The Triplet Alphas’ Private Stripper

Chapter 4

Riley’s POV

The rays of blinding light flashed through my eyes as I struggled to open them, forcing me to close them again. I took a deep breath as I opened my eyes once more, my head pounding. My vision was still blurry, and the room around me seemed to spin. I struggled to make out where I was. A soft groan escaped my lips as I tried to sit up, a sharp pain shooting through my side, making me wince. I blinked a few times, forcing myself to focus. Slowly, the room came into view, and I realized I was in the school infirmary, lying on a narrow bed with white sheets. The walls were pale, and the faint smell of antiseptic hung in the air.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and pushed myself into a sitting position. My head throbbed, but I fought through the dizziness. Just as I swung my legs over the side of the bed, a woman walked in. She was clad in a crisp white gown, probably in her early thirties, with short brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail. It was obvious she was a nurse; she had a calm, gentle expression on her face as she approached and stood by my bedside, staring down at me.

“Oh, you’re awake,” she said, sounding relieved. She came over to my bedside and checked my forehead with the back of her hand. “How are you feeling?”

I tried to remember what had happened, but my mind was foggy. “I… I don’t know,” I mumbled. “How did I get here?” I asked, confusion in my eyes.

The nurse gave me a small, reassuring smile. “You don’t have to panic. It’s nothing severe. You were brought in by some guys,” she explained. “They said you almost drowned. They seemed quite restless when they came and asked to leave immediately after I started treating you.”

Guys? My heart skipped a beat. “Which boys?” I asked quickly, my voice rising with a mix of anxiety and curiosity. “Do you know their names?”

The nurse shook her head. “No, they didn’t say. They just dropped you off and left in a hurry.”

I frowned as an image flashed through my mind—the triplets. Who else could it be? I felt a knot form in my stomach at the thought of them. My fingers tightened around the edge of the bed as anger bubbled up inside me.

The nurse reached over to a small table next to the bed and picked up a glass of water and a couple of pills. “Here,” she said, handing them to me. “You should take these. They’ll help with the pain,” she explained gently.

I took the glass and the pills, swallowing them down with a gulp of water. The cool liquid felt good on my dry throat, but it did little to calm the storm brewing inside me.

The nurse watched me carefully as I set the glass back down. “Miss, I know this doesn’t concern me, but I’d like to say something. You should be careful around those guys,” she said softly. “There was something about them—they looked like they couldn’t stand you when they brought you in. Dare I say, disgusted.”

Her words stung, piercing through my already thin skin. My jaw clenched. “Disgusted?” I repeated my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes,” the nurse replied, her expression turning serious. “They seemed very strange, barely spoke, and only made eye contact, like they didn’t want to be here. I don’t know what happened between you all, but it might be best to stay away from them. This school is very dangerous when you don’t have a clique, and you seem pretty new here.”

Stay away from them? As if I wanted to be anywhere near those monsters. My hatred for them only grew with each word the nurse spoke. I hated them for what they did to me, for how they made me feel—trapped, scared, and lost. Today was only the first day of school, but I already hated their guts. I stared blankly at the wall, lost in thought, my mind racing with anger and disgust. I wanted nothing more than to be free of them, to have them far away from me.

I jolted out of my thoughts as the nurse’s voice pierced my ears. “Do you have someone who can come and discharge you? A parent or a guardian? You need someone to sign the documents.”

My heart sank at her question. The truth was, I had no one. My mother was in the hospital, and I had no other family around. But I couldn’t let her see how alone I felt. I straightened up, forcing a weak smile. “No, I don’t,” I said quietly. “But I’ll be fine to go alone.”

The nurse looked at me sympathetically, her eyes filled with pity. She gave a small nod. “Alright,” she said gently. “But please, take care of yourself.”

She handed me a slip of paper and walked me to the door. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I didn’t want to stay in that place any longer than I had to. I got to the school compound, which was pretty much empty now, and my Uber arrived. Instead of typing in the address to my home, I decided to drop by the hospital to see my mother. I hadn’t seen her in a while, and I felt so guilty.

The drive to the hospital was short, but it felt like an eternity. My mind was a whirl of thoughts, and my heart was heavy with worry. I spoke to the nurse at the counter, then walked through the hospital doors and made my way to my mother’s room. As I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this drama. It had been peaceful not seeing her, but I had no choice. With my hand hovering over the handle, I took a deep breath and pushed it open.

My body froze, and my eyes widened in shock at the sight before me.

“What the… What the f*ck are you doing in my mother’s room?!” I screamed, my voice trembling with fear and anger.