_Oh my God...
God… how…?
Is she okay, Matthew? Tell me she is fine!
When was the last time Jacob looked like this?
So lost. So broken.
Had he ever looked like this before?
Matthew let out a faint, ironic smirk.
+ "She's fine… I mean, I think she is. They probably took her in to remove the bullet."
Just then, a nurse came out of the room.
/"Family of the young woman who was shot?"/
That word
"shot"
hit Jacob like a sledgehammer all over again.
Matthew stepped forward.
/"The surgery went well. There's no need to worry. She did lose a fair amount of blood, so she'll need to remain under observation until she's stable."
Jacob dropped onto the chair by the wall.
Or more accurately collapsed onto it.
The entire scene kept replaying in his mind, clearer now, crueler.
And no matter what he did, he couldn't stop it.
+ "What's wrong, kid? Don't tell me you've fallen for her?"
_"Do I look like someone in love?"
+ "That's what I'm asking. Because I've never seen you look this damn wrecked."
_"Matthew… Matthew…"
A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
_"She's innocent. You know that. She's lying in there, on that damn hospital bed, inches from death, because of the shit life we built. The last thing that's going to happen in this world is me falling in love with that girl, you hear me?"
_"I respect her. And I'll protect her. Until she's out of the damn pit you dragged her into."
"And I feel like shit right now, not because it was her but because it could've been anyone. Anyone at all. And I still would've drawn a gun on them like that?"
His voice cracked near the end. practically yelling that last part.
A nurse gave a sharp warning, but he didn't even hear it.
Matthew's brow furrowed.
+ "Alright, alright… well, she's not dead."
He gave a dry, amused smile.
+ "And now, from the looks of it… seems like running away's not really an option anymore."
He casually waved the papers in his hand.