FINDING 12 | BOYS OF TOMMEN

it's not as bad as it looks

"Hello? Anyone here? Uncle Tony?" A voice called out nervously, entering the garage.

I pulled myself out from under the car, wiping grease from my hands as I heard the panic in her voice. Tony emerged from the back of the car, his expression shifting from confusion to shock the instant he saw her.

"Blair, what're you doing out so—holy shit!" Tony exclaimed, rushing toward her.

What the fuck?
Her face was a mess.

"It's not as bad as it looks," she said quietly, trying to smile but wincing as she did. Tony held her face in his hands, examining the damage. I could see the purple bruise blooming around her eye, the way her cheek was swollen.

"How the fuck did you manage that?" Tony asked, his voice a mix of anger and concern, eyes narrowing as he searched her face for answers.

Blair shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, glancing down at the ground. "I, um... I tripped over some stuff in my room," she stammered, her voice shaky. "It's really nothing. I just fell awkwardly, that's all."

I exchanged a glance with Tony, both of us unconvinced. "That doesn't look like a simple fall, Blair. Are you sure it wasn't Connor?" I pressed, my heart racing at the thought of that prick being responsible for this.

"No! It wasn't him," she said quickly, her tone defensive. "It really was just me being clumsy. I was rushing and... I don't know. I wasn't paying attention."

"Blair, come on," I urged, stepping closer. "You don't have to cover for him. You know you can tell us if he hurt you."

"No!" she snapped, and the sudden burst of anger caught me off guard. She took a deep breath, visibly calming herself. "I mean... I promise, it wasn't Connor. I just fell. I was being stupid, that's all."

I shared a glance with Tony, and I could see the frustration on his face. "Blair, this isn't just a 'trip'," he said, his voice softer but firm. "This is serious. You can't just brush it off."

Her eyes darted around the garage, as if searching for an escape. "It's really nothing," she said, shaking her head again. "I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

I stepped closer, desperation creeping into my voice. "You're making a big deal out of it by hiding it! It looks like you got into a fight. This isn't just something you can ignore."

"I said I'm fine!" Blair insisted, her voice rising again before she took another shaky breath. "Please, just let it go. I just need to ice it, and it'll be fine."

"Fine?" Tony echoed incredulously. "That's not fine! You need to get this checked out! We can't just leave it like this."

"I can't go to the hospital," she said, her voice suddenly small. "I don't want to. Please, don't make me."

"Why not?" I pressed, anger giving way to concern. "What's stopping you?"

She hesitated, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Because if I go, they'll ask questions. I don't want to deal with that. I just want to forget it happened."

"You're not going home like this," Tony said firmly, crossing his arms. "This isn't something we can just pretend didn't happen."

"Because if I go, they'll ask questions," she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't want anyone to know. I don't want them to think... I don't want them to blame Connor."

"Blame him for what?" I asked, frustration bubbling up again. "For hurting you? He deserves it if he did!"

"No, please!" she pleaded, looking back up at us with wide eyes. "I don't want you guys to get involved. I don't want to ruin anything for anyone. I just want to go home and forget this happened."

I felt my heart sink at her words, the reality of the situation crashing down. I didn't understand why she was so insistent on protecting him, even now. "Blair, you're not ruining anything for us. We're worried about you. We care about you."

"I know, but—" she started, her voice shaking.

"No buts," Tony interrupted, his voice steady but urgent. "We need to get you checked out, and you need to stop hiding this. If you're in pain, we can't just leave it."

Her eyes flicked between us, and I could see the conflict in her expression. "It's really not that bad," she insisted, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

"Blair," I said, my voice softer now, trying to reach her. "You don't have to protect him. We're here for you. You need to let us help you."

"I don't want to deal with any of this," she said finally, her shoulders slumping as the fight seemed to drain from her. "I just want to go home. Please."

Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "We're not leaving you like this. We're worried about you. You could have a serious injury."

Blair looked down again, her breath hitching as she fought back tears. "I just... I can't. Please, just let it go. I'm fine. I promise. Just let me handle it."

"Alright," I said slowly, "but if it gets worse, we're taking you in. No more excuses."

She nodded, relief flooding her features, but I could still see the fear lurking beneath the surface. Just as we were about to head out, Tony turned back to her, his expression firm.

"No, this isn't okay," he said decisively. "I'm taking you to the hospital, whether you want to go or not."

"What?" Blair exclaimed, panic flashing across her face. "You can't! I told you I'm fine!"

"You're not fine," Tony replied, his voice unwavering. "You need to be seen by a doctor. This could be serious."

"Uncle Tony, please!" she begged, desperation lacing her voice. "I can't go. You don't understand!"

"I understand more than you think," he shot back, determination etched in his features. "This isn't about you trying to hide things anymore. It's about your health. We're going to the hospital."

I felt a knot of anxiety twist in my stomach. As much as I wanted to support her, I couldn't shake the feeling that she needed help, and I was grateful that Tony wasn't backing down.

"Come on, Blair," I said softly. "Let's just get this checked out. We're with you. You won't have to face anything alone."

She looked between us, the tears spilling over once more as she realized there was no way out. "Okay," she whispered, defeated.

As we stepped out of the garage, I could feel the weight of the situation hanging heavy in the air. Whatever had happened, it was clearly more serious than she let on. I glanced at her as she walked beside Tony, her head down.