Chapter Thirteen

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With a sigh, I decided to trust them. My fingers slowly moved toward the button on my waistband. I locked eyes with Paul, who nodded reassuringly. Exhaling, I unfastened the button on my jeans. When I tried to stand to expose the injury to the four, I almost lost my balance due to the pain. David's hands were quick to grasp my waist so I didn't topple over onto the floor.

"Let me," Marko winked at me, trying to be flirty when the air was still tense and oppressive. His antics worked as I gave a watery chuckle. He was gentle and quick as Marko pulled the thick denim from the injury. He didn't pull them down unnecessarily low, just enough to expose the top of my thin thigh.

I looked down to see the joint bruised - blue spiderwebs spreading from the point of impact. It was swollen, and any movement caused immense pain. The men present, barring David as he was holding me upright, could see the injury, and they had no words.

"Did he hit you with a hammer?" Paul finally stated, eyes looking a little more golden. I let out a weak chuckle as I shook my head.

"No, I slammed into the corner thingy of the railing," I admitted, not being able to articulate the name of the cause of my injury. Dwayne's eyes were locked on my hip, lips drawn into a frown.

"Paul, go grab something cold," Dwayne's voice was lower than I'd heard. He helped me over to the couch, lying on the cushions. David hissed as he saw the injury for the first time. Dwayne's fingers gently skimmed the injury, ensuring I didn't fracture the joint. I felt tears sliding down the corner of my eyes at his prodding, but I knew it was necessary. Finally, Paul came bounding back like a puppy, holding a bag of frozen peas.

"It's all I could find, man!" Paul protested as Dwayne cuffed him in the back of the head. He took the bag of frozen vegetables, setting it down on my hip on my tank top. I hissed at the feeling, and Marko knelt down by my head. He started to run his fingers through my hair, and I wanted to purr at the feeling. Before I knew it, the night's events had caught up to me, and I was sound asleep.

When next I awoke, I found myself in my room, not the cave. I was tucked underneath the thin covers of my bed. I smiled, seeing the half-frozen bag of peas leaking condensation onto my sheets. My bag was set against the dresser, but there was something colorful on the flap.

I attempted to heave myself out of bed but groaned. The bruises on my back caused an ache and sharp pain to erupt every time I moved. My hip was still swollen and bruised, pain shooting down to the tip of my toes with every motion. I fell back onto my bed, trying not to vomit from the pain of moving.

I gave myself a moment before I eventually managed to stand upright. I wanted to see what happened to my bag, but human needs took precedence. I hobbled to the bathroom, where I decided to skip a shower. I was wondering if I could complete the action on my own now.

I returned to my room and looked down at my bag. My fingers traced a colorful patch sewn onto the canvas flap. It was a colorful butterfly that I had no doubt was Marko's work. The butterfly was a myriad of colors, the threads silky and smooth. A smile curled my lips upright as I realized he was telling me this was my new start. My new start in life - if I let them help me, I'd be as free as a butterfly.

I set down the bag and decided on a light sundress for the day. Usually, I hated dresses, but with my injuries, it would be stupid to restrict myself to heavy fabrics. I didn't want to constrict the swollen joint any more than it had been.

I hesitated at the top of the stairs. I knew I needed to grab a couple of Tylenol, but just the short area from my bedroom to the staircase had me covered in sweat. I knew I had to suck it up. Therefore, I made my way carefully down the steps. It felt like I had run a marathon once I was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. While at the island, Sammy was reading a Batman comic, snacking on something.

"Work," Sam replied, not bothering to look up from his comic. I sighed and dragged myself to the cabinet where Mom had stored the Tylenol. "You okay?"

"Fine," I mumbled, obviously sarcastic in my answer. I turned to face my brother, only to hit the floor hard.

"ARIA!" Sam shouted in a panic as he threw his comic into the air. Grandpa rushed into the kitchen, taking in the scene of me lying on the floor, Nanook licking my face, and Sam panicked. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I grunted as Sam and Grandpa hauled me to my feet. "Can you grab the Tylenol?"

"Here," Grandpa unscrewed the top, shaking out two pills into my hand. I took the medication and sat at the table. "What happened?"

"I hurt my hip at the Boardwalk last night," I sighed, wincing.

"I'm going to call Mom!" Sam cried out. I threw a balled-up napkin at my brother, who had already taken the phone off the hook.

"Sammy, it's just a bruise. I promise," I told my little brother, who hesitated before slamming the receiver back onto the wall.

"You positive?" Sam questioned. I nodded. When Mom got home, Sam spilled the beans. She rushed into the living room to check on me and the injury. Since it was apparent that I couldn't keep trekking up and down the stairs, Mom made a small nest in the living room. I had to stay in the living room for about a week, at least until I could walk with minimal pain.

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