Page 30

Carson

I could hardly believe it when they told me Eve was being discharged. It didn't feel real, not after everything that had happened. Five days of her lying motionless in that sterile bed, hooked up to IVs and monitors, and now—she was going home? I barely let the doctors finish their rounds before I was rushing around to get her things together.

But there was something in the back of my mind, a gnawing feeling I couldn't shake. I wasn't sure if she was ready to leave this place, not with the bruises still covering her body, not with the pain lingering in her eyes.

But she insisted. She wanted out. And as much as I wanted to protect her from the world, I understood. I couldn't keep her wrapped up in bubble wrap forever. The world had knocked her down, but if anyone could stand back up, it was Eve.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" I asked softly, my fingers brushing over her shoulder as I helped her slip on her jacket. The hospital room felt so cold, like the walls were closing in on us. I hated it.

Eve smiled faintly, her eyes still shadowed from exhaustion. "I'm sure, Carson. I can't stay here forever."

Her voice was so quiet, I could barely hear it over the rapid beat of my heart. Her broken ribs, the fractured wrist, the bruises—they were all still there, lingering under the surface like ghosts she couldn't quite escape. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving her alone.

"You're going to be okay, right?" I asked again, trying to convince myself more than her. My heart was racing, my mind running wild with what-ifs.

"I'm okay," she replied with more conviction this time. But I could still see the cracks in her armor. Even with her words, I could tell she was just trying to hold it together for me. But she reached onto her tiptoes and pressed a light kiss on my mouth, a smile tugging the corners of hers as she limped away.

We left the hospital, her arm slung over my shoulder as I helped her walk to the car. Every step she took seemed like an accomplishment, but the weight of what she'd been through still hung over us. As I drove us back to my place, my mind raced with a thousand thoughts. Would she be okay? Could I keep her safe? Would we be able to pick up the pieces and move on, or had everything changed forever?

The drive was silent, save for the hum of the engine and the soft sound of Eve's breathing. Her head rested against the window, her eyes closed, but I could tell she was still a million miles away, lost in her thoughts.

When we reached my place, I didn't waste a second. I rushed to help her out of the car, my hands trembling as I guided her inside. The house was quieter than usual, the guys all off doing their own things. But as soon as we stepped through the door, the energy in the room shifted.

"Holy shit, Eve," Kade said, his voice tight with disbelief. He stood up from the couch, his eyes scanning her bruised face and the cast on her wrist. The others followed suit, all of them looking at her with the same mix of shock and concern.

"I'm fine," Eve said quickly, though her voice was still soft and a little shaky. "It's just... it's been a rough couple of days."

I could see them trying to process the sight of her, trying to find something to say. But I knew they were all too damn scared. Hell, I was scared. I wanted to say something, too. Something to make it all better, to make her feel safe again. But I didn't know where to begin.

I helped her sit down on the couch, making sure she was comfortable before taking a seat next to her. I kept my hand on her leg, my thumb lightly brushing over her skin, reminding myself that she was still here—that she was still alive.

"I'm gonna skip practice tonight," I muttered, my voice low. The words came out without thought, like they had been waiting to escape for hours.

"What?" Eve asked, her eyes narrowing as she turned to me. "No, Carson. You can't skip practice."

I felt the tension rising in the room. "I'm not going to leave you alone," I said, my voice firm. "Not after everything that happened. I need to be here."

My roommates had the right sense to shut their mouths but I could see their jaw slacked faces in my peripheral.

She turned to look at me, her brow furrowing as she shook her head. "No, Carson. You can't skip practice. You can't risk your dreams for me."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she put her hand on mine, cutting me off. "I'm fine, okay? I'm not going to fall apart if you're not here. You can't just put your life on hold because of me."

"I'm not putting my life on hold," I argued, my voice firm. "I just—" I paused, running a hand through my hair, frustrated. "I don't want to leave you alone right now. I just got you back, Eve. I want to make sure you're okay."

She let out a heavy sigh, her eyes lowering to the floor. "I don't need you to babysit me, Carson. I need you to keep living your life. If you're not at practice, then how can I feel okay about you risking your future? You have your goals. You have everything you've worked for. Don't throw that away for me."

I didn't want to fight. Not right now. But I couldn't help the way my heart clenched at the thought of leaving her, especially after everything she'd been through. "It's not the same, Eve. You're my priority. You always will be."

"I get it. But I'm not the only thing that matters," she said, her voice strained but firm. "And if you don't go back to practice, you're going to regret it. I won't let you do that."

I opened my mouth to argue again, but before I could say anything, she turned her head and looked at the guys in the room. "I'll be fine, really. You guys don't have to worry about me. Carson, go. Please."

I stared at her, not liking this. Not liking that she felt like she had to protect me, too. But she was right. I couldn't put everything on hold forever.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Fine. I'll go. But I'll be back before you know it."

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft as she gave me a small, weary smile. "I'll be fine. I promise."

