“Just go, Nina. Just…go,” he said with his eyes clinched shut.

I wanted to apologize, but nothing could make it right. I would never be sorry for being with Jared, and that was my only crime in Ryan’s eyes.

I trudged to the waiting room without another word. My perfect morning had transformed into an abysmal day.

Beth, Chad and Tucker returned after half an hour, and we walked to the jeep in silence. I tried to find solace in their conversation on the way back to campus, discussing Ryan’s improvement, his possible early release, and the funny stories they were trying to cheer him up with, but nothing helped. I was considered the scarlet letter when I had done nothing wrong.

As we pulled into the campus parking lot, my cell phone buzzed. The display lit up and Ryan’s name and number scrolled across the screen. I clambered from Chad’s jeep and pressed the phone to my ear.

“I’m sorry, Nina,” he blurted out apologetically. “You were right; it’s no one’s business. I just didn’t expect…I don’t know what I expected.”

“It’s not what you think. I just fell asleep,” I explained.

“We’re friends, right, Nina?” he said. My insides wrenched at the exhausted sadness in his voice.

I covered my eyes with my hand. “Of course we are. I hate it that you’re mad at me.”

“I have no right to be. I just need to know that I didn’t ruin everything.”

Ruin everything? He was lying in a hospital bed healing from a wound that I could have prevented. The guilt was unbearable.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out.

“I’m a jealous idiot, Nina. Just…promise me you’ll come back. I won’t be a jerk again, I swear.” His voice bordered on begging, and I was desperate to take away his regret.

“You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Beth smiled after watching me stuff my cell phone into my purse. “I’m glad you two got it worked out.”

“Me, too,” I sighed.

Once in my room, I dialed Jared’s number. The tone repeated over and over in my ear and I was caught off-guard when the voicemail prompt beeped in my ear.

“H-hey, Jared,” I stuttered. I had fully expected him to answer. “It’s Nina. I’m back from the hospital and just thought I’d give you a call. Talk to you soon.”

After two hours, I became suspicious when I hadn’t heard from him. He had been so anxious about the outcome of my mother’s visit that I couldn’t imagine why he’d wait so long to return my call. It didn’t help when I realized he had probably heard my message in real-time the second I’d left it.