Blood & Bruises

Make A Run For It

>>Izel

It was embarrassing.

I could feel my cheeks heating up and all the eyes that were on me made me feel even more conscious of it. I can't believe I blurted that out.

I glanced at Seth who looked disappointed in me and so I looked away immediately. Fidgeting with my fingers.

"I mean, I'm a doctor, it's like being a mom!" I tried to blabber more to cover it up.

Fuck me

Why did I say that? They all looked at each other to make sure they all were thinking the same thing, which was most like 'who the hell is this clown? Why did I even come in here?'

But I wasn't actually going to stay there and let them say those words to my face, so when they were looking at each other, I turned around and dashed out of there.

I bolted out of the restaurant. My pulse thundered in my ears as I pushed through the late-night crowd, heading for the one place that felt safe—my apartment. The cool night air hit my face, grounding me a little, but my mind was still reeling. I couldn't believe I just did that.

The shame and embarrassment clung to me like a shadow, pushing me faster down the empty sidewalk, my footsteps echoing in the quiet.

I ran a lot and soon the building I lived in began to come into view when suddenly, a firm hand grabbed my wrist, halting me in my tracks. I tried to pull free, but his grip held steady, and I found myself spun around to face him.

!?!?!?

Seth stood there, his face shadowed but his eyes sharp, an intensity I hadn't expected cutting through the leftover haze of the night.

"Seth?" I was surprised to see him. Did he run after me?

"Why did you do that?" he asked, his tone low and searching.

I tried to pull my wrist away, but his fingers didn't budge. My heart pounded. "Do... do what?"

"Call yourself my mom," he clarified, his voice edged with a mix of irritation and curiosity. I could tell he was very offended by that. I mean, the girl he likes just pulled that move.

Anyone would be angry..

I froze, swallowing hard as I felt my face burn. He kept his gaze steady, waiting. I couldn't look at him, so I dropped my eyes to the pavement, racking my brain for any kind of reasonable explanation, "Um, I..." But all I could come up with felt pathetic, and I could feel the words slipping from me before I even thought them through.

"I thought... I thought it'd make her back off," I muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear.

"What?" He was confused and I bit the side of my lower lip

"That woman!" I already said it, might as well tell the truth! "The one who was touching you weirdly!"

"Someone was touching me?" He didn't know and it shocked me

"Of course, you didn't know! You were passed out!!" I felt angry, "What, did you think just because you're a large man no one was going to harass you!???" I tried to yank his hands off of my wrist but he didn't let me, "You!" I glared at him, "If I hadn't come in, she would have kept touching you!"

"Oh... So that..." He kept his eyes on me, "You came in for me?" He looked pleased

!!?!

The realization hit me and I didn't like that. It made me uncomfortable.

"Yes, so that's why I chose to be your mom!" I blurted out right the next moment which turned his mood sour again.

"Is that it?" He pouted but this time, the expression was grim rather than cute.