Page 150 of Arturo's Temptation

“Fuck the game, Bells.” he replied, squeezing my hand tighter. A lump formed in my throat as I realised how much I’d missed him this past year.

“Kiddo, what are you doing out of bed?” I clucked my tongue as Red hurried over to me in the corridor, his face looking a lot more exhausted than usual. “You’ve got a concussion, you need to rest.”

“I’m fine. I just want to see Tyler,” I breathed, trying to catch my breath.

“Isabella Carmella Ricci, I swear one day you’ll be the death of me!” came my mother’s booming voice as she came running up behind us. “Imagine my surprise when I go to see my daughter, who’s just suffered a head trauma, to find she’s notthere!” Narrowing her eyes and pointing her index finger, she locked gazes with Arturo and Andre who didn’t quite know where to look. “Andyou two, we’ll be having words.”

I pressed my lips together to smother a laugh as I watched Arturo actually shrink back. Despite his claims that he fears nothing, I was starting to believe that my mother scared the shit out of him.

“You know your daughter, Ana, when she wants something she stops at nothin’ to get it.” Arturo chuckled as did Red. I rolled my eyes as Andre winced, waiting for our mother’s reaction.

“You,Arturo Ramos, really know how to skate on very thin ice, don’t you?” she quizzed, with a mischievous glint in her furious eyes.

“One of my specialties,” he winked. After a moment, my mother smiled and peace was once again restored.

“Now can I see Tyler?” I asked hopefully.

“Of course you can, sweetheart. I think he’s finally coming around.” Red’s wife appeared from Tyler’s room, with a relieved look on her face.

I gave her a smile which she returned, cupping my cheek. None of us had expected her to come into Red’s life when she did. But like the best things in life she breezed in like a gust of fresh air and sprinkled joy across everything she touched. Although, it hadn’t been all hearts and roses from the get go. This woman had given Red the ride of his life. It took a while to make him realise he needed that ray of sunshine as much as he needed to breathe.

But that’s a story for another day.

“Thank you,” I dropped my hands from Arturo and Andre much to their irritation. “I think I’d like to see him alone…”

“Alright. We’ll be out here if you need us,” Arturo assured me.

Huffing out a tense breath, I squared my shoulders and pushed Tyler’s door open. The first thing I noticed was the heart monitor beeping away and wires coming out of him in all sorts of places. But the second I looked at his closed eyes, my face crumpled.

“Aw, Ty…”

Both his legs and his right arm were in casts. Every inch of skin was mottled with purple and blue bruises. I fought the urge to sob and walked towards his bed. Since Peyton died, this boy had become my best friend… my only real friend and seeing him like this broke me.

“Ty, you awake? It’s me.” I sank into the chair beside him, taking his left hand in mine, running my thumb across his knuckles. “Why,Tyler, why did you follow Arturo into that house?” I brushed a stray hair from his forehead with my free hand and sniffed as he began to stir.

“Cause I lo-love ya, dumbass.” he mumbled. “You’re my best friend.” The second his familiar eyes caught mine I allowed a tear to fall.

“Oh, Ty,” I kissed his knuckles, relief flooding through me knowing he was awake and hopefully on the mend.

“You g-good?” he croaked.

“I’m fine, just worried about you.” I cried, my tears rolling onto his tattooed wrist.

“Tell me s-something good, B-Bells.” he strained as words got caught in his throat.

“Can you keep a secret?” I whispered.

He nodded, turning his head toward me the best he could.

“I’m pregnant.” I knew I’d only just told Arturo, but something deep inside told me Tyler needed to know.

“You have no i-idea how h-ha-happy I am f-for y-you.” The struggle in his sentence tore another hole in my heart. “Be h-ha-happy, B-Bells.”

I smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek, but as I pulled back his eyes slowly slipped closed and the machine by his bed fell into a consistent long flat beep.

“Tyler?” I frowned, stroking his hair. As I glanced up to see the monitor showing a clear, flat line, his grasp on my hand loosened and just like Peyton’s had all those years ago, it fell limp to the bed.

“Tyler, wake up, this isn’t funny,” I hissed. Grabbing his hand, I squeezed it tight and waited for him to sit up and say got ya! But after a moment nothing happened. My eyes burned as they flicked from side to side. “Tyler please… don’t go.” Tears fell in constant streams from my eyes as I looked at his face. He looked so terribly young. My body began to shake as I screamed.

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