xxvi. down 'n out

Kellan stands in the open entrance of the room, gaze blank and unwavering as he stares at us. Only that’s not all—next to him is a tall bleach blond with chin-length braids that frame his face like spider legs.

I groan, covering my face with my hand. “Suddenly, I’m popular today.” My face burns almost painfully with my blush. It’s fine for Kellan to see me like this, he’s seen worse, but why is everyone in the school here!

There’s a low whistle and a deep, almost soothing, “Now who did that to you?”

Reese and Kellan respond at the same time. “Gym.”

I glare at my brother because his tone is overflowing with something akin to disappointment. Like I embarrass him. Just because he’s an all-star doesn’t mean everyone else has to be.

Leaning down, I place the trash can on the ground and quickly slide it under the high bed. “It’s not like I was terrible at it,” I almost hiss the words as I slip off the bed. “I was checking the time.”

I stumble when a sharp ache in my thigh causes my knee to lock up. I reach out to grip the side of the bed but meet a warm hand instead—one clutching mine gently but firmly while another already settles lightly on my opposite hip.

Reese is standing in front of me, our hands still tangled but his other now hovering over my waist since I’m steadier.

“Good?” he says.

I don’t look at him, my face getting even hotter. “This is so embarrassing.”

All the while, I’m focusing on the way his hand fits in mine. Smooth and rough at the same time, a comforting grip. My insides squeeze because he doesn’t seem to realize he’s still holding it. Or maybe I’m the one holding him and that’s probably why he hasn’t let go.

“Don’t worry about Thion,” Reese says lowly, his thumb brushing slowly over my knuckles. “He’s not really the gossipy type.” He adds the last part with a hint of a chuckle.

“So I’ve heard,” I mumble back, staring at his chest. Thankfully he’s wearing a loose grey tee but that hardly does anything to hide the outline of what’s beneath it.

My mind spins back to the blond though—Thion. I can’t forget he’s one of Von’s boy toys who isn’t really a boy toy. From what she explained, he’s more of an acquaintance outside our group of four. Maybe they’re friends, who knows? Hard to tell though because from what I’ve seen of him these past four years, he’s friends with everybody he comes across. As long as they don’t piss him off that is.

It’s not Kellan who clears his throat this time. The sound is a lot more pronounced and direct. And mocking.

Reese steps to the side, clearing my view of the two guys still in the doorless entrance. Thion has a knowing look on his face, amused and almost teasing; Kellan on the other hand is frowning.

I give my brother a blank stare in return. I know what’s coming but I refuse to give him the chance to further my embarrassment. “Are you taking me home or are you just gonna,” I gesture to his stance and attitude, “stare me down in disapproval…” Or disappointment… whatever it is.

Had I looked away, I’d missed the subtle tired puff of air before he waves me over. I don’t know if he catches my relieved breath in response. I limp my way over to him and he barely meets me halfway, but when he does I blink back the sting in my eyes.

Kellan, as few words as he tries to let out, is a great brother. I’ve said this less than thrice to him in our short lives together. Other times, I say it with my eyes and he seems to get it through our ever-there twin telepathy.

“Where does it hurt?” he asks, gruffly. His eyes run over my bruised and patched-up body. “You know… where it’s not obvious?”

I let out a watery laugh. “My back is killing me.”

Kellan lifts my chin with a curled finger, no doubt taking in the huge red blotch between my eyes, spreading across my forehead and staining my nose an angry pink. His other hand settles on my back, searching.

“It’s my tailbone,” I tell him, “and if you touch it and make it worse you’re going to be in pain next.”

He doesn’t acknowledge my threat. “We’re going to the hospital,” he says with a nod, confirming this to himself.

“You need help carrying her?” comes from my right and Kellan’s left—from Thion who’s still here.

I tilt my face in his direction enough to address him. “Obviously, I can walk, thanks.” I turn back to Kellan. He has his phone cupped in both hands, fingers flying across the screen. “And that won’t be necessary, I’m just really tired and in pain-”

“You might have a concussion,” he cuts in and I glare at his interruption.

“That’s why I’m at the nurse, they said I’m fine,” I grit out. Remember that thought I had about him being a great brother? Yeah, I’m backtracking on that. This is why I haven’t said it to him much. He tends to make me regret it soon after.

“Well,” Reese’s voice adds to the other two in the room, hesitant, “high school nurses aren’t *really *nurses.” He whispers this because even he knows how messed up that is to say.

I turn to him with my mouth open in disbelief. “What?”

He takes a few steps closer to us but not too close. He shrugs and buries his hands in the pockets of his black sweats. “I mean, what would they know about a concussion?”

Thion lets out a sound that’s a mix between a snort and a laugh.

“Tell me you’re joking.” My disapproval of his choice of words is clear as day and I feel a lot better when he cracks an amused smile.

“Of course, I am.” His smile stretches, his dimples piercing his cheek in the most gorgeous way. My heart does a thing and makes my breath stutter. “But it wouldn’t hurt to get a second opinion.” He shrugs again. “You’re bruised up pretty badly.”

Just like that, all of a sudden I feel every burn and ache emanating from said scratches and bruises. “I know that,” I reply slowly, dropping my gaze. “Thanks for pointing it out. *Again*.”

“They’re having someone bring your stuff out to my car. Are you ready to go?”

