Following Me by Linde, K.A. (best books to read in your 20s .txt) 📗

parties together,figured out how to cook together, had girlfriend weekends, and so much more. Nearly all her happy memories from college were with Hadley.  The worst part ofher relationship with Reid had only happened after Hadley left, and it made hersad that six months could change so much.

Her Hadley was the same person asthe one who was now lying in a hospital bed, breathing with the assistance of aventilator and looking as white as the blank sheet covering her body.

“The doctors said that she waslucky to be with other people last night.  Her friends brought her in when shebecame unresponsive, and then they disappeared as soon as they dumped her atthe ER,” Garrett said.  “The doctors aren’t sure what she was on. So far,they’ve found the primary source to be cocaine.”

“Which explains the sedative,”Brennan said almost to himself.

“Yeah,” Garrett agreed.  “But shewas clearly drunk and had taken some pain pills as well.  From listening to thedoctors, I gather they were some pretty strong ones.”

“She’s so pale,” Devon saidsoftly.

“I just…I can’t believe she woulddo this to herself,” Garrett said.  “We fought, but that shouldn’t have been anexcuse for…for this.”  He gestured toward Hadley.

Brennan said something quietly toGarrett, but Garrett just continued to stare at Hadley as Brennan talked.

Devon walked inside the room andover to Hadley’s side as the guys talked to each other on the other side.  Shetuned them out and sat heavily in the chair next to the bed.  She took Hadley’shand in her own, surprised to find it was so hot it felt like it was on fire. Devon curled her fingers around Hadley’s hand anyway and leaned her foreheadagainst it.

“I’m sorry, Hadley,” Devonwhispered.  “I’m sorry for knowing and not doing enough.  I’m sorry for puttingyou in a rough place.  I’m sorry for using your weakness to my advantage. That’s a shitty thing for a friend to do.  I’m sorry for not being your friendsince I got here.  I wish I could tell you everything I’m sorry for, but Idon’t think you would want me to be here all day and night.  Mostly, I’m sorrythat we’re not close like we used to be.  I don’t know who pushed the wedge inbetween us, but I don’t like it.  I kept secrets…you know I did.  But you werekeeping them, too, and then you pushed me away when I was trying to help you. I don’t blame you.  How could I ever blame you?  I’m just sorry it came tothis, and I hope that when you wake up, we can fix this.  You’re my best friend.”

Devon squeezed her hand and stoodbefore she the tears came.  She couldn’t cry again.  She had cried too much.

“Is she going to…be okay?” shemanaged to get out before covering her mouth at the thought.

“Yeah, the doctors said she wouldbe okay physically,” Garrett told her.  “Mentally and emotionally though willtake time.”

Hadley would be okay, alive.  Shewould wake up soon and start to recover.  She would learn from her mistakes,and then they could all move on.

But today, she wasn’t okay, andtoday, it wasn’t alright.  Today, it was painful and terrible andheartbreaking.  Today, Devon would let herself feel it because it would makeher better tomorrow.

“I’m going to…go get something toeat,” Devon said, not meeting the guys’ eyes as she walked past them.

“Do you want me to come with?”Brennan asked, brushing her arm with his fingers.

She smiled at him and shook herhead.  She wanted to be alone.

Devon made it out the door and afew feet down the hallway when she heard footsteps behind her.  She turned, herheart rate picking up drastically.  After all her nightmares about beingfollowed, she couldn’t shake that uncontrollable fear.

“Devon, can we talk for aminute?” Garrett asked, walking toward her.

“I’d rather not,” she said.  Herchest was aching, and she just wanted to find a place to be alone.  Couldn’the see that?

“I just wanted to apologize forlast night.”  He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.

“I really don’t want to deal withthis right now, Garrett,” she said.

“I know.  I was an ass.  Devon,please…I don’t know what I was thinking. I was really upset about Hadley,” hesaid, stepping in closer and reaching out for her arm.

“Please don’t touch me,” shesaid, pulling back quickly.

“Sorry.”  He dropped his arm.

“Can we just not do this rightnow?  Hadley is in there, unconscious.  That is what’s important.  Let’sjust…deal with that first.  I don’t even want to think about last night or whathappened.”

“Devon—”

She held up her hand. “Please…just…no.  I can’t talk about it yet.  I need some time.”

Garrett nodded and took a stepback.  “Alright.  I can give you time,” he said with a sigh.

Devon turned on her heel andwalked away from Garrett, leaving him standing alone in the hallway.

Despite all the terrible thingsthat had happened this week, she felt strong, stronger than she had in a longtime.

HADLEY WAS RELEASED from thehospital three days later.  She was required to see a psychiatrist who wouldmonitor her progress.  Her doctors had decided it wasn’t attempted suicide, sothey were lenient with her discharge.  If it were up to Devon, she would havepushed Hadley straight into rehabilitation, but Hadley could talk her way in orout of anything.  Once Hadley had regained consciousness, the last thing shewanted was to be in the hospital for any longer than necessary.

Devon had camped out on Brennan’scouch until Hadley returned to Garrett’s apartment.  She hadn’t felt rightabout going back with just Garrett there.  His hospitality had run its course. Still, she couldn’t be away from Hadley when she came back, and Devon didn’twant her to know what Garrett had done.  Hadley had too much stress as it was,and adding Garrett’s stupid mistake on top of that would be catastrophic.

Hadley had received a temporarymedical leave from work so she could recover.  She slept a lot, which Devonthought was good.  It was better than feeling the withdrawal pains she wasexperiencing.  Devon didn’t even bother to ask how much Hadley had been usingbecause it was pretty obvious that the answer was going to be way too much. Whatever the drug use had started out as, it was far