Taming the Street Racer ✔️

44 | shattered

Peyton and I pull up chairs next to Violet's bed. She tries to greet us lightly and crudely like she always does, but her voice wobbles sadly and she has to press her lips together to keep her expression from breaking. I rub her arm comfortingly as she blinks hard, trying to keep her tears at bay. On the other side of her, Tommy brushes a few tears off her cheek tenderly, watching her with sad eyes of his own.

He leaves to get her something to eat from the hospital cafeteria. Then it's just the three of us, just like it's always been. But this time, it feels different. The room feels so cold and empty, too severe for us three to be in here. All of our faces are damp but we're all trying to hide our sadness from each other, to be strong for one another.

"Wow Vi," Peyton says, sniffing hard, "I didn't think you could get any uglier."

"Right back at you, Pey Pey."

We all laugh, thankful for a dash of humor in this blank slate of a hospital. But the laughs fade quickly until it's just the three of us breathing hard and trying not to think of what's happening.

Violet's face suddenly morphs into that of absolute pain and sorrow. "We were at a stoplight. Gracie was on my lap 'cause Grayson's car doesn't have a backseat." Hiccup. "I thought we'd be fine."

Then she starts sobbing, pressing her face into her good hand and heaving loudly. We rub her back and keep her hair out of her face. I say, "Vi, you don't have to talk about right now. You should rest."

She lifts her head and shakes it. "You guys weren't there. It's like...as soon as the light turned green and we started moving, this car just fucking charged at us from the right side. He was going so--" Sob. "--fast. His timing was off and he only hit the back half but it was like he was trying to broadside us head-on. He was so close to k--k--kill--"

She doesn't finish the thought but we all know where it was going. My mind races, wondering why someone would try to kill the three of them. That question piles on top of several others I have, including why Tommy and Violet had to pick up Gracie.

Violet looks straight at me before continues, and I see the guilt swirling in her brown eyes. "I tried to help her. But the airbag hit her and she wasn't responding. Everything hurt but she was the first thing on my mind. I thought...I thought she was gone."

I grasp her hand tightly and put my other hand on her shoulder. I look at her with my own tearful eyes. "She's going to be okay, Vi. You did everything you could and you can't blame yourself for any of this."

Then Vi falls apart again, and neither Peyton nor I press her for more details. Tommy comes back in with a styrofoam bowl of soup and sits down, immediately trying to comfort Violet. I get a good look at Tommy's face and cringe at the sight of his blood face. More than half of his face looks mauled and puffy. He looks terrible.

Tommy starts to slowly feed Violet chicken soup. The care in Tommy eyes as he watches Violet makes my heart ache, and I think about Gray sitting by himself in the other room, enduring this alone. I discreetly wipe my face.

Peyton finally asks the question hanging over the both of us: "So why were you guys picking Gracie up in the first place?"

Hearing her question, both Violet and Tommy smile the slightest bit. I grimace for them, imagining the pain involved in that simple facial expression. Tommy explains, "Talia's mom called us from the sleepover. Gracie and another girl were fighting over a boy they both like."

Liam.

Tommy spoons another bite in Violet's mouth and laughs softly when a bit trickles down her chin. He wipes it off then continues. "Talia's mom said they'd been arguing since the sleepover began but when the girls were falling asleep, Gracie...escalated the situation."