Dylan doesn’t move. He just lies there… motionless. Oh God, is he dead? Dustin leaves Tessa and rushes to his side like the brother he should be. My heart begins to race, and I’m terrified of what just happened. As I glance around, I notice everyone’s eyes are focused on us. For a while, Cash stands there like he is glued in one spot and then slowly begins to walk backward from Dylan and toward me. I want to speak, shout from the rooftops to tell everyone to quit staring at me, but nothing… not a damn word escapes my lips.
“Char-coal, let’s get the hell outta here,” Cash says firmly while looking over to Dustin. Dustin looks up at Cash and nods with assurance that he will try to keep the repercussions to a bare minimum. “Char, did you hear me?” I’m still frozen.
Before I have time to think, Cash engulfs my body, picking me up in one swift move. As I semi begin to snap out of shock, I see Tessa and the Kluft girls gathering their things and following behind us.
Once we reach the truck, Cash boosts me into the passenger side before hustling around to the driver’s side. After he closes the door and cranks the truck, I slide as close as possible to him. I look up into his eyes and say the only words that I can mutter, “Thank you, Cash Money.”
“There’s no need to thank me, Char-coal. He’s had that comin’ for a long time now, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t the end of it.”
Removing myself from his right side, I glance at him with a questioning look. “What do you mean?” He uses his right hand to put the truck in reverse, but pauses as pain flashes across his face. I see that his right hand is beginning to swell and has a knot the size of a golf ball on it. “Ohmygosh! We’ve got to take you to the hospital.” He laughs as he uses his left hand to put the truck in gear. “What’s so funny?” I ask.
“Do you know what will happen if I go to the hospital? I’m pretty sure that Dylan’s gonna end up there, and it’s not gonna take a genius to put the puzzle pieces together.”
At that moment, the impact of this entire situation has come to the forefront. I now know that this plan was a mistake, not only for me, but also for everyone I love. There is no way that I am going to be able to fix this, but I’m going to try my best, even if it kills me.