Page 36 of The Friend Scheme
“It’s cool, it happens.”
I wonder what that means as I slide the door shut. I take a step back and look. He’s perfectly hidden.
Okay, phew.
I run back down the hall and dump the cup in the sink, just in time for the door to open. There are still two controllers sitting on the couch. Maybe they won’t notice, but it definitely still looks like two people have been playing.
Luke steps inside.
“What’s wrong with you?” he says, coming straight up to me. “Why don’t you answer your fucking phone?”
“What?”
I guess I haven’t checked it in a while, I was too busy with Jason.
I pull my phone out and check. The screen is full of notifications. Ten missed calls from him, along with a bunch of messages. I had it on silent, like I always do. I guess I was so distracted by Jason I never thought to check it.
“I…”
Then I notice Luke’s eyes are red.
He closes the distance and hugs me tight. I can’t even recall the last time he did this. Is this because of Jason? Surely this isn’t how he’d be reacting if he knew about what I was doing.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Luke sniffs. Wait, is he crying? I check, and he’s only just managing to keep it together.
“It’s Dad,” he says. “Matt, he’s…”
“What is it? Just tell me.”
“He’s been shot.”
No. No way.
This must be a prank. A terrible, awful prank.
“He’s okay,” says Luke. “Well, he’s not. He’s in surgery now. Apparently that’s a good thing, they don’t operate on people they don’t think have a chance, right? But you know Dad, he’s tough, he’s not going to…”
Die.
That’s the end of that sentence.
Holy shit.
“Everyone else is at the hospital,” says Luke. “People kept asking why you weren’t there, so I came to get you. Let’s go.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now. Maybe grab a sweater, it’s cold inside.”
I nod and run back to my room. I close the door behind me. I feel like crying, but I can’t. Not until I’ve dealt with the Jason mess. I hardly even care about it right now, though.
My dad’s been shot.
It must’ve been the Donovans. It doesn’t feel real, it’sthathorrible. He’s been in the hospital, fighting for his life, and I’ve been here, with Jason. I open the closet door.
“What’s going on?” says Jason. “I heard shouting.”
