Meadow’s POV:


    “I can’t believe this.” Nova’s voice was a distant mutter before she walked into my room. “I cannot believe you actually contracted the flu from me. Thought you were fucking invincible.”


    My sinuses were on fire and my head was pounding. Also, I was having heavy period cramps, but I


    somehow managed tough at my best friend’s jokes.


    I rarely ever fell sick–Nova used to joke about me being superwoman–but now, I was. And I had a feeling


    it had to do with swimming in the pool for more than two hoursst night.


    But I couldn’t help it. I needed to think. And no–I didn’t touch myself this time. I was genuinely pissed at


    my husband.


    “Well,” I murmured, sniffing loudly. “Now you know I’m not.”


    Nova let out an amused breath, lowering herself onto my bed. I turned around to face her just as she


    tucked the duvet snugly around me. Her blond curls were stretched today, her eyes brighter than they


    were thest time I saw her. “You okay?” she asked. “You didn’t sound too good on the phone.”


    “I’m obviously not okay, Nova. I’m in honest–to–god pain.”


    “I don’t mean the illness, genius. I mean you didn’t sound… like you. Something happen with you and your darling husband?”


    I scoffed, and it turned into a thick cough. “Can we not talk about that? I already have a headache as it is.”


    My voice was so small, and my throat felt thick, the back of my eyelids burning with unshed tears.


    I hated it


    Whenever I was sick, I cried for no damn reason at all. Coupled with me being on my period….I was way


    too emotional today.


    “Hey<i>. </i><i>“</i>Nova whispered, probably noticing the crack in my voice. “Come here.” She scooted further into the bed, and then I moved my head to herp instead of my pillows. I heaved a sigh, groaning when a sharp pain spread through my lower abdomen.


    “Tuck.” she breathed after feeling my forehead with the back of my palm “You’re burning up. Maybe I should call -”


    “No,” I snapped “I’ll be fine Mel made some soup for me earlier and-”


    “Soup isn’t medicine<i>, </i>Meadow. Come on Nova blew out a breath, gently running her hand through my hair “Don’t be stubborn.”


    I snorted. “Don’t pretend like you were all willing when Nn and I wanted to take you to the hospital.”


    “Exactly,” She replied smugly. “I wasn’t willing. But guess what? I was taken against my will anyway.”


    I couldn’t help the smile that stretched across my lips. “Speaking of Nn…” I drawled, noticing the way she froze for a second. “Do you think he caught the flu too?”


    “Um…I don’t think so.” Nova’s voice sounded strained. “I mean, he was fine when he left this morn… crap.”


    My eyes instantly snapped to hers, narrowing at the pink that had tinted her cheeks. “He slept over?”


    She looked away from me, her mouth opening and closing, but no words came out. “Who are you and


    what have you done with the girl who wanted nothing to do with bad boys?”


    “Nothing… happened, okay?”


    “Nothing?” I repeated tly, arching a brow.


    “Yes, nothing.” She paused. “I mean, we kissed, but-<b>” </b>


    “Nova!” I tried tough but all it did was make my head pound. I wasn’t against Nova having anything with Nn. They were both adults, and I wasn’t territorial about my husband’s family–ric wasn’t


    even my real husband.


    I just hoped that whatever was going on between them wasn’t something they were going to regret, whether or not it would blossom into something more.


    My throat tightened. I hadn’t spoken to ric since two nights ago when he lied to me. All his lies left me wondering was whether rissa was right. Whether they had been in Vegas together–drinking.


    That didn’t seem like something ric would do. I had never seen him get drunk. And yes, I didn’t really know him, but I just didn’t see ric letting himself get loose.


    Of course, anything was possible–especially since he used to be in love with her.


    “Hey<i>,</i>” Nova called out with a light chuckle. “What are you thinking about?”


    1 forced a smile, looking up at her. “Nothing Just–oh god,” I groaned, clutching my stomach as pain spread through my abdomen again I usually had heavy cramps but damn–this was way worse. Maybe because I was sick?


    1


    Nova shoved out a breath. “Okay, that’s it. I’m calling ric-”


    “It’s just cramps, Nova Nothing he can do about that<b>.</b>”


    “It’s not just cramps, and you know it. You need to get to the hospital Wait Does he even know you’re like


    this?”


    I hesitated, and that was all the answer Nova needed “Seriously?”


    Like I said–I hadn’t spoken to ric since our little spat. I pretty much avoided him before he left for


    work yesterday, and when he got back, it was alreadyte, so I easily remained in my room. But sometime during the night, after I left the pool and was getting ready for bed, I heard his footsteps near


    my door.


    I knew he was there, maybe contemting knocking. But he didn’t.


    He. Didn’t Knock.


    Same as this morning, which was when I started feeling ill.


    “No, he doesn’t know, okay? And like I said, I’m perfectly fine, Nova…” Pain shot through my skull again,


    nearly blinding me. It felt like a migraine.


    “Okay, that’s it.” Nova gently moved my head from herp before rising to her feet.


    “No…” I moaned weakly. “Nova,e on, just… ugh!”


    I watched as she grabbed her purse from my vanity, and she was about to pull her phone out when mine started to ring on the bedside table.


    My heart skipped a beat for some reason.


    I didn’t usually get calls from a lot of people, so whenever I did, I instantly knew it was either Nova or-


    when we were still dating–Tyler. Or Juniper.


    I found myself hoping that it was just ric, even though I didn’t want to speak to him.


    “Hey, could you pass me my phone?”


    Nova walked back to the bed, grabbing my phone off the table, and her brows drew together as she stared


    down at my screen. “It’s from an unknown number,” she muttered.


    Confused, I rose up to my elbows. “An unknown number?” I echoed, taking my phone from her


    outstretched hand


    I watched it ring a few times, not recognizing the arrangement of numbers, and then I swiped right,


    raising the phone to my ear


    I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, a voice sounded through. “Hello,” It was a robotic female voice. “Do you want to ept a call from Clint Russell, an inmate from the Louisiana State Penitentiary<i>?</i><i>” </i>


    My entire body froze.


    For a second, I thought I had misheard, but when the voice repeated the question, I was sure I hadn’t.


    Clint Russell.


    My father


    <b>3/5 </b>


    All of a sudden, my palms turned sweaty, and I couldn’t breathe.


    “Hey, who is it? What’s wrong?”


    Nova’s voice was only a distant murmur. My ears were ringing. My head was hurting. The phone slipped from my hand onto the bed, but I could hear the voice drone on and on and on.


    It felt like my chest had caved in. Like the world was closing in on me.


    “Meds?” Nova’s voice was filled with concern as her face danced in front of me. “Hey, hey. I need you to


    calm down. Meadow! Breathe.”


    My vision blurred, and my body started to shake violently. How was I supposed to breathe when I had all


    of a sudden forgotten how to?


    “Meadow, please…” She turned my face to hers.


    “What’s going on here?” A deep voice suddenly echoed through my room. ric.


    “I think she’s having a panic attack,” Nova answered quickly. “I don’t… I’ve never seen her like this before


    My ears stopped listening. My brain stoppedprehending.


    And right before I passed out, I felt his steady hand on my face.


    X