait… what are you doing here?”
“Look,” he told her, gesturing to the other side of the room.
Riley rolled over a little, pressing her hands to the bed as she sat slightly up.
Claire was on the other side of the room, pushing herself over to them in a wheelchair.
She clearly was coming back from the bathroom.
She was still in a hospital gown, but Riley knew the wound was still open.
“Claire…” Riley whispered, and her friend looked up at her voice.
“Sorry,” Claire commented, “still getting used to this thing.”
Riley shot up from the bed at an instant and tackled her best friend, but still was gentle because of her open wound.
She wanted to apologize a million more times, but she didn’t want Claire to feel bad with her own guilt, so she just held her tighter.
“How are you paralyzed…?” Riley said silently, trying not to cry. “Did it go that deep…?”
“No,” Claire responded, “he got me from behind first and then got me in front.”
“Who…?” Riley whispered.
“I can’t really remember,” Claire said. “It’s all… blurry, but the doctors said it’ll come back. I’m staying here for a week anyway.” She glanced behind Riley then. “Who’s that guy? He’s been watching over you all night.”
Riley cast a look behind her to Paris.
His face was expressionless, but he still shrugged.
An annoyance cast over her at his need to erase all emotion from his eyes.
She could never tell if he was a bad guy or not…
“He’s nice…” Claire said. “Every time you started having a nightmare, he’d walk over and calm you back down.”
A sudden cold washed through her at this information, and Riley gazed over at him again, confused.
This time a smile barely peaked through his lips.
Her cheeks reddened slightly, and she looked to the wall, avoiding eye-contact.
“Claire…” Riley whispered then, “if you don’t want me to leave, then—”
“Yes, Riley,” she promised. “Go, it’s okay. I know what today is. I have police outside the door, and they’re planning on putting me under protective custody. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” Riley pressed.
She nodded.
“What’s today?” Paris asked then.
Claire hesitated, and Riley’s fists clenched.
“Alright,” Riley said, voice touched with something dark, “well, I’m going.”
She caught her purse and walked out the door seconds later, nodding to the police officers outside Claire’s door to assure them she wasn’t being suspicious.
Paris looked at Claire after Riley left. “What’s today?” he said.
She looked at him then, slightly concerned. “I thought Riley told you because this whole night you’d been close.”
“No,” Paris said, “she never tells me anything.”
Claire looked out the door, sighing. “I can’t tell you because I promised her I wouldn’t speak of it to anyone, but I can loophole it and say, 1924 West third street. The number of the stone is a hundred-thirty.”
“Oh…” Paris said, slightly confused but shook it off, “thanks.”
She nodded.
He walked out of the room after Riley, nodding to the officers, too.
They nodded back, and he ran off, determined to find the address of which Claire gave him.
