ones. My head still reeled with the information about the Shadowed.
He quickly tucked the duvet around me, tight enough that I knew how a caterpillar felt before metamorphosis. I wriggled Ally’s body to loosen it up.
“I’ll be here the whole time if you need me. Just don’t talk too much; they are keen to everything Ally does.”
“Who is?”
The bedroom door burst open and Heather bolted in, her flip-flops flying from her feet as she wrapped me in a tight hug.
I groaned under her weight.
“They wouldn’t let us visit at the hospital since we aren’t family. I was so worried,” she said. I inhaled, sucking in her excessive perfume along with a significant amount of her hair.
I coughed and she leaned back, pulling her strands from my face.
“Oh, sorry! You must still be in a lot of pain,” she said and in the same breath. “Oh! I brought your purse. I didn’t want any crazies getting a hold of our photos. That would not be cool.”
Her friend just toppled down a flight of stairs and Heather was worried about photos?
I looked to Cooper and he put a finger over his lips. Taking the phone from Heather I mumbled a thanks.
“Do you have amazing pain meds? Mind if I snag some?” Heather’s eyes darted around the room.
“I said don’t talk much,” Cooper assisted. “Not at all.”
I glared at him and then turned to Heather.
Come on Ally, help me out here. I know part of you is still in here.
“No way!” I said, in the best Ally attitude I could muster. “Hands off. I didn’t take a death- defying leap for nothing.”
Heather blinked.
Crap, I said something wrong.
Then she smiled. “I totally get it. But don’t think I’m going to share my stash next time my brother skateboards off a jump and breaks his other arm.”
I laughed, startling myself with how much like Ally I sounded. “You know you will!”
Heather bounced up and down on the bed. “I know!”
I joined her laughter, mine a little strained.
“What’s so funny?” Krystal’s form darkened the doorway.
Heather turned to me and rolled her eyes. She slid from the bed and walked to the desk, opening Ally’s laptop.
“So glad you are okay,” Krystal said. She walked over to me and patted Ally’s shoulder before sitting in the love seat across from the bed. She whipped out her cell phone and started typing.
“Okay,” Heather announced. “Seth and I worked all day yesterday, getting any photos of your accident taken down.”
“What?” I said. “Who took photos?”
Krystal’s mouth twitched, but she said nothing.
“Ugh, who knows? Anyway,” she said, her eyes glued to the screen, “all the social sites have been checked and are now clear. Go us!” She twirled around in the chair, a huge grin across her face.
Her giddiness was infectious and I smiled back at her.
“What are they saying about my accident?” I asked. Maybe someone saw who pushed her.
Heather answered. “Just stupid stuff, like you just doing it for attention or—” She broke off.
“Or someone pushed you,” Krystal added snidely.
I narrowed my eyes, and she quickly turned her gaze back to her phone.
“Well, let them think what they want,” Heather said. “It’s better than them thinking you’re clumsy. Right?”
“Ally-bear?” Seth said softly. He sauntered toward me, his green eyes barely hiding his concern. He knelt at the bedside and took Ally’s hand in his.
Memories flashed over my vision of Ally’s relationship. Ice-cold fingers raked her spine as I experienced their most intimate moments. I tried to push them away but they thrust forward, showing every moment between them. The ice melted into a radiant heat and spread through me until it settled in Ally’s chest.
I licked my suddenly dry lips.
Seth watched my involuntary action and slanted his soft lips on Ally’s. Ally’s desire filled me, bringing with it a pulsing electric current. I pulled back, but he moved closer, pulling me back into the kiss. Ally’s body took over as if by memory and grabbed his shirt collar tight in her fists. He opened his mouth and I tasted mint. Her heart roared in her ears as his gentle hands stroked her cheeks.
Cooper coughed and I jolted, moving back from Seth.
Cooper’s mouth pressed into a hard line and he turned away from us.
I looked back at Seth; his eyes drooped and a lazy smile spread across his face. “Are you in pain?”
I shook my head. Ally’s lips throbbed, though.
Seth hopped over Ally’s body without touching her and snuggled into the pillow next to me. I turned around, keeping our faces at a safe distance. The barrier between Ally’s memories and my thoughts had blurred for a moment, and I didn’t want to test her resolve again.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Better,” I breathed.
The door squeaked open. We both turned to see Marie and her one-eyed stare.
“Door open when boyfriend is here,” she said, more of a demand than a request.
Seth sat up, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “It was good seeing you again, Marie,” he said through a wide grin.
Her gaze flicked from Seth to Krystal then to Heather, and finally back to me. “Door open.” She turned away from us slowly and walked down the hallway.
Heather giggled. “You two are in trouble,” she sang.
“Are we going to be here all night?” Krystal groaned. “I was under the impression we were just stopping by.”
Heather gaped at her. “Our friend was in the hospital for the last few days and you can’t stay for more than ten minutes?”
Krystal avoided my gaze. “It’s not like she’s going anywhere. And we have a French test to study for.”
“She’s in the room,” I said. “Don’t talk to her like she’s not.”
Heather gave Krystal a smug smile.
“Whatever,” Krystal
