Page 121 of Rules

The sound of the door opening has me turning around, stopping me from asking anything.

“Max, you’re here,” Dad says, entering the small room. I can hear the surprise in his voice as he looks between me and Andrew with curiosity.

He looks like he’s aged ten years since I last saw him. There are wrinkles on his face that weren’t there this morning. His dark hair is a mess, and there are dark bags underneath his eyes that stand out against his fair skin.

“Yeah.” I can see his curious glance in Andrew’s direction, so I offer an introduction. “Dad, this is Andrew. He’s one of my teammates.”

Dad steps closer, offering his hand, but Andrew barely nods in acknowledgment before his full attention is back on Jeanette.

“And Jeanette’s boyfriend,” he offers nonchalantly, as he grasps her hand in his.

I’m not sure how he can do it. With all the machines and tubes that are connected to her and just the sight of her lying in the bed, I’m scared that if I just look at her for a second too long she’ll fall apart.

“Oh.” Dad gives me a quick look. “I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.”

I shrug. It’s not like Jeanette has been open with anybody about her dating status.

“Has she woken up?” Andrew asks my dad.

“Not a peep since she got here.”

I close my eyes, letting the words sink in. How long has it been? Minutes? Hours? It feels like an eternity, but it couldn’t have been that long. If I could only hear her voice, see her open her eyes, even if just for a second… But my wishes are in vain, and she’s still sleeping. There is a mask covering her nose and mouth, helping her breathe.

“What the hell happened, Dad?” I ask the question that’s been bothering me since I got the call. Nothing adds up. If Jeanette knew she was pregnant, she wouldn’t do anything reckless that would endanger her life. I know it just like I know the sky is blue and the grass is green. She wouldn’t risk her baby no matter what.

I reach forward, gulping down hard before I let my finger graze her forehead slowly. It’s one of the rare spots on her body that’s left undamaged, but I’m still trying to be as tender as I can, brushing her hair away.

“She lost control of her car. I tried to stop her, warn her not to drive. She’s not used to driving in the snow, but you know your sister… She was driving fast, and the roads were icy and slick. The other car came from the opposite direction, blinding her temporarily, and she started to slide. I guess she got scared, because she tried to brake, but the only thing it did was make her car spin off the road.”

“That just doesn’t make any sense.” I shake my head, trying to push away the images of Jeanette rolling in the car. “Jeanette doesn’t drive fast. And she’s always nagging me about ditching my demon motorcycle.”

A low moaning sound draws my attention, making me forget about the conversation. I open my eyes, looking down at Jeanette.

Andrew’s already leaned down, looking intently at her face. “Princess?”

“Anette,” I call softly, letting my conversation with Dad go for now. “Can you hear me?”

Open your eyes, Anette. Just open your eyes, please.

“Open your eyes, beautiful,” Andrew voices my words.

Jeanette starts to stir, and I can see her eyes move behind her still-closed lids. My heart kicks up a notch, waiting. I want to reach for her hand, but Andrew is already holding her and I don’t want to overwhelm her, so I grasp the railing until the metal cuts into my damp skin.

“Open those beautiful eyes for me, Princess,” Andrew pleads.

There is so much emotion and vulnerability in his voice I almost don’t recognize it. It feels like the whole room is still as we wait for her to open her eyes. And then, after what feels like forever, they finally,fucking finally, flutter open. Almost as soon as we get a glimpse of those silver irises, they’re closed again, a frown forming between her brows. It takes her a few times, the bright light making it hard for her to adjust, but she doesn’t give up.

The whole time, Andrew whispers soft words of encouragement, not for a second caring who might hear him and what they’re thinking.

“D-drew…” Her voice is raw and raspy. Her eyes are finally open, and she looks between the two of us with confusion written on her face.

“Shhh…” He presses his finger against her lips, his eyes closing, head falling down. And then I see his shoulders shake. It’s just for a few seconds, a moment of weakness, but for the first time, I see it. I see the guy my sister has seen all this time. A guy she fell in love with, but more importantly, a guy who looks at her like she’s his whole world.

“How do you feel?” I ask softly, giving Andrew a moment to compose himself.

“L-like…” Her tone is a rough stutter, words spoken slowly. “L-like a… t-train ran me o-over.”

Her statement throws me off a bit, but I don’t know why I’m surprised. This is Jeanette we’re talking about. A strangled laugh comes out of me as relief settles in.

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