After 2

Chapter 168.

I wait patiently as the doctor and nurse both insist I get almost every inch of my body examined or scanned. They keep reminding me that at my speed of twenty miles an hour, my injuries could be so much worse. Twenty miles and hour seems slow until you ram into the back of a still car going that speed.

Nearly two hours pass when I am finally done being poked and x-rayed. I keep thinking that maybe Hardin will burst through the door and force his explanation on me. He will tell me that he didn't and wouldn't ever sleep with that girl, he loves me, and that he can see a future with me. He will hold me and kiss my bruises and scrapes and tell me how sorry he is for being so cruel. After another half hour passes, I begin to realize how unlikely and pathetic that is.

I didn't want to call Landon and have him leave school but I really don't want to be alone at the moment and he's the only person that will be there for me. He's my best friend.

"I am so glad you are okay! What happened?" Landon asks as he walks into the small hospital room.

"It wasn't that bad.. I wasn't paying attention I guess so when the guy in front of me stopped, I didn't notice." I explain.

"Everything looks fine, you will be pretty banged up for a little while. You have a slight concussion and a lot of bruising. You need to take this medication regularly for pain and apply the ointment to the cut above your eye, other than that you are good to go." The doctor tells me.

If only he could give me something for the throbbing hole in my chest.

"Can we go then?" I ask and he nods.

"Did you call Hardin?" Landon asks.

"He was there." I reply.

"What do you mean? In the car?"

"No, he was there afterwards. With another girl."

"What?"

"He stayed at her house last night, that's where he was." I stand from the hospital bed and wrap the robe around myself so that my gown doesn't open in front of Landon.

"No."

"Yes. I saw her and she told me. I don't know why I keep putting myself through this." My fingers run through my hair but I stop and wince.

"Everything hurts." I whine and Landon tries to smile but fails miserably.

I can tell he wants to say something else about Hardin, but he doesn't. Instead, he helps me stand and hands me my clothes so that I can change and get the hell out of here.

"I'll be right back." I tell him and go inside the small bathroom.

Once my clothes are on I take a look into the mirror. I don't know what to think right now and I can't think clearly even if I try because of all the pain mediation I have just taken. My image is distorted, lumps and bruises cover my face and neck. A welt from the seatbelt I was thankfully wearing shows on my shoulder and I scold myself for being so careless while driving. I will need to call my insurance company tomorrow and find a way to come up with the money for my deductible since the wreck was my fault. I have a good amount of money saved since Hardin insists on paying most of the bills. Hardin's infidelity tries to fight it's way to the surface of my mind but I push it back with all the strength that I can. I am sick of being the victim, or behaving like one. This happens to people all of the time and it's not like I couldn't see this coming, but it still hurts. I am always so quick to forgive him after everything he does to me, all the lies, the bet, the secrets, the hurtful comments, all of it. I always give in and he never does.