Love, Hate and Hockey Skates

Twenty-One

I woke up and felt like a freight train had run me over. My body felt heavy, and my head was filled with cotton. There was an annoying buzzing around me that wouldn't go away no matter how much I tried to stop it.

I tried to move my hand but something was constricting my movement. I blinked and was met with a stark white ceiling and more beeping. I went to move my head, but it was stiff, as was the rest of my body. It felt like I hadn't moved in weeks.

"Isla? Isla, you're awake!" I was slugged by a heavy body and tackled to the bed.

"Oof, Ace, too much." I tapped out.

He backed away suddenly. "Shit, my bad. I was just so relieved."

"Ugh, I feel like crap. What happened?"

"There was a fire, you were caught on the first floor and inhaled too much smoke. You've been asleep for 2 days now," Ace said, and that was when I noticed how haggard and exhausted he looked.

"Have you slept at all?" I asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "There's something we need to talk about. My father was here, and shit hit the fan between us...we may have to find a new place to live."

"Oh, thank God," I breathed. I thought he was going to tell me I had to move out and be on the run from his father.

"You aren't mad?"

"As long as you aren't planning to abandon me during this search for a new place, then why would I be? You finally stood up to your father, I can imagine that was difficult, but I'm happy you did it. We can figure everything else out."

He reached out and grabbed my hand tight.

"Well, I was thinking, it might be cheaper if we got a place together. Like...a one-bedroom, instead of a 2-bedroom?"

Oh. That was a surprise for me. He wanted us to not only live together but really live together, as a couple.

"Are you sure? I thought you didn't want to complicate things between us?"

He shook his head. "I was afraid of my father, I was being a coward, and I hated that it took almost losing you to realize that. I really thought I wouldn't get to you in time and I'd lose you in that fire."

"Well, you didn't, I'm right here and I'd be more than happy to find a place together. We don't have much of a choice, I don't have a whole lot of savings, do you?"

"I have enough to help us out for a month or two, maybe."

Great. I was back in the same position I was 3 years ago, with nowhere to go and barely a penny to my name. Except this time, I wasn't alone, and that feeling was the best I had ever felt.

"So, what happened to Sylvia?" I asked.

"She was here earlier to see you, but I sent her away. I have a feeling she was behind the fire, but I have no idea why."

I nodded. "I thought the same thing, she just disappeared and reappeared out of nowhere, and then there was suddenly a fire in the direction she had gone. It's too coincidental, but you're right, I can't think of a reason as to why she did it. Did she assume I would follow after her?"

"She maybe assumed you would come looking for her eventually. That room was large, she could've hidden anywhere in the dark and waited until you came up to look for her, then gone back down to lock the door. It wasn't long after you disappeared that she showed back up again."

That said it. She was the culprit, but we had to find out why.

"There's something else I should tell you now," he said.

"What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "I got a call a couple of days ago; it was from Amber."

"Oh, well that is something," I muttered. "I'm assuming she's back for you?"

"I have no idea why she is back, but regardless of why, I don't want her to come anywhere near you. I'm concerned her target is you, not me."

"Wait, when did she call?"

"The night after the fire," he said.

"Don't you see? What are the chances she has been back longer than that and has been stalking you? She could've been the one who started the fire, not Sylvia."

Ace frowned at me and looked like he wasn't convinced. But I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Why would she start the fire and then show up at the hospital after? She should've expected that I had suspicions of her.

"Do you really think that's a possibility?" he asked.

"I want to give her the benefit of the doubt until we have proof she was behind it. They have to be doing an investigation, right?"

He shook his head. "We weren't allowed to be there, remember? No one reported it, but the police were at the scene. Whoever the culprit is, they will be the only one going down for this."

"Oh no, what if I'm blamed for this?" I started to panic.

"Calm down, you're okay. I got you out of there in time and you didn't touch anything other than the door. I tried to wipe everything before we left, but the place was pretty burnt down when we got out."

"Someone is going to take the blame for this, and we were the only two on that floor that I know for sure. I never saw Sylvia, so we can't say for sure it was her or that there is any evidence she was there."

Either way, it looked like the blame might fall on one of us.

"We'll get through this, I promise," Ace said. "The doctor said you can be discharged once your test results come back."

"Are we allowed to get our stuff from that apartment? What is your father going to do?"

Ace shrugged. "I'm not sure either, he hasn't said anything to me, but don't worry I went back yesterday and grabbed all your clothes and personal belongings. That way if he does do anything, it's just my stuff he has."

"Where did you put them?"

He smirked. "I put them in the boys' locker room and told the guys to guard it with their life, they got the memo."

I grinned and remembered my last interaction with them. It was funny to imagine all of them acting as guard dogs over my clothes and belongings.

"I don't even want to know how you fit all my things in there, but that is another thing we will have to figure out I suppose." I chuckled.

Just a few more hours and I was free.