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I nodded "He will"

Erin took a shaky breath and looked down at Mindi "We need to call the police or go to the hospital or soht? I have no idea what to do first"

"The hospital?" Mindi was afraid, and I couldn’t blame her

"They’ll probably need to do… an exaentled her voice, but at the word exaain

Her knuckles blanched, gripping the blanket "I don’t want an exao to the hospital!"

How could I bla o with you You can do this" Erin turned to me "What should we do first?"

I shookof the campus police Some, like Don, would probably do ith this situation Soht to the hospital, but I wasn’t sure what the steps were I picked up my phone and dialed

"Hello?" Lucas’s voice ary, and I realized I’d never called him before

"I need you" It had been over a week since we’d communicated outside of the worksheets he’d sent, and the self-defense class yesterday

"Where are you?"

"In my room" I expected him to ask what I wanted He didn’t

"Be there in ten minutes"

I closedup, and I put the phone down, and aited

Lucas squatted on his heels just below Mindi’s eye level "If you don’t report it, he’s going to do it again To soh me, barely audible from across the room "Your friends will stay with you"

Erin sat on the bed, holding her hand I barely knew this girl, but thanks to Buck, ere now allies, associated in a way no one ever wants to be linked

"Will you be there?" Her voice was a whisper

"If you want," he answered

She nodded, and I ta to envy in this situation

The television in the ER waiting roo volu head I wanted to turn it off, or down, but an elderly man was planted in a chair ten feet fro up at the sitco hi here, as I to take that diversion away?

Lucas sat next to h His hand was so close to er out to stroke his I didn’t

"Got soainst that show?"

His silly question broke my scowl "No, but I think I could hear it frohost smile, and I wanted toat the boot on his knee "Are you a little hung-over, too?" When Erin and Mindi filled hiured out that I’d gone with Erin to the Greek event

"Maybe, a little" I wondered if he would think I’d senselessly puta party where Buck would obviously be present His repri, mostly because it was true

"So did he talk to you? Last night?" He was still staring at his boot

"Yeah He asked me to dance"