I can’t argue with Kellan because he tends to do what he wants and I just really want to be out of the company of all three of these guys. Something about it unsettles me, especially given the condition I’m in.

A thought hits me then and I don’t think before my actions unfold. I grab Reese’s wrist and maneuver him so he’s standing next to his blond friend. He does most of the work but I’ll take some credit for it anyway.

“I don’t need either of you telling my friends what happened or how bad this is.” I glance between both of them with a solid glare as I gesture to my face. They stare at me with expressions that make me want to strangle them. I point at Reese. “No telling Lorenxo who’ll no doubt go back to Gina- and you,” I turn to Thion, “Don’t talk to Von.”

My eyes narrow on him. I still have a deep hunch that they have or had something going on but Von may be a little secretive with him. I wouldn’t know why, this is my first time even being within arm's length of the guy for more than five seconds. He isn’t painful to look at up close either, so maybe I can understand the appeal visually. Not many people my age can look past a tall, golden-kissed, chiseled-jawed beaut with full lips and the smile of an absolute angel. Von certainly can’t.

Thion tilts his head, that smile widening. Both of them are smiling at me. That’s not good.

“That sounds more like don’t talk to her at all, rather than don’t tell her gym beat your ass today.”

Reese turns to him, too excited to probably explain how we said the exact same thing not too long ago. “Y’know, that’s so funny-”

I hold back something close to a growl and simply turn away from them and back to Kellan. He’s staring at Thion with a deep frown.

“I think I’m ready to go now.” I limp past them and into the open lobby of the nurse’s office.

Three kids are sitting on the row of five chairs lined against the wall, right of the entrance. One of the nurses, Mrs. Guzman, helps the kid who’s slick with sweat and almost falling off his chair, onto his feet, and begins steering him toward the back room I just left.

“Hey, Mrs. G, you need some help?” Thion calls from behind me. “I can get him.” He’s already striding around me and saddling up next to them. Thion bends at the knees to throw the boy’s other arm around his shoulder to carry most of his weight.

The older woman scowls at him halfheartedly. “You need to be in class.”

Thion grins at her. “Don’t we all.”

She shakes her head at him with an endeared smile. Seems no one can resist the guy.

“I’d think you’d know him by now,” Reese says close to my ear, making me jerk sideways. That’s when I notice I’d stopped walking. I glance at him and quickly decide that’s not a good idea, so I look forward again.

“What?” Because I seriously forgot what he said.

Kellan is standing at the desk, feet away from the door, signing papers with another one of the nurses telling him what to fill out.

“Not in a weird way,” Reese adds hastily, standing next to me. “He’s just… a friendly guy, who happens to know one of your friends. You’d like him.”

I turn to him fully, having to tilt my head back a little since he’s closer than I expect. “How would you know? You don’t know me.”

Reese’s head dips and I watch him bite at the inside of his cheek before he glances at me. “I know you enough.”

“Kira,” Kellan calls from across the room.

I keep my eyes on Reese as I backtrack. I don’t know how to respond to what he said so I’m grateful for once that Kellan’s dragging me away from something.

“I won’t tell anyone what I saw today,” he says easily, then crosses his arms. “If…”

My feet plant in place and I refrain from glaring at him. I know what he’s getting at. He wants me to forgive Lorenxo and that’s not happening. Not today anyway. It’s typical though, that he’d be like every other male that walks the earth. He won’t get this sort of thing because it doesn’t happen to him.

Sure, he said he knows how messed up it is but does he *understand* it? To him, I might be another chick who’s overreacting about the past. And just like that, he’s getting a lot less attractive to me.

Reese is standing inches away from me now. My hands fist at my sides and my jaw clenches and unclenches multiple times in mere seconds.

“If,” he repeats softly, “I can stop by later and check on you.”

I blink a few times. “W-what?”

He tilts his head and studies me like a scientist would a lab rat they’re experimenting on. “I honestly think you have a concussion.”

I ignore that because I can’t dwell on it after what he said. “You… want to check on me?”

He meets my eyes again and his cheeks go a bit pink. He nods. “If that’s okay?”

I open my mouth. Close it. Open. Close. This goes on two more times until I hold my hand out to him. “Phone.”

His eyebrows shoot up and crinkle in mild confusion, but he reaches into the pocket of his sweats and fishes out his phone. He unlocks it without looking and hands it to me, then his hands are back in his pockets, his shoulders hunching as he towers over me.

I feel how close he is but I focus on typing my info into his contacts as I speak. “I don’t know if you meant you wanted to come to my house but I’d advise you not to do that.” I add my name, spelling it with an upside-down i and a smiling cat emoji because that’s how I save my name in everyone’s phone.

Reese hums absentmindedly. “You like cats?”

I nod, saving my number. “That, and I feel like a cat sometimes.” I glance up at him and he’s already staring at me. Smiling. Not huge or obnoxious or overwhelming but enough for his dimples to make an appearance and my inside to twist on themselves.

I clear my throat and hold the device out to him. “So text, call, facetime- whatever works whenever. But I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine.” I’m fidgeting and it feels like I’m twitching. I drop my hands to my thighs when he takes the phone from me, and rub my palms against my joggers.

Without waiting for a response, mostly because he’s still giving me that look, I turn away with a short wave and limp across the room toward my brother. My, seemingly, still disappointed brother.