Life in the Shadows

31.

• song contains explicit content. •

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This morning, when I woke up, my room was filled with basically the entire gift shop at the hospital.

Balloons, giant teddy bears, flowers, and candy were scattered all around my bed, making me do a double-take as I wiped the sleep from my eyes this morning.

I called Jack as soon as I woke up, letting him know that I was awake, and he said he'd be there in a minute with my breakfast.

When he arrived, all of his friends came in, too, and they all found a place to sit.

"A Krispy Kreme? Jack, you're the best," I threw my arms around my older brother, kissing his cheek.

"I brought chocolate milk, too," he grinned. "And I know I'm the best,"

"Love you," I murmured, taking a bite of my delicious, sugar-filled breakfast.

"Y'all are cute," Taylor smiled, "sibling goals,"

I sighed in content as I sipped my chocolate milk, leaning back on my pillow.

"Do you like the new decorations?" Wilk asked, smiling.

"Yeah. Thank you," I smiled, blushing as I looked around the room to see a lot of eyes on me.

"We didn't know what you liked, so we all bought something different," Cameron smiled. "That sounds really stupid, now that I'm saying it out loud,"

"It's really nice. You didn't have to, so thank you," I smiled.

Now that I'm home, it's a totally different story.

I'm not allowed to do anything.

The crutches they gave me are not a good mix with my ungracefulness and tendency to fall all of the time, so I kind of just jump around when I need to get somewhere.

I guess that's not a good thing, according to Jack, because he tells me 'I am going to ruin my other foot if I happen to fall, which is highly likely, and then be pretty much crippled' and then carries me wherever I have to go.

Truly, it feels as if I'm a child again, one without the ability to walk but with the ability to curse her older brother out.

Much to the popular belief that Jack could not possibly get more annoying, he has been doing everything in his power to make me cringe and irritate me. Whether he's tapping his pen on the table when he writes, chewing his food obnoxiously, or changing the channel between SportsCenter and golf nonstop for hours, he is truly trying to make me die.

Most of his friends are gone now, but Gilinsky, Nate, and Sam never seem to leave our house, so it's like I can't escape.

"It's no big deal," I would whine, "stop babying me,"

"You can't walk on your dominant foot," Jack would always point out. "You're gonna need help getting around for awhile."

Mom and dad have been working like crazy and Jack's been busy with songwriting and shit like that, but since they all insist that I don't stay home alone, I either go with Jack or have someone come and watch me.

I've tried explaining to them multiple times that nothing would happen, but that didn't go as planned, because they all laughed at me and said that I'm crazy if they think I'm staying home by myself. Basically, my basic rights as a free human are gone.

Gilinsky said I'm being dramatic and need to chill out about it, but I don't want people helping me, and I don't think they know that. I'm trying to be more independent. That's obviously not going as I had hoped so far.

So, as I sit here, with Sam sprawled out on the couch next to me, and Gilinsky on the reclined on the other side of the couch, I am bored to the point that I might die.

"Jack," I whine. "I'm bored,"

"What do you wanna do?" he asked, turning his attention away from the TV.

"I don't know," I sigh. "I'm just sick of sitting around,"

"Wanna go to the mall?" Sam pipes up.

"Asshole," Jack rolls his eyes, "she can barely walk,"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot,"

"Can we go out to eat?" I ask, my stomach growling.

"Sure. Where do you wanna go?"

"Mmm, