In the end, she felt that she wasn’t good enough for him to truly respect her.
Josie made a silent vow to herself. She wouldn’t let Sean down. She’d work hard, master acupuncture, and make sure she never dragged the team down or brought shame to Professor Wilcourt.
“Got it, Sean. Thanks!” Josie nodded hard and obediently snuggled back under the covers.
This time, when she drifted off, there were no more nightmares. She slept soundly all the way until morning.
When she woke up, the IV had already been taken out, and Sean was dozing in a recliner nearby. Josie quietly slipped out of bed and padded over. Up close, she finally noticed the heavy dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept a wink all night. A tingly, unfamiliar feeling crept up on her, leaving Josie a bit unsettled.
She carefully tucked the blanket around Sean before quietly heading for the door. She opened the door and spotted a female cop sitting on the bench outside.
“You’re awake! How are you feeling? Do you feel sick?” The officer stood up and looked her up and down.
Josie shook her head. “No, I feel fine.”
The officer said as she made a note, “Looks like the swelling on your face is gone. I can barely see it now. Does your head still hurt? The doctor said even a mild concussion has to be taken with great care. If you feel off at all in the next few days, come straight to the hospital and let us know, okay?”
Josie nodded. “Okay, thanks, Miss!”
“Aw, you’re such a sweet girl.” The officer smiled. “Your friend’s still inside, right? In a bit, have him come with you to the station so you can give your statement. Don’t worry, not a single one of those scumbags who hurt you is getting away. You’re really brave and smart, so don’t worry about what happens next. We’ve got your back!”
Josie had never felt so safe before. Maybe it was just seeing that uniform, but it made her feel more secure than ever.
“Yeah, I will. But can I ask for a little favor?” Josie said, raising her hand a bit. She continued, “I have a competition at school at nine, and it really means a lot to me. Is it okay if I go back for that first, and then head over to the station to give my statement?”
The officer looked a bit surprised. She hadn’t expected Josie to still be thinking about a school competition after everything that happened. She felt that Josie had nerves of steel.
“No problem, I’ll let them know. Just focus on your competition, and I’ll have someone from our team wait for you at the school,” the officer replied.
After seeing the officer off, Josie turned around and almost ran right into Sean, who was just coming out of the room. For a moment, a flash of nervousness flickered in Sean’s eyes. When he saw Josie, his expression visibly relaxed.
“When did you wake up?” he asked.
Josie beamed up at him. “Just now. You looked like you were in deep sleep, I didn’t want to wake you. You must be really tired from looking after me all night. I can see those dark circles under your eyes. Thank you, Sean!”
“Yeah, you owe me a coffee later.” Sean rubbed his face. “Come on, we need to head to the police station first.”
“No need.” Josie went back inside to grab her bag. “I already talked to the lady cop. She said I can give my statement after the competition. Let’s go back to school first. I’ll buy you coffee on the way,” she added.
She moved quickly, packing her bag in no time, then reached out to take Sean’s hand. Sean glanced down at her hand clutching his sleeve and couldn’t help but smile a little. He didn’t stop her or say a word. He just let her tug him along as they left the hospital. She was only supposed to stay for observation, so once everything checked out, she could leave on her own without any extra procedures.
On the ride back, Josie transferred the medical fees to Sean and asked how he found out she was in the hospital.
“We’ll talk about that later. For now, just focus on the competition,” Sean replied, not planning to say more.
Once they got back to school, Josie went straight to her dorm to change. Her puffer jacket had a rip from where the mustached man grabbed her, and it was filthy from being dragged around on the ground. She had barely stepped inside when her roommates crowded around her.
They asked, “Did you get into a fight or something yesterday? Why does your jacket look so wrecked?”