A Muffin a Day

Chapter Four, The Ouch.

Archer

I looked around the house, my eyes adjusting to the light. I could tell Muffin was staring me down. Lacey skipped in, looking around as well. "Can we go to your room?" She'd question. Muffin would nod, "Course, c'mon." I'd feel something grab my thigh. I turned to hit what grabbed me, but there was nothing there. I'd begin to question what the hell that was. "Are you coming?" Muffin questioned. I'd nod, following behind her. I'd walk up to the room, going inside. Lacey patted the couch cushion next to her. I'd sit next to her, feeling a bit tense. "Soooo, Raven!" There was that name again...Where did she come up with that...Is she with them..? "Where are you from?" She'd ask with a smile. "Washington..." I'd reply. Lacey kept talking but I wasn't listening anymore. I'd look at Jay, who turned on their game console to play games again, I assume. It was cold where Lacey and I were. "Are you Jay's only friend?" I'd question. She'd laugh, "Nooo! Jay would grow sick of me! There is Me, Jay, Lexius, B-" Jay interrupted us, "I want him to meet them first before I tell him their names, Lacey." She'd nod, standing and jumping up. She'd land on the bed, "You normally talk for hours about who you're interested in! Why have you been hiding this one?" She'd question. Jay looked at me nervously. "I wanted to keep it a secret for a bit. I wouldn't want Jay's friends to think about how bad I possibly am." She'd pout, "Why would you be bad? You're an amazing guy!" I'd chuckle, "Anger issues, bipolar, you know, stuff like that?" She'd nod slowly. "I don't think you're considered 'bad' though...You're a really nice guy!" I'd shrug, "Jay would say otherwise." I'd chuckle. Lacey would lightly hit Jay. "Be nice to your boyfriend!" I'd snicker. Jay would roll her eyes, "He should be nice to me, and move out." I'd shrug, "We'll I'm sorry if I want to be close to my Muffin 24/7." She'd growl, "We both know that's not why you're here." We'd stare at each other for a bit. "Should I..Leave?" Lacey questioned. "No, you're fine-" Jay interrupted me, "I just need to talk to Archer, alone." She'd nod, getting up and leaving the room, "Don't make out too long!" She'd shut the door. Jay would sit up, turning to face me. "For the last time, you need to go. I don't know what your deal is, or who you're running from, but you really can't stay here. My mom would kill me if she found you here." I'd sigh, shaking my head and laying down on the couch, "I told you, I'm not leaving." Jay would groan, "What is your deal!? Why won't you leave?! Is it money?! Do you want money!?" She'd reach into her wallet, getting out money. I'd sigh, "I don't think you have enough money to even make me budge." She'd groan, getting out their phone. I'd sit up, "What now?" Jay would sigh, "Telling Lacey the truth." I felt my eyes widen, and I moved over and knocked Jay down on the ground. "I will kill you if you tell her anything, do you understand me?!" I stared down at Jay, who just looked at me with their eyes wide. "Are you going to say something, or should I come back tomorrow?" They continued to just look at me panicked. I heard the door behind me open, I turned to look at it, and saw Lacey outside. "Oh god- were you guys going to- I'm sorry-" she'd back up. I'd get up, shaking my head. "No no! That's not what was happening! Jay tripped and they aren't moving..." She'd go over and look at them, getting close. "Huh...are you paralyzed again?" "Again?!" I'd ask. "...Maybe we need to go to the hospital...this looks kinda bad..." I'd groan, "Great..."....We sat on the couch of the hospital room. Jay seemed fine now. The doctor came in, "I've got no idea how...Or why you were paralyzed for a period of time, Jay...Did you land awkwardly anytime today?" Jay would look at me, then the doctor. "Yeah...I landed on my neck..." He'd nod slowly. "I would say it was a neck fracture...but I wouldn't consider it one, considering you're completely fine now..." He'd write on the clipboard, handing me a paper. I'd study it, seeing the large number of 0s. I'd stare at him. "I'm sorry, is this a bill?" He'd nod. I'd chuckle, "I'm sorry...You literally didn't even do anything...all you did was put your head up your ass and spout shit. If I had known she'd be fine, I wouldn't have come here!" He'd shrug, "But you did, and we are grateful you chose Bailey Hosptial. Sadly, you have to pay, Mr. Reed. We aren't having this argument again." Lacey would look at the paper pouting. "Oh boy... that's a lot of 0s...I would have to work full-time to pay that off fully..." I'd nod slowly, scoffing. "Thankfully, I'm not paying for this shit..." Lacey would look at me panicked. "Wait...So who is paying?" I'd shake my head. "Nobody..this is bullshit." "I don't think you can leave without paying..." Jay would say. I'd groan, nodding. "Fine... I'm calling the man who manages my money...I know he can find a loop around..." I'd pull out my phone, and go into my contacts. Lacey would watch as I did so. "Wow...You have a lot of contacts!" She'd giggle. I'd shrug, clicking on Harrison. "Whatever I need to get the jobs done."