I woke up again hours later with the painkillers wearing off just enough to make my side throb. Raihan still sat shirtless beside the bed, Drey had claimed the chair by the window, and Ethan and Noah stood closer now, their hands no longer just touching but gripping each other tight. The hospital room felt too quiet after the chaos of the party and the stabbing.
Raihan brushed his fingers over my forehead again. "You need anything? Water? More meds?" His voice stayed low, but I could see the tension in his bare shoulders.
Before I could answer, a nurse knocked and stepped inside. She was tall, broad-shouldered, with a clipboard in one hand. Something about her face looked familiar even though I couldn't place it. She checked my IV, then asked the others to step out for a minute so she co
