Left in the Dust: The True Cost of Following a Fool novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Tegan

Tegan was on the third floor of the county hospital, in a bed by the window, with her left leg in a cast propped on two pillows.

I stood in the doorway for a full minute before she saw me.

Her red curls were flat against her head, and there was a plastic tube taped to the back of her hand.

When she did see me, she tried to sit up and winced.

"Keira."

"Don't move your leg."

"You came."

"My mother made me," I said. "She says you don't leave a person alone in a hospital, even if you want to."

Tegan laughed, and it turned into a cough that went on a long time.

I waited it out, and then I took the chair by the bed and sat with my backpack on my lap.

The hold letter was folded in my backpack, and I had read it over and over on the drive over.

Drew had driven me, and he was down in the cafeteria with a cup of coffee he did not want.

"I should say something," Tegan said.

"You should."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I went, and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

"You looked right at me," I said. "I told you I was staying, and you walked down the steps."

"I know."

"Why?"

She picked at the tape on her hand.

"Keeley said you were scared," she said. "She said you'd always been scared, that you stayed behind in everything, and if we waited for you we'd never get anywhere."

"I'm the one who knew where the exam hall was."

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