The Class Reject: A Martyr in Maelstrom (Book III)

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When Miren stepped outside of the Gloveria train station and into the parking lot, the sky matched her demeanor completely. Gray and threatening to rain.

She heard a car horn beep and head instantly snapped in it's direction. When her eyes landed on the silver Prius, it took everything not to roll them--or better yet, go back into the train station. With a deep sigh, she started for the vehicle.

"Dr. Rutherford told me to pick you up," Carlie said as she rolled down the passenger window and unlocked the door. "Is she in on the secret?"

"She's in on the secret," Miren confirmed rather dully, before opening the car door and taking a seat. "But I don't want to talk about that. I want to go to the hospital to see Penelope and Chara."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Carlie said as she left the train station and started for the highway. "They're still in critical condition. And I can tell you don't need any more incentive to feel guilty about what happened."

"I'd feel more guilty pretending nothing happened," Miren said, clenching her jaw. "Jeno's gone, by the way."

"I heard," Carlie said, her eyes soft and sympathetic. "I think he just needs to get away from everything for a while. You too. Did you want to go get lunch in the city? It's Sunday. We don't have to go back to campus just yet."

"Jeno and I had sex last night and now he's gone," Miren just said instead, her gaze passive against the window. However, she could feel Cowdry's glare on her, hot like the inside of a greenhouse. Miren rolled her eyes. "Yes, we used protection. I know that he's going through a lot and it's not because of me--that I shouldn't make this about me--but--"

"It feels like a bitter betrayal?" the instructor guessed, pursing her lips. "You may or may not have known this, but Dr. Edsel was responsible for your attack. He claims he just wanted the football team to scare you a little to get some intel on you, but that they took it too far when you wouldn't comply. But the fact that he shows so little remorse for calling the hit in the first place is unforgivable. So I broke things off with him before you left." She squeezed the steering wheel as the car stopped at an intersection. "And I'm so sorry about what happened to you. But I think things are better off this way--for the both of us."

"So what do we do now?" Miren said, turning to the woman briefly. "Are you still going to stay at Rinzen? Are you going to try to write professionally?"

"I don't know. I'll finish writing your book, but I'm going to shelve it once it's done--I don't want to commercialize your pain - your truth," Carlie replied, making a left turn. "But just know that I'll always have your back. No matter what."

"Thank you. Thank you for everything," Miren replied, tears spilling from her eyes. "Can you still drop me off at the hospital?"

Carlie smiled radiantly for the first time in months. "Sure thing."

***

It wasn't a covert mission in the slightest, but it felt like one to Miren. The bright afternoon radiated inside Harford General Hospital, like the light of reality. She didn't even know if Chara or Penelope were accepting visitors - if they were capable of accepting patients.

Shut up brain, Miren urged herself. The past week had been a whirlwind, hell it was a fucking tornado. Still, she walked as if she had purpose, picking up two bouquets of savagely over-priced flowers and heading to the information desk. The receptionist lady was kind enough to give her--him--a guest past , and then she started for the elevator the 5th floor.

The intensive care unit.

Her heart threatened to burst out of chest with each floor she ascended. Then the sliding silver doors opened. The hospital floors were far more posh than the community hospital in Gloveria - it was clean and sleek and only sort of reminded her of death. Her attention then focused on a monitor with the patient's initials and their room. Sucking in a deep breath, she started for it. She had just crossed the nurse station when she heard it--them.