True Lovers

Chapter 2 First and Last Love

"Amber!" Trey shouted, rolling down to me on his skateboard. My left leg had twisted under my body in a grotesque position. I clutched it, breathing heavily and blinking back tears. I felt my blood drain from my face as inconceivable pain shot through my leg—it was killing me like a sledgehammer fell on it!

"Amber, Amber, are you okay?" All my friends rushed over and crowded around me. Cassie got down beside me, holding my shoulders.

"What happened, are you hurt?" She asked anxiously. I nodded, my tears falling fast now with the excruciating pain.

"It hurts... I can't bear it..." I sobbed. Haruko pulled out her phone—she was the only one who brought her phone among us.

"I'll call your mom—or a taxi if it's faster, we need to get you to a hospital—"

"Stand back!" A loud voice shouted. We all turned and saw the pro skateboarder from earlier running toward us. He took off his helmet and flung it to the ground, revealing the face of—Pierce Hartman?!

"Pierce?" I breathed in utter amazement. Oh, my gosh, that pro skateboarder was my sister's ex-boyfriend?! HOLY SMOKES, I did not expect that. And he was here—running straight toward me?!

"Everybody get back, give her some air," he said, getting down on his knees beside me. "Where does it hurt the most?" He asked, looking straight at me. I pointed to my ankle.

"My left ankle... I'm not sure if it's broken..." I blubbered through the pain. He tenderly felt my foot with his fingers, examining it like a real doctor. Whoa, no guy has ever gotten that close to me before. And he had such a soft touch...

"It's not broken but there might be a mild fracture..." Pierce observed. "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital, my car's right here." Before I could prepare myself, Pierce had scooped me up in his arms, cradling me to his chest! I gasped, suddenly finding myself pressed up against a strong, sexy torso... Freaking fruit loops, what is this strange flapping going on inside my chest? Felt like a bird was in there, tryna get out!

"Will we all fit?" Cassie asked Pierce anxiously. Pierce shook his head.

"No, my car is a coupe, I'll take her myself—"

"Hey, you can't just take our friend like that!" Trey argued. "You're a stranger!"

"Monte, what is wrong with you, the guy's tryna help!" Haruko defended, and I was eternally grateful to her.

"And he's not a stranger, I know him!" I argued too, feeling extremely annoyed with Trey right now. He was the reason I was in this condition in the first place, he had no right to open his yap trap now! Pierce began walking rapidly with me in his arms, making everybody hurry after him to keep up with his long legs.

"There's no time to debate this, every minute wasted is a further risk of damage," he said. He took me straight to his shiny red car, strapped me in, and got in beside me.

"Don't worry Amb, we'll catch up with you at the hospital soon!" Cassie assured me through the window.

"Stay safe, okay?" Juno called out. I nodded at them all and gave Trey a glare before Pierce speeded off.

"Amber, breathe," he suddenly said while he drove. I then realized I'd been holding my breath because of the pain with my lips folded between my teeth to keep from crying out—wait, holy smokes, did Pierce just say my name? Whoa, it sounded so... enticing when he said it... no one's ever called my name like that...

"Do you want me to call your mom for you?" He asked. I shook my head in a panic.

"No, Mom would flip out if she found out I got hurt enough to end up at the hospital!"