Page 37 of Friend
Cory blinked out of his reverie, backing up as he looked between us. For once, he didn’t appear to be as cocky and confident. “Oh.” His voice was strangely tight. “Right.”
“Now if youdon’tmind—” I grabbed a roll of gauze out of the bedside drawer. I—along with anyone who played any sport—knew where most things were kept from personal experience at this point. “—I have to take care of this.”
Bianca was watching me in wariness, and Cory’s attention lingered on the roll. “It’s that bad?”
Bianca bit her lip, glancing at him, and even though it wasn’t the right moment for it at all, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of jealousy twist through me.
That wasnota look of disdain. In fact, it almost seemed as though she was starting to like him.
“You can leave.” I turned my back to him, focusing on Bianca. “Up,” I told her. “Lift up your shirt.”
She glanced past me, and I could briefly see her hesitance. I had no intention of forcing anything in front of Cory though, I glanced at him. He was standing stubbornly there, arms crossed, as he glowered at the two of us. “Get out of—”
“Okay.” Bianca sighed, and to my utmost surprise, stood and pulled the bottom of her shirt to her ribs, exposing her flat stomach. A protest was on the tip of my tongue, but my line of thought faltered as the full horror of the sight took my breath away.
Besides the blossoming bruise above her belly button, there were also scattered, older, marks across her torso and even one at her lower ribs.
“Bianca!” How could she not have told me?
“It’s fine,” she muttered, looking away.
“No, it’s not fine!” I protested. “Are these all from Collins?”
She set her jaw and glanced to the floor—the answer was obvious in her expression.
“I told you…” Her voice was still low. “It’s only been the last few days. I just think he’s jealous.”
“Jealous?” Cory finally spoke. His features had become harder to distinguish. I wished I’d known what he was thinking. After all, it was only a handful of years ago when he, himself, would physically go after Bianca with intent to harm.
But now that I thought about it, he’d mostly been words and these days, the occasional grab.
“That you’re talking to me,” she said softly to Cory.
Cory didn’t reply, and Bianca turned silent. There was a mood between them that I didn’t like, and I forced myself to move through it as I wrapped the gauze around her waist. It probably wouldn’t help much—the most we could really do was ointment, which I’d pick up on the way home.
But there was no way Bianca was going to let me take her to the hospital.
The sense of dread surrounding me deepened. I’d thought I had this under control. I really thought that, maybe, I could keep this up.
But we both were in over our heads.
