SIXTY-TWO

I spent a week in the hospital before the doctor declared I was free to go. After the first three days, I already felt good enough to leave the pack hospital but the doctor insisted I had to be monitored and Valens backed him up.

"What about Bethel?" I asked when a nurse helped me zip up my dress.

I was happy to be finally rid of the ugly hospital gown almost as much as I was happy to be leaving the stale hospital room. It was decorated with flowers and different gifts from my many well-wishers and people Celeste called my 'fans,' but the area around the hospital was depressing and the people that came to see me looked at me as if I'd they were staring at a corpse. A part of me had certainly died but I was tired of the pitiful glances, the silence, the way people tiptoed around me as if I was a volcano waiting to erupt.

"He – ah – " Valens paused, watching me as if thinking of whether or not he had to lie to me.

"You can tell me if he's dead." I didn't care for Bethel but people a