Dangerous black ties

Stop lying

Mer.
Mer.
A soft voice says, softly shaking me awake.

I rub my eyes and look at Jeremy.

"Huh?" I ask, confused.

"I have come to administer your IV so that you can continue your antibiotics for just today and tomorrow. After that, you will still need to take a pill every day for the next 14 days," Jermery explained.

"Oh, okay," I say, still not waking up slowly and painfully rising from the bed.

My face must have contorted in pain.

"Are you hurting?" Jermery asks me softly.

"I'm fine," I say, slowly waking up.

"Meredith, you're a terrible liar. I'll be right back. I'm going to get you some pain medicine for your IV," he says, leaving quickly.

Just then, the door is opened to reveal Dexter smirking at me.

"I heard you slept with Edison." He teased.

My mouth gasps.

"I did no such thing," I say defensively.

Edison smirked at my reaction.

"Oh, you didn't?" He teased.

"Not like that," I tell Dexter, my cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

Just then, Jeremy walks in.

"What are we talking about?" He asks, looking at the two staggering men in front of me.

Dexter teases. "Meredith was just telling me about her sleeping with Edison." He winks at me.

I grab a pillow and throw it at him, hitting him in the face.

"Oh, did you?" Jeremy asks with a smirk, arching his brow at me in amusement.

As I reach for another pillow, Dexter also grabs one that was just thrown at him. We share a light laugh before he gently tosses it back to me.

"Did I throw a pillow at Dexter for insinuating the same thing? Yes. Do you want one too?" I ask about throwing the pillow at him, threatening in some way.

He holds his hands up in a surrender position.

"Alright, back to business. I need to do your IV." He laughs, strolling to me.

"Is that necessary? I'm not a fan of needles, unlike all of you guys and your tattoos." I said, looking at him.

"Yes, it is, but I will be as quick as possible." He says, choking back a laugh at my statement.
He begins to get the IV ready.

"So, Meredith, what is your favorite color?" Edison asks.

"My favorite color?" I ask, confused.

"Anything but pink. I like blue, I guess?" I am unsure of his question.

"There," Jermery says.

I look down at the IV now in my arm, attached to a drip.

"You are pretty good at that," I tell him.

"Well, thank you, Meredith." He says it with a small smile.

"gli uomini stanno portando suo padre al magazzino?" Jermery asks, looking at me and gazing at my battered body.
{are the men taking her dad to the warehouse?}

I pull the blanket up in shame.

"Sì, dopo pranzo, ci divertiremo." Edison replied
{yes, after lunch we will have our fun}

Dexter senses my discomfort in them, leaving me out of the conversation.

"So you don't like pink?" He teased

"No, it hurts my eyes." I laugh

"Hurts your eyes?" Edison was further questioned, intrigued by my answer.

"Yes," I say, slightly sassy.

"Interesting, most women like pink," Jermery says.

"Well, I'm not most women," I say to him carefully.

"That's obvious," Edison says with a smirk.

"Why did you ask what my favorite color is? That's so random," I ask him questioningly.

"Well, I was trying to distract you so Jermery could put in your IV, plus eventually you will need a cast," Edison tells me.

I frown a bit.
"No."

"Yes. Meredith, it needs to heal, and it's not going to do that if it's not in a cast." Jermey says his voice is turning stern all of a sudden.

"I guess if you think it's necessary, I'm not a doctor, so who am I to argue?" I tell him carefully.

"Well, after you finish your fluids, Edison mentioned that you want to gather your things. Will you be needing any help?" Jeremy asked.

"No. I won't be; I can easily gather my stuff myself; there is no need for any help." I tell him with a small smile.
I didn't have many belongings with me—just about two bags of things. Moreover, I was hesitant to let anyone see the inside of the house because I had no clue what I would find when I walked in.

"Are you hungry?" Dexter asks, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Oh, no. I'm fine." I say it quickly and am not confident enough.

All the men let out sighs of different magnitudes.
"Im going to get her some food; she needs to eat anyway with the medication; otherwise, it will make her sick."

Jeremy says she is getting up and sending a disapproving gaze my way.

Both Decter and Edison sat there, slightly glaring at me.

"Meredith, what did I tell you about lying?" Edison demands sternly.

"That you didn't like it?" I responded hesitantly, my heart starting to pound.

"Good, you will stop doing it immediately," Edison says, scolding me.

"Okay," I say to him.

Dexter stood with his arms crossed. 'We can't help you, Mer, if you aren't honest,' he said firmly.

"I don't need help. I keep trying to tell you guys this," I assert confidently.

"Enough of being stubborn. Accept the help. You don't have to do this alone anymore," Edison said firmly.

I have always relied on myself and have been independent for so long that I wasn't sure if I could trust anyone to take care of me. The thought made me feel scared and anxious, but I knew I could rely on myself, at least most of the time. I've only recently gotten to know them.

Just then, Jeremy comes with some food and water.
"Here, eat as much as you can so the medication doesn't upset your stomach, Meredith," he tells me, sternly handing me the food.

"Okay, thank you," I tell him quickly as I avoid eye contact.