Her words are eating me alive.
I don’t understand why it’s like this. All I’m doing is trying to help, do the right thing, save my brother.
I lean back in my chair, staring at the professor without seeing him.
Maybe I should stop caring. Maybe it would be easier to just not protect him. Not save him.
Even if he almost died last night.
Last night was my last straw.
My phone buzzes.
Thea’s calling.
I glance at the clock. Ten minutes left in lecture. I answer, ducking my head.
“Your boyfriend’s here and he’s taking Axel!” Thea’s voice is panicked.
“What?” I ask, confused. I thought Koa had class.
“He’s taking him in his fucking car! I don’t know where—”
“What do you wantmeto do?” I ask. It’s not like I can teleport there.
“You didn’t plan this?”
“No!”
I hear her talking to someone else. Muffled voices. Then, “Oh, I can come with?”
Koa’s voice in the background. Low, firm.
My gut sinks. What the hell is he doing right now?
I hear a car door slam. The engine starts.
“Put me on speaker!” I shout.
The entire class turns to stare at me.
“Sorry,” I mouth, face burning.
“Koa, where are you taking my brother?” My voice shakes.
“Rehab.”
I gasp. The word hits me like a punch to the chest.
Thea laughs. Bitter. Disbelieving.
Axel groans in the background.
“What?” I gasp.
“Yeah.” Koa’s voice is calm. Matter-of-fact. “Taking your ole brother here to fucking rehab. He wants to kill himself over being cut off? Brother’s got a problem, so he needs rehab.”
Tears fill my eyes. They spill over before I can stop them.
