I jolt. A hiss leaves me as I knock my head on the shelf above me.
“Careful, Eden.”
“You scared me, Samuel!” I turn, seeing him resting with his shoulder against the doorframe and blocking the entry. “I’m looking for my gummy bears.” I pout.
“Weren’t you home sick today?” He raises his brows to me. “And now you want gummy bears? Were you faking to just have the day off, Eden? We don’t lie to each other.”
“No.” I huff out. “I really do feel like poop. My stomach hurts, and my lower back is killing me. And I can’t stop thinking about gummy bears.”
The words sound whiny, and my shoulders sag as I feel defeated by my craving and not being satisfied.
Samuel walks toward me, reaches over my shoulder on the very top shelf, and pulls out a bag of the delicious goodies.
“Why would you keep them on the highest shelf? I am short. I can’t reach that!”
“That’s the point. You would eat them all in one day if I didn’t hide them. This keeps your five-foot three-inch butt from finding them.” He shrugs.
I rip the bag open and dig around for a green one. They are my favorite ones. “Well, the secret spot is no longer a secret anymore,” I say before popping it in my mouth.
It tastes like the Divine takes my soul to the heavens. I let my eyes close. A small moan develops in my chest as I chew.
I let out a deep breath.Yup, this is what I needed.
I open my eyes, and Samuel is watching me chew, his eyes on my lips. “What?”
“You really love those gummy bears, don’t you?” He chuckles before walking out of the pantry.
I follow him.
Joshua is sitting on the island in the kitchen. I didn’t even hear him there before.
“Hey, little Donovan.” He nods at me as he taps on his phone.
I smile but keep my head down.
Joshua and I have never been the type to chit-chat. I am just his friend’s annoying little sister.
Samuel motions for me to join him next to his friend, so I walk over. He pulls me to his side, his hand on my hip, his thumb absentmindedly caressing the fabric of my pajamas. My stomach pings with a sharp ache, and I flinch at the pain.
Samuel pulls away to look at me. “You okay?”
“Yeah, my stomach just—”
I feel something seep out of me and my eyes go wide. It doesn’t stop, and I have to pull away from Samuel to bolt out of the kitchen.
He tries to pull me back next to him, asking me what is going on. But I yank away, telling him I have to pee.
I rush up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time, which only makes my discomfort worse. When I run into my room, I slam the door behind me, bolt to the bathroom, and lock the door. I stand in front of the mirror, my eyes wide andmy hands shaking. I know I have to check. I have to see what the heck just came out of me.
I peek at myself in the mirror again.Just check. Get it over with.
I groan, taking a deep breath, then grip the waistband of my pajama pants. I slide them down slowly and gasp at the red all over the fabric.
What in the Divine? Am I dying? What’s happening? It’s blood. I am bleeding...I am bleeding from, from, from...down there.
I scream, and within an instant, I hear knocks on the door.
Crap!
