Queen of the track

XIV

"Stop trying to talk." Rissa scolds him, holding an ice pack to his jaw.

"Let's get you to the hospital." AJ and Connor crouch on either side of Jonah and help him to stand.

"Hold that on—I don't care if it's cold!" Rissa shouts at a groaning Jonah and forces him to hold the ice pack to his face.

I walk ahead of them and out onto the driveway to open AJ's car door, watching as Jonah practically collapses into the seat.

"If you get blood on my leather, man, I'll finish what Taylor started." AJ shuts the car door, cutting off the mumbled defence by Jonah.

"I'll go with you guys." I say, starting for the other side of the car to climb into the back. 

"No." AJ stops me and I frown at him. "Stay here and help the others clean up, I'll call you when he's getting seen to."

Before I can protest, AJ has gotten into the car and started the engine, driving off into the night. I huff and turn back to the house, grabbing ahold of Connor's arm as he passes by me.

"And where are you going?"

"Home."

"Like hell you are." I narrow my eyes at him and start to pull him back into the house. "You want to go find Gray—well, tough luck 'cause you're staying here."

"He—"

"He's gone." I cut him off. "To an address that none of us know." Alex looks up at us from where she's scrubbing Jonah's blood off the marble floor, and Rissa has started to clear away the drinks and snacks from the counter top. "We need to sort out this place so that Jonah's parents don't come home to their son in the hospital and a trashed house."

"Shit." Connor sighs and runs a hand through his hair in frustration. "We've gotta call his dad."

"We suggested that already," Alex speaks up. "Jonah was set against it. He's coming home tomorrow anyway."

"Well he's a minor so the hospital are gonna ask questions and he can't hide what happened to him." Connor says agitatedly. "And his dad's gonna be more pissed at us that we didn't let him know first hand."

"If Jonah doesn't want us to call him, then I say we don't." Rissa says.

"Same here." I nod, grabbing a trash bag and starting to clear away empty cups around the living area. "The hospital will have to anyway." I call over my shoulder.

"Whatever." Connor grumbles, heading out back.

I watch him go and purse my lips, I know he's mad that I let Gray get away, but having one friend in the hospital is bad enough, we don't need two.

Almost an hour later and we've managed to clear up all of the mess from the party, and Alex managed to get the blood off the floor before it could stain. When I look up at the monochrome clock on the wall I see that it's way past three am.

"Here." Rissa pours me a large vodka lemonade that I accept gratefully.

Despite my churning stomach from both the alcohol and the fact Jonah is hurt, having the drink helps a little.

Connor—who had barely helped us tidy up—dives for my phone on the counter the second it starts to ring, AJ's name and a photo of him posing in front of his car showing up on the screen.

"Hey, man." Connor puts AJ on speaker and places my phone on the island in front of us all. "How's our boy doing?"

"He's all right." AJ's deep voice comes through the phone. There's some background noise that makes me realise he's driving and using his hands-free in the car. "They gave him some heavy painkillers that knocked him out. Taylor knocked out one of his fillings, so he's gonna have to get a new one tomorrow, they're keeping him in over-night."

"Oh." Alex's eyes light up a little. "I was wondering what that little silver thingy was." She suddenly shudders at the memory of picking up something that had been lodged in Jonah's mouth. I don't blame her.

"They called his dad, he's coming back first thing. Jonah was still out when I left so I asked the nurse to let him know we'll see him tomorrow, I'm on my way back now."

"All right." I nod despite the fact he can't see me. "See you soon." AJ hangs up and a wave of relieved sighs fill the room.

"Thank God it's nothing too serious." Alex leans her head onto Rissa's shoulder, holding her hand.

"He got a tooth knocked out." Connor deadpans with furrowed eyebrows. "By a guy barely bigger than he is. How is that not serious to you?"

"Back off, Connor." Rissa snaps.

"She's right." I nod. "It could've been a lot worse than a missing filling."

"Yeah, like you give a damn." Connor turns to me and scoffs.

"Excuse me?" I stand up straight, facing him across the island with my voice sharp. "I do give a damn."

"Really?" He raises an eyebrow. "Could've fooled me."

"Connor!" Rissa yells, causing Alex to sit up straight. "What the hell is wrong with you? Remy isn't the cause of this, Gray Taylor is."

"Yeah." Connor nods. "And the next time I see him, he's gonna pay."

I collapse on the sofa and close my eyes. So much for this party releasing our stress.