Blindsided

Part 21

Melanie

Bailey Whitlock is standing in my dorm room. With blood on his face. And shirt. 

"I told you not to do anything stupid." I sit back down on my bed, crossing my legs underneath me.

"What I did wasn't stupid. It was rational." he steps closer into the room, his eyes immediately falling to the dark bruising around my eye.

"How was that rational? You're hurt!" I survey his own beaten face, my blood running cold as I realize it was because of me.

"Because, he's a piece of shit. Worse than that. And because he hurt you. Therefore, rational." there's nothing joking about his tone, his eyes set deep on mine.

"Uh, if you're okay Mel, I might just... go for a walk." Persephone gestures to the door, pulling on a pair of crocs left lying around. I nod to her, smiling before she quickly exits. 

The door clicks closed, and Bailey heads towards them, checking that every lock is secured. After doing so, he turns back around, walking closer towards me. I stand up from my bed, standing right in front of him. I have to crane my neck to look into his eyes, but once they lock, I know they're never separating.

"What did you do?" my voice barely a whisper, I wrap my arms around myself. Because if I don't, I don't know where else they'll end up.

"Bailey Whitlock. What, did, you, do?" he takes a deep breath, the heave of his chest nearly hitting my own body given our proximity.

"I went to his place. Told him to fuck off. That's it." his voiced is rushed, like he's leaving something out.

"And what happened here?" Against my better judgement, I touch my hand to his cheek, not missing the soft wince he portrays. I feel a zap of lightning brew inside of me as my fingers linger on his warm skin, skimming over the rough surface.

"He got a hit or two in. But I had the upper hand, don't you worry." his tone has returned to a smidge of its usual lightness, although I can tell something is still bothering him. 

"Well, sit down. Pers keeps a first aid box in here, I'll fix you up." I push Bailey down onto my bed, picking up the first aid box tucked underneath Persephone's bed. I lay it out on my own bed, thumbing through its contents until I find what I need. 

"Okay, this might sting a bit, but you're not allowed to yell at me." I pull out an alcohol swab, focussing on Bailey's playful eyes below me. 

"I would never yell at you, love." ignoring the soft flutter brewing in my chest, I lower the wipe onto Bailey's cheek, wiping up the dried blood covering the cuts. He winces again, and my left hand moves to cup the back of his head, holding him in place. I swipe at his cheek once more before digging into the first aid kit, finding a few stray band-aids. 

"I think this is what you're supposed to do, but we can go to my friend Lera's place later if you want. She's studying nursing, so she'll know what to do." I break the comfortable silence that's been hanging in the room since he sat down.

It's only now that I realize the position we're in. I'm standing between his legs, my hand pushing his head closer towards my body from where I had begun treating his injuries. I cough awkwardly as I fiddle with the first aid supplies, grabbing out a clean alcohol wipe. 

I begin tending to the cut above Bailey's eye, wiping away the stray blood quickly. My fingers run over the small laceration, our scars now a matching set. Our eyes meet slowly, like we've both just realized what I'm currently doing. A shiver runs up my spine as his hand trails along the outside of my thigh, resting against my hip. I quickly apply another band-aid to his skin before stepping away from him. My hand wraps around the handle of the first aid box, my legs working quickly to place it back where it originally was.