As the remnants of the sun began blossoming over the tops of the trees, Michael finally took me home. I was shocked when I didn’t see D.J.’s car in the driveway. But it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered, at all. Nothing except Clint’s health and happiness. His healing and what he’d have to do for his recovery time.
“See you at school?”
Michael’s voice pulled me from my trance, but I shook my head.
“Not if I can help it.”
I gathered up my garbage and slid out of his car. I closed the door behind me, listening as he backed out of my driveway. I’d have to find a way to thank him later. But not now. Right now, I couldn't focus on anything else. Especially after I threw my trash away in the trash can out front.
Because the second my hands came into view, I saw I still had Clint’s blood on me.
“Shit.”
I unlocked the front door and pushed my way inside. I closed it behind me, leaning my forehead against it. A sound pacing down the hallway made me jump. The footsteps grew closer, then they grew frantic. I whipped around, watching my mother rush me. Watching her robe flutter behind her with her hair wild and maniacal around the crown of her head.
Then her eyes fell to my clothes.
“What the—? Rae, where the hell have you been? Are you all right? What are you—is this your blood!?”
She ran toward me, her slippers sliding across the floor as she took my hands within hers. She tugged me into the kitchen, murmuring to herself in Spanish as she sat me down at the kitchen table. Her hands ran over me, checking for wounds or gashes. Anything to explain the blood I’d completely forgotten I was covered in.
“It’s not mine,” I whispered.
Mom paused. “Then whose is it? Where have you been? I’ve been up all night, worried sick about you.”
I nodded slowly. “I’m sorry.”
She pulled up a chair. “Rae, look at me.”
I slowly turned my head to find her eyes, but I didn’t try holding back my tears. Mom wiped them off my face, brushing away more crusted blood as she grimaced to herself.
“Talk to me, princess. What’s going on?”
My lower lip quivered. “He’s so hurt, Mom. He’s in the hospital, and I can’t know anything.”
“Who’s hurt? Michael?”
“No.”
“Allison?”
I shook my head. “Clint.”
She paused. “That the boy from school you talked to me about?”
I nodded. “We—it—happened so fast, Mom.”
“Are you hurt, Raelynn?”
“I wish I was, instead of him.”
“Oh, sweetheart.”
She wrapped her arms around me and I sobbed against her. I
heard myself wailing. I felt my chest heaving. It was almost like an out of body experience. My heart fluttered so wildly I thought I’d burst out from my chest and take off toward the rising sun. My legs locked up, shaking and trembling as my stomach slammed against my ribcage. It felt like my entire body was rebelling. Fighting back after years of being caged.
I shook against Mom, soaking her robe with tears as she stroked my back.