Page 213 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

“...Mano.”

He turned. Ody was on the ground; one hand pressed against the blood soaking through his shirt. Mano’s expression broke. He blinked fast. And just like that, the rage was gone, replaced with something far worse.

The guy whimpered beneath him. Mano hurled the switchblade over the cliff and ran to Ody. He dropped to his knees beside him, his gaze flicking between his face and the blood soaking through his shirt. “Hold it there. Press hard.” He slid his arms under him and lifted him up. He rushed down the slope, glancing at Ody as his face twisted in pain.

They reached the car. Mano steadied him on his feet just long enough to pull the keys from his pocket, and eased him into the back seat. He grabbed a handful of tissues, rolled them tight, and pressed them into Ody’s hand. “Keep pressure on it.”

He got behind the wheel, set the GPS, and took off. The drive blurred. He kept talking the whole way. Words spilling out, anything to keep him with him.

When he pulled up to the emergency entrance, two nurses stood outside, smoking.

He threw his door open. “I need a doctor!”

One of them dropped his cigarette and ran inside. The other rushed to the car. They lifted Ody onto a stretcher and rushed him inside, Mano right beside them.

He kept up with them all the way to the emergency room doors. Then he stopped just outside.

“Mano…” Ody’s voice came weak, his head barely turning toward him as they pushed him through.

“Everything’s gonna be okay, mikre. I’m right here.”

The doors closed between them.

The nurses asked only the essentials, whether he’d been with him when it happened and what caused the wound. Less than a minute later, a nurse approached him as he stood staring at the closed hallway door. “Is that your blood? Are you injured?” Her voice pulled his attention.

He turned to her. “No, I’m fine. Is he gonna be okay?” he asked, already glancing back at the door.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of him.”

Mano stepped away and sat down on one of the metal benches. Only then did he realize where he was. A hospital.

His thoughts drifted to Ody’s parents. His friends. He didn’t want to worry them, especially his parents. But what if something went wrong? The thought wouldn’t let go. Shouldn’t he tell someone? They should at least be here when he comes out of the ER. Bring him a change of clothes.

He pulled out his phone and opened Steve’s chat. His fingers wouldn’t move. He could already imagine his reaction. The blame.

Before he could decide what to write, a doctor stepped out. Mano was on his feet instantly. “Doctor! How is he? Is he okay?”

“He’s stable. The wound isn’t life-threatening. We’re taking care of it now.”

“Will he need to stay overnight?”

“I’ll update you soon,” the doctor said and moved away.

Mano returned to the bench and unlocked his phone, Steve’s chat still open. His thumb hovered over the screen for a moment before he backed out and opened his chat with Chris, who was at Steve’s place with the others, taking shots and playing Never Have I Ever.

“Come on, no cheating. Drink.” Pierce laughed, and everyone lifted their glasses.

“I’ve never eaten sushi,” John said.

Half of them groaned before raising their shots.

Chris’s phone vibrated.

Mano: Some guys jumped us… They stabbed Ody. I took him to the hospital. He’s okay

“I’ve never been to Mykonos,” Dimitri said with a grin, and the three of them sighed and downed their shots.

Chris didn’t move. His eyes stayed on the screen.