“Was that so hard to say when I asked you the other night?” I ask.
“Whatever. I’m out.” He walks out of the office and hopefully out the front door. I look at Mandy as she sits down on the chair in front of me. I keep wondering what he said that night and tonight because it doesn’t add up.
“I wonder why he is lying?” I muse.
“Why do you think he is lying, Olivia? We were kind of heavily making out that night. He could’ve seen it then, like he says,” Mandy states.
“No, he is hiding something, I can feel it,” I tell her. “I heard the door open a few minutes ago, so the girls are back. I’m going to ask Kylie about him to see what she has heard about him. I know they are friends. She might shed some light into his characters, because he is lying.”
“I guess. You can talk to her on your own. I have never liked her.”
“Well, she has been my friend, my best friend, this past month when I needed a shoulder to cry on, when I needed the support to go from day to day. So don’t be quick to judge her. She at least was upfront about her feelings about Nix.”
“Well lead the way, oh great Oz.”
I ignore her comment and leave the office, looking for Kylie. We go through the living room where the girls are talking about their field trip. As soon as we walk by they all fall silent, looking at us with confusion in their eyes. Probably wondering how Mandy is still alive when we have been alone for the last couple of minutes.
“Do you guys know where Kylie is at?” I ask.
“Yeah, she got a call and went to her room to take it,” Sammy tells me cautiously. I haven’t been the best company the last couple of days, acting like I have been the first girl ever to get cheated on.
“Okay,” I turn to go up the stairs with Mandy close to my back and her head down. I’m about to go upstairs when Heather calls out to me.
“Hey, Olivia, is it true what Kylie mentioned today? Are you really stepping down from the presidency?” she asks. I stop ascending and turn around.
“Not that I’m aware of,” I say. Why would they think that? Is that what they want? I know I have been neglecting my duties, but Kylie said it was okay that I didn’t have to worry about anything. That’s why we have a vice president, to step up if the president is sick or unavailable for certain reasons.
“Is that what you guys want?” I question them looking at all of the girls that are in the living room. I can’t lose this too. I will crumble completely.
“No, but Kylie was saying it like if it was a sure thing already.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll clear this misunderstanding with her,” I reassure them, and once again we start to go up the stairs. We get to the top and I can hear Kylie arguing with someone over the phone.
“Well, it’s your stupid fault for not wearing a condom. I don’t care, it’s not my fault.” Pause. “No, you listen; I didn’t go through all the trouble in drugging them just for you mess it up because you want to be a father.” Another pause, and I can hear her start to pace in her room. I look at Mandy to see if she heard what I did. I wonder what kind of trouble Kylie got herself into. I also see Mandy grab her tummy and grimacing. “Are you okay?” I ask her.
“Yeah, just some discomfort, but it will go away in a moment, it always does,” she says, wincing with pain.
“We can do this another time, Mandy. I can drive you to Nix’s house.” She is starting to look a little pale.
“No, don’t worry.”
“No, you listen, you stupid motherfucker. I didn’t tell you to fuck Mandy. I told you to just put them on the bed naked and leave. But no, the perverted guy that you are decided to rape her. Yes, rape her. She was drugged Tom, that’s called rape. Do you want to go to jail for that, because if I go down so do you. I am so close to get what I want. Olivia is wallowing in despair and too hurt to care about the sorority. I am about to be named President, like it should’ve been since the beginning,” I hear Kylie rant.
“What the fuck?” I yell slamming her door with enough force that it hit the wall. “What the fuck are you talking about Kylie? Talk!” I yell at her face. I yank the phone from her grasp. She has gone pale and is looking at me like a deer caught in headlights. “Starting talking, you bitch.”
“I have nothing to say to you. Leave my room, Olivia!” she yells, setting her back straight.
“No. You drugged Mandy. When?” I say, getting in her face so close that she steps back. There are so many questions and scenarios running in my head that I can’t form a thought. She can’t be responsible for all the hurt and pain that I have been going through. She didn’t destroy all our lives for a stupid position.
“Guess what, Olivia, I don’t have to tell you shit. Again, leave my room and take that trailer trash bitch with you,” she says.
“No, you better start talking before I make you,” I threaten, rising my fist to her face. I am angry, so angry that I am physically shaking with it. I need to know the truth. I knew something was off with Tom’s story, I just didn’t know this was the extent of it. Oh my God, Nix and Mandy are innocent. I was about to lose the love of my life and my sister for this bitch. No, I need answers and I am getting them now. No one was going to stop me, because heads were about to roll.
“Olivia,” I hear Mandy squeak. I turn to her and I see tears running down her face. Then she looks down and that’s when I see why.
There is blood running down her leg.
“Shit, Mandy, what’s wrong?” I run towards her.
“I think I am losing my baby, Livi.” She doubles over in pain.
“Help! Someone help!” I yell running towards the door. I run back to where Mandy is standing, grabbing her and moving her towards the bed. I can here feet running up the stairs.
“Oh my God, what happened?” Sammy asks as soon as she walks in the door and takes in the scene.
