Authors: Missy Johnson
Incredible Beauty (21 page)
"Okay," I relented, letting her help me up. I winced, unable to put any pressure at all on my foot now. Part of me worried I'd done more damage by walking home.
"How the hell did this happen, anyway?" she asked, baring most of my weight as we made our way to her car.
Thank god for her car. Everything being so close for me, I'd convinced mom I didn't need a car, mainly because I felt guilty enough about moving away, without having her dip into her savings. Now, I wasn't so sure. What if Kel hadn't been home? Not that I would've been able to drive myself, but in another kind of emergency, not having a car could have been really bad.
"I was so busy perving on the guy in front of me at student admin, I didn't realize he'd taken a step back. Right onto my foot," I blushed, "I literally fell over," I added.
Kella would be the only one to hear the real version. For everyone else, like my mom, I tripped over the footpath. This was way too embarrassing to repeat.
"Lil!" Kella laughed, shaking her head. She checked my face, as if she wasn't sure I was serious. I raised an eyebrow. She laughed again, "Jesus, you're so unco," she giggled, "Who was the guy, anyway? He'd better have at least been hot," she added as she helped me into the car. I rolled my eyes. Like his cuteness made me breaking my toe almost worth it? I waited until she was in the driver's seat before answering.
"His name is Dane Hanson," I replied, with a giddy smile. God, even his name brought goose bumps to my skin.
"Dane?" Kella looked surprised, her eyebrows shooting up.
"Yes. Why?" I asked suspiciously. Kella appeared to be squirming in her seat.
"Nothing," she murmured. Kella was not a good liar. One second ago she had wanted to know everything and now she was paying extra close attention to the chip in the foam of the steering wheel.
"Kella. I love you, but you can't lie for shit. Spill," I ordered. She hesitated, before rolling her eyes. What didn't I know here?
"Well, it's just…it's probably nothing, but there were rumors around college last year…" her voice trailed off. She glanced at me, biting her lip, her dark eyes full of worry.
"Kella!" I yelled, exasperated.
"Okay!" She put a hand up to quieten me, "He was one of the top boxers in the state, apparently. Then he just quit. He went from being
'Mr Socially Popular Always Out Drinking And Picking Up Women'
to a recluse. Nobody really knows what happened. I'm shocked he's back in classes, actually. I didn't even know he was back."
"He quit school?" I repeated. That kind of explained his little tiff with the office lady, "And what were the rumors, exactly?" I asked suspiciously. I was always wary of rumors. Spending weeks in a mental ward kind of did that to you.
"Drugs, mainly. There was a rumor he'd killed someone and had gone to juvie," Kella thought for a moment, "And then there was the rape rumor." Murder? Rape? My heart raced. Not my Dane. As silly as it was, I couldn't believe I could have such a connection with someone capable of those things.
"Well, it's not like I was planning on dating him," I said defensively, cutting her off. I didn't want to hear anymore. "And besides, if he murdered someone last year, he would have been eighteen and sent to prison, not juvie."
Why was I being so defensive? Kella eyed me as if she was thinking the same thing.
"What?" I snapped.
She raised her eyebrows, but said nothing as she pulled into the emergency parking area. As soon as the car came to a stop, I hobbled out of the car. Kella rushed around to help me.
"Lil, don't put pressure on it," Kel said testily, putting my arm around her shoulder like a human crutch.
"Thanks for this. I'm sure you had better ways of spending your Saturday night," I said dryly, as I leaned on her. She laughed and I couldn't help smiling like I always did when she laughed.
"I was planning on spending it with you, anyway, dipshit," she giggled, kissing my cheek. I grinned. Kella was an awesome friend.
After an almost three hour wait in emergency, during which I almost walked out three times (but was stopped by an insistent Kella), I was finally seen by a doctor.
"That's definitely broken," he said after a quick look at my foot.
Whatever happened to X-rays? How the hell could he tell it was broken?
"I'll order an x-ray to confirm, then we will plaster you up and have you on your way."
Hold up, plaster? Who said anything about plaster? There was no way in hell I was going to be hobbling around campus with a plastered foot. I wanted to be inconspicuous; blend in, not stand out!
I may as well wear a sign that read 'Uncoordinated idiot, steer clear'.
And then there was Dane. I groaned inwardly. As soon as he saw me on crutches, he'd know. I could almost picture his smirk. And those sexy piercing eyes and his smile…
"Look, I'm feeling much better already. I think I'll just be going," I snapped back to reality and started getting off the trolley, only to be pushed back onto it by a pissed off looking Kella.
"Hey, sit your ass back down and do what the doctor says," she growled.
The doctor, who understandably looked more than a little bit terrified of Kella, nodded in agreement and left the room.
"Kella!" I wailed, "I can't be hobbling around campus on crutches!"
"What are you, twelve? This is college, Lily. Nobody gives a damn!" Kella barked. I looked at her and started laughing. God I loved her and her no bullshit attitude.
At only five foot, she was a tiny little thing. That paired with her tumbling curly dark hair and brown eyes, looking at her you'd think she was a dainty little princess. Not Kella. Growing up with five brothers, she could swear and drink half the frat boys at Fairhaven College under the table.
Another three hours and we finally arrived home, me, complete with my plastered foot and crutches. And a lot of attitude.
"I'm not using these on Monday," I grumbled, hobbling my way to the couch.
"Yes you fucking will be and every day for the next three weeks. You heard the doctor, Lil. You want to end up with a deformed foot?" she demanded. I rolled my eyes at her dramatics.
"You want me to call your mom?" she asked sweetly, completely changing her approach, knowing that would make me oblige. I was going to tell mom, but not yet. I didn't want her worrying and breaking my toe on my first day away was not a good look.
"Fine. You win," I growled, grabbing the TV remote off the arm of the chair. The pain killers were starting to wear off, "Actually, I think I might go to bed, Kel. I'm pretty tired." Kella looked like she wanted to argue, then smiled.
"Okay, Lil. Sleep well," she called out to me.
I glanced around my room, thankful Kella had set up the bed. Everything else was boxed up still. I peeled off my clothes and took two of the painkillers the doctor had given me. My foot still ached like crazy, though the support of the cast did seem to help. As did the drugs.
I climbed under the covers, glad it wasn't an overly cold night. My pajamas were still boxed away, so I was sleeping in my underwear. It had been such a long day, it was only minutes before I fell asleep.
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