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“What the fuck is going on?” Seven demands as he shuts his door behind him.
I fill him in on the way to the car. My foot presses the pedal to the floor as I race through the streets to get to the dorms. While they aren’t far from us, every minute feels like an hour.
When we finally reach her dorm, we race up the stairs to her floor and then begin banging on the door.
“Rory! Open up! It’s Xayden and Seven!” I yell through the door. The noise is catching the attention of the rooms around us, with doors opening up and eyes peering out.
“Have any of you seen Rory or her roommate?” Seven asks the onlookers. But they all shake their heads no.
“Shit,” I mutter as I continue to pound on the door. “Go get the RA and see if she can get us in here. Do you have Addy’s number?”
Seven pulls out his phone. “I can get her number in a few seconds. Let me go get the RA.”
I nod as I return my attention to the door. Placing my ear next to it, I listen to see if I can hear anything. But the room is silent. Moments later, I hear Seven making his way back to me, the RA in tow and him talking to who I assume is her roommate.
“Hi, um, have you tried calling her?” the RA asks me, and I lean down and level my eyes with her.
“What the fuck do you think? Do you think we didn’t try that?” I seethe.
Without saying a word, she unlocks the door and goes to open it. I grab the handle and keep her from doing so.
“We can handle it from here.” Seven advises her.
“But I can’t just let you go in there?” she pushes back, gaping at us in disbelief.
“I’m her stepbrother. So, as he said, we can handle it.” I narrow my eyes at her. “Go.”
She hesitates for a moment before huffing and leaving me and Seven to head into her room. And nothing could prepare me for what my eyes see.
Rory lays on the floor, her clothes torn up and tattered. Her body and the shreds of clothes are covered in dirt and dust. Her black hair is disheveled and filled with dirt and twigs. I can see bruises on her pale skin.
“Holy fuck,” Seven exclaims next to me. I turn to him to see his eyes wide and his face paled.
Immediately, I drop down to my knees and hover over her. I move my ear over her nose and mouth to see if I can hear her breathing. I cup her face and slightly tap it with my hand.
“Hey, Rory, wake up. Come on and wake up for me.”
“Should we call 9-1-1?” Seven walks over to the other side of her, his brow creased with worry.
“I don’t know.” I look up at him for a moment before refocusing my attention on her. “Come on, Rory, wake up for me. I need you to open your eyes.”
I shake her a bit before I tap her face again.
She lets out a groan before her eyes start to flutter open. Her face contorts in pain, and she twists from her position.
“Rory, come on, we’re right here. Come back,” Seven calls to her.
Her eyes fly open at his voice, and fear takes over her features. “No!” she screams.
“Shh. It’s just Seven and me. You’re in your dorm, Rory.” I watch as she continues to take in her surroundings. Her head snaps to me and then to Seven, her breaths coming out fast.
“W-What…” Her bottom lip starts to wobble.
“We have no idea what happened. We just found you like this. Let’s get you off this floor and onto your bed.” I nod to Seven, and he reaches down to offer her a hand.
For a moment, she stares at it and I think is still questioning reality.
When she finally reaches out to him, I sigh a breath of relief. We both help her to her bed and sit her down.