“Call for an ambulance, I think Mandy is having a miscarriage. And tell them to hurry,” I order her. I am so scared, there is so much blood.
Porfavor Virgenista
, make sure nothing bad happens. I continue to pray, holding Mandy’s clammy hand in between mine. Mandy’s cry of pain breaks me from my silent prayer. I can hear the sirens close by.
“It’s okay, Mandy, help is on the way,” I reassure her, but the adrenaline from earlier is wearing off, and I’m terrified that something bad is going to happen.
The paramedics get here and start asking question after question, but I have no idea what I say, only that she was feeling some discomfort earlier, but she had brushed it off and so had I. Maybe if I had been more persistent in taking her home everything would’ve been alright. The paramedics put her on the stretcher and roll her out of the room, and she is so quiet now. I look at the bed and it looks like a gruesome murder scene.
“She is unconscious. We have to take her now. Is anyone coming with her?” One of the paramedics asks. I break my staring spell from the bed and say, barely audible, “Me.” I clear my throat and say louder, “Me.”
“Okay, miss. We have to move. She is unconscious and is losing blood. We need to make sure everything is okay,” he says, looking at me with an anxious look like I’m stalling on purpose. Can’t he tell I’m petrified of the outcome?
“Olivia, you need to go now. Go.” Heather gives me the push to rush out after the paramedics. I’m about to walk out the door when I turn and look at Kylie.
Never breaking eye contact, I say, “Heather, make sure Kylie doesn’t leave. I am placing her under house arrest. She has answers to questions I have.”
“Okay,” she responds.
“What, are you fucking kidding me? You can’t keep me here. That’s false imprisonment,” Kylie cries. I know she is alarmed and worried about what is going to happen.
“I don’t have time for you, Kylie. She stays put, even if you have to stay in this room with her.” I look at Heather, and something in my eyes must convince her to listen to me. I close the door and run downstairs and into the ambulance. I have an important call that I am dreading to make.
“Nix, yes, it’s Olivia. There’s been an accident…”
T
he guilt surrounds me as I recall all the bad things I wished upon her and her baby. I hated this baby, this small being, for causing me so much pain, and her for taking away my happiness. I was resentful of them. I might have caused this too.
The ambulance drives as fast they can, running all the lights and stop signs. Tears are streaming down my face. I can’t even imagine what I would do if something happens to Mandy. I’m sitting in the passenger seat since I wasn’t allowed in the back. The paramedics needed to work on Mandy and make sure she was stable. It feels like eternity before we finally arrive at the hospital. I want to scream at the paramedics to move faster. My friend is in dire need and they seem to be moving in slow motion. They wheel her into the emergency room where doctors are ready to assist her. She passes right by me, and when I look at her, she’s pale, her eyes are closed, and there’s blood, all I see is blood. I stand there motionless, crying.
“Wait! Wait!” I say, crying through my tears. I go towards her placing my hand in hers. I kiss her forehead and squeeze her hand. “I love you,” I tell her. I need her to know before they take her.
“Ma’am, we need to go,” the doctor tells me.
They don’t let me past the emergency waiting room. I look around and I find a seat closest to the doors. I fall into the seat. This can’t be happening. D
ios mio ayuda la.
She needs to survive this, give her strength. I can’t lose her, there’s so many things we need to do that we haven’t done. Please God, let her get through this, her and her baby. I sit in silence, pleading to God to help. I’m not a religious person, but at this moment I need him to hear me. I need him to answer my prayers. Tears are falling from my face, and I kneel in front on my chair to plead for her life and the life of her baby. I don’t care who’s around. My plea is interrupted by a hand on my shoulder. I slowly stand to see Nix.
“What did you do to her and my baby?” he yells. I’m shocked. I can’t even breathe, tears run faster down my cheeks. He moves past me and he asks the receptionist for Mandy, where he tells her he’s the father of the baby. I don’t even correct him as they buzz him in, and before I can explain he’s gone.
Minutes seem like hours, and no one comes to give me news on either Mandy or the baby. All I want is information to know if they’re okay, when suddenly the door opens and Nix stands there staring at me. He walks over and motions me to come towards him to the elevator. He doesn’t say a word to me. I assume he thinks I caused this, that I hurt Mandy and the baby. We step in to the elevator and head up to the fourth floor.
“Is she okay?” I ask. I need to know.
“Yes,” he says in a low voice, not looking at me.
The elevator doors open, and I step out into the coldness of the white tile floor that leads to her room, anxiety is setting in, and it feels like I can’t get there fast enough. I need to see she’s okay, we round the corner and Nix leads me into her room. It’s cold and dark, the only light is coming from the bathroom.
I quickly approach her, needing to see her breathing for my own piece of mind. A sense of relief overwhelms me when I finally get to her. She’s asleep, so I kiss her forehead and grab a hold of her hand. Thank you, God. I want to hug her and squeeze her, but I don’t want to wake her so I take as seat next to her. Tears are flowing because I’m so relieved that they’re okay. I look over at Nix who still hasn’t said a word to me. I need to explain. Our eyes meet once again, and this time it’s not angry eyes that meet me, they’re sad eyes.