GuitarStrings

Chaper 20 - The aftermath

Jordan unlocks the front door of the Hewson house, the hallways lit by beams of sunlight streaming through a window.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Jordan checks. No answer. "Everyone must be out." She says. The rest of us walk into the house. I turn to look at Rob his face looks pale. A look of pain stained across his face.
"Rob we need to sit you down." I say leading him into the kitchen.
"I'll get some ice." Jordan says. "Josh, Ryan can you guys have a rummage in the upstairs bathroom I think theres a first aid kit we could do with some wipes and bandages?"
"Yeah course." Josh says as they head upstairs.

We all sit round on the chairs and sofas in the kitchen, Rob winces as he struggles to sit down.
"Here this should help.." She says handing over the ice packs to both Rob and Eli, before walking into the utility to look for something. Eli walks to stand in the hallway mirror and places his pack over his already bruising eye.

I help Rob struggle out his hoodie to try and get the ices coldness to reach his skin, it doesn't. I hint at his shirt he nods as I gently pull it over his curls. I lightly press the icepack onto his ribs he takes a sharp breath in putting his hand over mine. His skins crowded with goose bumps but he soon gets used to its temperature.

"Fucking kills." He groans.
"Do you think it could be broken?" I ask sympathetically.
"Hope not, I fractured my rib playing rugby in year 10, aches like that." He says meeting his gaze to mine. He has 2 small cuts one across his brow and one his bottom lip. I look down to see his knuckles bloody and cut. They look sore. I can still feel his gaze on me. He lifts his hand from mine and lightly draws his fingers along my cheekbone.

"Its red." He says trailing his fingers down my cheek. "I got slapped." His brows furrow at the thought.
"Its fine, it barely hurts in comparison to you." I smile a little.
"Still." He says then leans in kissing it gently.
"Found the kit." Ryan says as him and Josh walk into the kitchen.
"Great." Eli says.
"Here we've got antiseptic wipes, plasters, bandages." Josh says as he rumages through the gear. I grab some wipes to help clean up Robs knuckles which him and Ryan bandage up whilst I clean his bleeding brow and lip. Jordan gives Josh a icepack to as he got punched in the jaw trying to stop the brawls.

Soon enough all the boys are sorted out, we sit huddled together playing mario kart. Jordan found some painkillers for Rob and also brought out a back massager from the deep depths of the utility cupboard, which Josh and Eli enjoyed too.

Around 6 o'clock Bono and Ali walk through the door.
"Hiya, hows practice going?" Ali asks before seeing the boys faces when they turn around. "Oh god what happened to you lot?!" She says shocked.
"Did you guys get in a scrap!?." Bono says raising his brows ushering Eli to speak.
"Care to explain what happened?" Ali curiously questions.
"Its a long story mum, just some guys were being dicks so, well yeah we put them in their place thats all." Eli says as if processing what unfolded.
"God. What were they saying?" Ali asks.
"Just shit about the band, targeting Lils." Rob says. "Well good job you sorted them out then." Bono says in a congratulatory tone.
"Will you all be okay, is anyone majourly hurt?" Ali asks still concerned as she walks round the sofas to look at us.
"Robs the worst off." Ryan says.
"Its just my ribs, feels the same as when I fractured them." He says.
"Oh god honey we should take you to hospital" She asks.
"I dont think theres much they can do for ribs, appart from give you painkillers and telling you to rest." Bono reassures her.
"If you say so, but let me know STRAIGHT away if anything changes." She raises her brow at Rob with a warm smile. "Alright well you guys can stay here as late as you need, all night if you fancy, I'll message all your parents quickly." 
"Thanks Ali." I smile at her.

"Where did you go mum, dad? you were gone when i woke up." Jordan questions.
"We were visiting John at boarding school we did say on the family group chat." Bono says.
"Oh yeah didn't see that." Jordan says.
"So how is the brother?" Eli asks "Feels like ages since we last saw him what 3..4 weekends its been?" He questions.
"Yeah hes great, his footballs come along so much already this year, shamrock rovers club might be discussing getting him on the team which would mean he could play at the same level he is now but come back home." Ali says.
"Thats great." I say.
"Yeah thats really cool, would love to go to some of his matches." Josh says.
"Definitely! We can get tickets whenever. Just pleased his hard works clearly paying off, we have missed him since he left in septemeber though would be nice for him to be back home again." Bono smiles.
"Yeah I do miss him." Eli agrees.
"Yay back to 2 smelly boys in the house, without Eve the girls get outnumbered." Jordan grumbles sarcastically.
"Lils can counts as a sister." Eli says.
"True." She smiles at me.

"Right well you lot must be hungry who fancy's some take away?" Bono asks.
"Oh yeah we haven't had one in weeks." Eli says practically jumping out his seat.
"What does everyone fancy?"
"Chinese!" Jordan says.
"Oh yeah, love a Chinese." Ryan agrees.
"Everyone else good with Chinese?"
"Yeah thank you." I say, thinking about it my stomach has been beginning to grumble.
"Alright well we'll order plenty you lot go relax on the sofas, put your feet up especially you Rob." Ali says clearly noticing Rob isn't looking to good.

We spend the rest of the evening watching both cars 1 and 2, Rob falls asleep in my lap bless him, he's clearly very worn out and he still didn't seem himself, whilst everyone is chatting away he didn't say a lot, which is strange for Rob, during band practice no one can normally shut him up. About 12 Ali gives us lifts home. I sit next to Rob in the back 2 seats of the car. We talk quietly so not to interrupt the other's conversation. The dim amber street lights beam through the window flashing Robs face a warm shade. I know this sounds stupid, almost mean to admit but he does look hot with his slightly cut and bruised face. Something about a beaten up guy which I've always found attractive. And the fact it's my boyfriend, who fought someone for me makes him even hotter. Alongside his tired husky voice. Oh my god. The butterflies in my stomach and my...

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Hey sorry for dropping off the face of the earth with my chapters these past few months. I've been super busy with then end of the sch year and summer but also just unmotivated to write, I have so many ideas as to where my story's going to go, the plots going to thickennnn. But when it comes to ac writing in depth chapters I've been at a loss for motivation. Hopefully I'll get back into it! Thanks for sticking with this story. Hope your enjoying it. I know reader numbers are dropping off but I'm happy your here! Please stick with me. Okay. Luv ya :)

- Iris :)