I didn't want to leave her. But I had to. I kissed the top of her head and stood up, looking at the guys, more specifically TK who I knew wasn't going to training today to catch up on an essay, they were all giving me some space but watching me closely. "You better look after her while I'm gone. She's still healing."

TK gave me a thumbs up. "I got you, man. Don't worry about it."

I nodded, though I still felt the tight knot in my chest. But I knew she didn't want me to hold back. She wanted me to keep moving forward. So I did. But even as I left for practice, part of me was still with her, wishing I could have stayed by her side the entire time.

The next two days passed in a blur. I went to practice, but my mind was always on Eve, always wondering how she was doing, if she was okay, if she was in pain. She was tough, I knew that. But even the strongest person can only handle so much.

I came back to my place every night, finding her in the same spot on the couch, surrounded by pillows, resting, talking to the guys—Kade, TK, and even Lizzie and Luke, who dropped by for a while to check in. I could tell she was trying to get back to normal, she was getting there, I could see more of her smile coming out day by day.

But I wasn't the same. She had changed everything for me. I didn't want to lose her again. Not ever.

The morning was bright when Eve finally woke up, and for the first time in days, the weight I had felt—the heaviness in the pit of my stomach, the constant worry that something was slipping out of my grasp—lifted just a little.

As I watched her sitting up in the bed, the soft morning light spilling through the window and casting a warm glow over her, I could see it. The spark in her eyes was back. She wasn't the same fragile girl I'd been so afraid for these past few days; no, she was something else. Something stronger. And as much as I wanted to keep her here with me, to keep her safe in my arms, I realized that she was ready to take those first steps on her own.

She was ready to go back to the dorms.

I didn't want to admit it at first, but I had seen it in the way she moved, the way she sat up in bed, the way she looked at me. She was no longer broken, not the way I had feared she might be. She was healing. And that healing meant stepping away from the hospital room and rejoining the life she'd left behind. She had taken the time she needed, and now, she was ready to take back what was hers.

I think I'm ready," Eve said, her voice quiet but full of conviction.

I looked at her, unsure at first. "Ready for what?"

She met my gaze with a soft, reassuring smile. "Ready to go back to the dorms. I'm not healed completely, but I'm stronger now, Carson. I want to get back to my routine, to my friends... to myself."

My heart did a weird little twist. I had been holding on so tight to the idea of keeping her here with me, afraid of pushing her too hard, afraid of letting her go back into the world that had hurt her. But I saw it now in her eyes—this wasn't about me. This was about her. And she was happy. She was better.

"You sure?" I asked, my voice soft, careful.

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm eating more, sleeping better... I feel like I can actually breathe again. I don't feel trapped by everything that happened."

My chest loosened at her words. "That's good," I whispered, unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face. "I'm glad to hear that, Eve. I really am."

She reached out for my hand, her fingers brushing over mine, a touch so simple, yet it grounded me. "I'll be okay, Carson. I promise. It's not like I'm running away from you. I'm just... moving forward."

I nodded, trying to hide the swell of emotions rising in me. Part of me wanted to keep her here with me forever, keep her wrapped in bubble wrap to protect her from the world. But she was right. She wasn't running from anything anymore. She was moving forward, reclaiming the life she had before everything fell apart. And she was strong enough to do it on her own terms.

"Okay," I said softly. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure."

When we reached her dorm room, I could see the hesitant look in her eyes as she stepped inside. She hadn't been here for a while. The space had stayed mostly the same, but I could tell it felt different to her now. Like everything had changed, but it still held pieces of her past. Katie wasn't here yet as she had gone to visit her sisters baby shower.

"I'll help you put everything back," I said, following her inside and setting her bag down on the bed.

She nodded, giving me a small, nervous smile. "Thanks, Carson. I don't know why this feels so weird."

"It's okay," I said softly, picking up a few items and putting them away. "It's a new chapter, right?"

Eve's eyes softened as she glanced at me. "Yeah. It's just... different."

"Yeah, but different isn't bad." I smiled, moving toward her with her favorite hoodie in hand which turned out to be mine. I draped it over her shoulders, and she chuckled softly as she pulled it on.

"You always know what to say," she whispered, her fingers brushing over mine for a brief moment.

I looked at her, my heart racing as I took a step closer. "Eve, I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I love you. And I'm proud of you."

Her eyes brightened, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. She smiled at me—the smile that melted everything in my chest—and I knew exactly how I felt. Every part of me was drawn to her, to the girl who had fought so hard and come out stronger.

"I love you too," she whispered back, her voice barely above a breath.

I took a step forward, my hands gently cupping her face as I leaned in, closing the space between us. Her lips were soft and warm against mine as I kissed her deeply, not caring about anything but the feeling of finally being able to hold her like this again. After everything we had been through—after the pain, the fear, the confusion—I finally felt like we were finding our way back to each other.

When we pulled away, our foreheads rested together, and I whispered, "You're not alone in this, Eve. I'll always be here, by your side."

She smiled, a little laugh escaping her lips. "I know. I think I'm finally realizing that."

We both stood there for a moment, holding each other, letting the warmth of our love fill the space. This was our new beginning.