Glass Hearts [BL] Chapter 10: A Whole New Shade of ’What the Hell’

"Ash!"

I turned just in ti to see June rushing down the hallway toward . Her arms were already outstretched, her hair was ssy, her eyes were swollen like she’d been crying all night.

She didn’t slow down. Didn’t give ti to brace myself. She threw herself into , hugging so tightly it almost knocked the air out of my chest.

"I’m sorry....I’m so, so sorry," she sobbed into my shoulder. Her voice was muffled as she kept shaking her head with every word.

"June....hey"

"No, listen to ," she said, pulling back just enough to look at , tears streaking her cheeks. "I shouldn’t have forced you to go to that stupid party. I kept pushing and pushing and I didn’t even double-check the oxygen tank. I should’ve known it was low. I was so careless. What was I thinking? Who forgets to check sothing like that?!"

She started hitting herself lightly on the side of her head. "I’m so stupid, Ash. So stupid."

"Whoa, whoa....stop that!" I grabbed her wrists fast, holding them still before she concussed herself. "June. Hey. Look at . Breathe. None of this is your fault."

"But—"

"No, listen. If anyone’s to bla about the oxygen, it’s the guy who filled the tank. He probably scamd . Said it would last a week, and it barely lasted two days."

I paused, swallowing hard. "If soone also deserves another bla, it’s . I should’ve double-checked. I should’ve stayed. I made mistakes too, June. But you....you’ve been there for . You helped through everything."

She blinked at , staring at like I’d just told her I was secretly a unicorn.. "Really?"

"Yes. Really." I gave her a tired smile and gently reached up to fix her crooked glasses. "I’m lucky to have you, Marcus, and Alia in my life."

She gave a soggy laugh and wiped her face with her sleeve, which only succeeded in saring her makeup more. "You are such a drama queen."

"I’m not."

"You are."

"Okay, maybe a little."

We both snorted.

"Speaking of Alia," I asked, "where’s my baby girl?"

June sniffled. "She didn’t sleep all night. She kept waiting for you by the door with that grumpy little pout of hers. I just managed to get her to nap about thirty minutes ago."

My chest sank a little.

"I told her I’d be back around midnight," I muttered. "I broke my promise."

"She’ll forgive you," June said softly. "But you know she can’t see you like this."

She pointed toward my face.

I blinked. "What?"

"Your face. It’s a whole new shade of ’what the hell.’"

I instinctively touched my cheek. It throbbed under my fingers, it was swollen and sore, probably already starting to darken into a purplish bruise.

"Jesus," June muttered, squinting at it. "You look like you lost a bar fight with one of this hunky n."

"Thanks. I was going for ’mysteriously battered hero.’"

"I see," she said sarcastically. "You need to get a nurse to take a look at that. Soon. Before it gets worse."

She stepped closer, frowning and that’s when she saw it. Her eyes widened.

"Wait....what happened to your shirt?"

I looked down. My torn shirt clung to my side, blood dried into the fabric. She reached out and gently pulled at the rip and then she saw the thin, ugly slash underneath. Her breath hitched.

"Ash," she gasped. "Is that... is that a knife mark?"

Behind her, Marcus, who had been silent until now....stepped forward with his arms crossed like a pissed-off bouncer. "Exactly, bro. What the hell happened tonight?"

Marcus glanced at June, jaw clenched. June just shook her head. Like they were both realizing just how deep this went.

I exhaled slowly. "It’s... kind of a long story."

"Well, lucky for you, we have all the ti to listen," Marcus snapped. "You got jumped by a guy with a blade at a party and didn’t think that was worth ntioning? Because from the look of it, this wasn’t just so party drama."

June looked shaken again. "You didn’t tell the cops soone pulled a knife?"

"I didn’t even get the chance," I said. "There was too much happening. And honestly, I don’t even know who it was. Everything happened so fast."

Marcus cursed under his breath. "You could’ve died, Ash."

"I know."

June crossed her arms, "You’re not allowed to get stabbed and say nothing. That’s not how friendship works."

"It’s just a scratch." I snorted.

"You’re bleeding through your scratch, idiot," Marcus said still looking at my arm.

June shook her head slowly. "You’re not staying alone tonight. I don’t care if I have to duct tape you to my legs."

"We’ll figure that out," Marcus said. "But first, let’s find a nurse and get you checked out. You look like you’ve been through a war."

"I kind of have," I said with a weak laugh. "And right now, I just want to sit with Mom. Even if it’s from outside the glass."

"You will," June said, squeezing my arm. "But you’ve gotta take care of yourself too."

I nodded.

And as I followed them down the hall, I couldn’t help but glance back at Room 307...where my mom lay quietly behind the glass.

But I whispered to her anyway.

"I’m still here, Mom. I made it. And I’m not giving up. Not yet."