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remembered.
    Santiago.
    Lord. How had I forgotten?
    “Mandy?” I gripped her hand for dear mental life. “Who was standing next to you when I got hit?”
    Mandy made a little laugh. “Wow. Janice really did hit you hard.”
    “Janice? Janice hit me?” I asked.
    “Um, yeah. Didn’t anyone tell you?”
    “Obviously not,” I replied.
    Mandy’s dark brown eyes lit with joy. “Janice is in juvie.”
    “What?”
    “She ran you over, Dakota. Everyone saw it. And the only reason she’s not in jail is because she’s not eighteen yet. Lucky bitch. But according to the rumor mill, she’s supposed to be on meds and stopped taking them. Bipolar or something like that.”
    “So she tried to kill me?” I knew she hated me, but murder? Really?
    Mandy nodded. “Supposedly, she’d told all her friends she wanted to ‘kill you’ for making her look stupid in front of Dax.”
    Okay. I knew it sounded strange for me to defend Janice, but I couldn’t believe she wanted to kill me. Meds or no meds. Not for something like that. “I’m sure she meant it figuratively.” Pause. Think. Rethink. “Are you sure?”
    Mandy nodded.
    Christ. I can’t believe it!
    “Santiago and I saw the whole thing,” she added. “By the way, why did you lie to me?”
    Santiago? “Wha…what…what?”
    “Yeah. He went to the station to make a statement, but I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.”
    “Whoa! Back up. Who’s at the station?”
    Her brows lifted. “Saantiaagooo,” she said with exaggerated slowness, as if speaking to a brand-new foreign exchange student. “You really must’ve hit your head hard if you can’t remember your secret, hot boyfriend. Personally, I can’t stop thinking about him. I sooo want one! I mean, seriously, does he have a brother? Even a younger one? ’Cause I can wait! If Jacob can do it for Renesmee, so can I!”
    What the… “Huh?”
    “Hey! Don’t judge me. I never knew that actual human beings could be that good-looking.” Mandy huffed. “So. Not. Fair. By the way, exactly why were you hiding him from me?”
    I plopped back against the headboard— ow! —in complete shock.
    “You okay, Dakota? Should I call your mom?”
    I shook my head. “No. I’m…I’m just tired.”
    Mandy covered my hand and smiled. “You should rest before Santiago gets here. Wouldn’t want him seeing you looking all squiggly faced like that.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek. “I’ll stop by before school tomorrow.”
    Before I could say another word, she was gone, leaving me with the insane thoughts plowing through my mind.
    Boyfriend? Janice is in jail for attempted murder?
    The only explanation was that I was in a coma and this was all a dream. But you saw Santiago before the car hit you. Was that a dream, too?
    My phone vibrated on the beige Formica nightstand. I picked it up and stared at the caller ID.
    Santiago.
    My hand trembled so fiercely that I could barely hold the darn thing to my ear. “Y…y…yes?”
    “Hey, baby. Miss me?”
    “Who is this?” I whispered.
    Long pause. “ Tsk. Tsk. Have you forgotten me so soon? Check your Facebook page,” he said, his voice deep, menacing.
    My heart slammed into overdrive, but I couldn’t seem to make my mouth move.
    “No worries,” he said. “I’ll be there in five to refresh your memory.”
    The call ended, but all I could do was stare at the phone.
    This can’t be happening.
     

CHAPTER SEVEN
    Lord. Whoever had been on the other end of that phone was coming to my room. I had to get out of there. Because as much as I loved believing in miracles, those didn’t exist, which meant this guy was some psychopathic stalker, some frigging lunatic who’d convinced everyone he was my boyfriend.
    I slipped from the covers and immediately had to brace myself on the edge of the hospital bed. My head pulsed with painful, dizzying jabs. I slowly stood upright and willed myself steady. My ribs and hip were sore, but I’d survive. That was, if I got the