Band vs Band: Second Edition

Let Me Help You

⬆️: Jade's Bedroom

Jade's P.O.V

I was just finishing up in the studio when I heard ragged breathing and soft whimpering coming from outside. Instinctively, I rushed to see what was going on. When I got there, I saw Chloe! She was on the floor, clutching her shoulder tightly. "Chloe! Are you okay!?" I asked. My alarmed voice startled her.

"Jade? What are you...doing here?" She asked between gasps. "I was just...packing up. What happened to you?" I asked, crouching to her level. "I just...Uhm...cut myself...accidentally, on uh...a sharp end of...something" she stuttered out. I had a feeling she was lying but I didn't have time to investigate the truth. The cut on her shoulder wasn't too deep, but it was definitely starting to bleed.

I knelt down to her level and reached my hand out towards her shoulder. As I rested my hand on her warm skin, she flinched, turning away from me. "Oww! Don't touch me!" she exclaimed. "Sorry, I just...I really wanna help. Can I get you to uh...a-a doctor or something?" I asked worriedly. She instantly shook her head with a fearful frown on her face.

"N-n-n-no no, no doctor!" She shouted. "Okay, okay. Fine, let's just get you home." I said, trying to calm her down. It didn't look like she liked that idea either though. "If my grandmother sees me like this, she'll probably never trust me to leave the house again." She said in a softer tone. I hadn't met her grandmother but she seemed sweet. A little overprotective but...sweet.

I sighed, trying to think of a place I could bring her that wouldn't make her jittery and jumpy. Then I had a stupid idea that just seemed smart at that time. "What if I bring you to my house?" I suggested. There was a hint of worry in my voice and a look of uncertainty in her eyes. That probably wouldn't be the best idea, considering the fact that she's always super uncomfortable around me and just doesn't like the fact that I like her.

But as I scanned her facial expressions to understand her reaction to this crazy suggestion of mine, it seemed like she was having a quarrel with herself over whether or not she should follow the girl who has a huge crush on her to her house. It seemed like something I'd never imagine her agreeing to, but she finally spoke up after a while.

"S-s-sure, I guess" she croaked out. Was she about to cry?

Now I'm not sociopathic in any way. I truly have empathy for anyone and everyone I know, but seeing Chloe cry would be a little peculiar and kinda weird in a...funny...sort of way to me. Yeah I know, that doesn't sound like I've got an ounce of empathy in my soul but trust me, you'd probably feel the same if you saw a cold-hearted murderous and pretty scary girl...cry.

Although she didn't cry, I assumed she was holding back tears but her shaky voice made it hard to cover the fact that she was on the brink of breaking down.

I got up and reached my hand out to grab hers and help her up. She did so without any trouble but she didn't try moving her whole arm. Did a little cut really hurt that much? I mean, I know she's a human being (which is something I find a little hard to comprehend or just randomly forget sometimes) who feels pain just like everyone else, but surely a brave, rough-&-tough girl like her would be able to take the pain of a tiny cut.

At Jade's House
I let Chloe into my home and I watched her eyes curiously wander the room around her. "Nice place ya got here" she mumbled. I smiled and led her up the stairs towards my room.

I gestured to a long couch right beside my bed. She sat down without hesitation and stayed in a very stiff and uncomfortable position, not moving a muscle. "Y' know, you can make yourself at home. You don't have to be so stiff and rigid" I reminded her.

"Those two words mean the same thing. They're basically synonyms" She corrected me. I smiled and nodded, even if I had no idea what she was on about. Sure, I understood what synonyms were but then she went on and on about the history of synonyms and something called 'poecilonym' which, from what I could understand from her lecture, the rare and not really used often - synonym for synonym.

"That's nice and all...but can we sort out your wound first. Then, I promise, you can educate me all you want on whatever you want" I smiled. She nodded hesitantly. Maybe educating people was a way of coping with painful wounds for her?

I thought about where I should start with her wound. First of all...medical supplies! Where do I get one of those? Then, I remembered...me mam always keeps a first-aid kit in the kitchen!

"Wait here, I won't be long!" I called out to Chloe as I rushed out of my bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen.

I pulled each drawer out one by one, scanning each cabinet, peeking my head through every nook and cranny I could to find the first-aid kit. I finally spotted it inside the top cabinet. It was mostly covered by me mam's secret stash of snacks that she never lets anyone get a hold of. But let's be real here, no secret stashes of snacks are safe from Jade Amelia Thirlwall.

I grabbed the little stool me mam uses to reach high places all the time and steadied myself on top of it. Then, I reached my hand the farthest I could into the cabinet until my fingers touched the metallic box. I slowly pulled it out, being as slow as possible so I didn't knock over any snacks in the cabinet. "Finally!" I sighed, gripping the box in my hands and stepping off the stool.

I rushed upstairs, remembering why I needed the first-aid kit in the first place. When I got to my room, Chloe was in the exact same position I saw her in when I left. Still stiff and not moving. I knelt down and as soon as her eyes met the first-aid box, she shifted on the couch, trying to back away slowly without me noticing.

I gently placed my hand on her knee, making sure she wouldn't go anywhere until I was done treating her wound. I got out the supplies I needed: A sterile gauze - so bacteria wouldn't get in the wound, sterile gloves - just in case my hands weren't clean enough, Antiseptic wipes - to clean the wound, scissors - to cut the exact length of bandage needed, and surgical adhesive tape- to secure the dressing.

When I was all set, I glanced up at Chloe to read her expression and it was far from a relaxed or relieved expression. This girl was straight up panicking! My guess is that she didn't like the look of medical stuff. But by then, I'd already convinced myself that reading her facial expressions wasn't nearly as accurate as verbally asking her how she felt.

"Chloe? Is everything okay?" I asked in a calm but concerned voice. She took her eyes off from the medical supplies for a moment and looked right at me. Then, she looked back down. *Sigh* It's no use even asking her.

It seemed like she'd been hypnotized or something cuz she wasn't moving a muscle. Her eyes were so fixated on the medical stuff that I'm pretty sure she rarely even blinked! I tapped her on her other shoulder which more or less brought her out of her trance.

"Chloe, if something's wrong, you might as well tell me so I know what's freaking you out" I advised, but she didn't seem too keen on sharing anything with me.

Just as I expected silence to interrupt the awkwardness again, Chloe slowly inched her shaky hand closer towards the medical equipment and pointed a finger directly at it. 

So it was the equipment! What was so scary about it though?

I decided to be experimental and try something. I reached out for a pair of latex gloves and put them on, all the while watching her eyeing my movements. When I got them on, I snapped them against my wrists and that's when she jolted away from me. And when I say jolted away, I meant she full-on scooted 2 feet away from me and had her back up against the wall in 3 seconds flat!

I moves away from the equipment and reached my hand out to grab hers. She wouldn't touch them with the gloves on so I pulled them off. So...was it thelatex then? I'm sorry, but we're not gonna get anywhere with tons of physical gestures and no communication.

"Chloe, you know you can't stay wounded, right? I need this equipment to help you and I'd really appreciate it if you could cooperate with me...please?" I pleaded.

She just gulped and didn't say anything

*sigh* This is gonna be one hell of an evening for me...

A/N

To Be Continued...😝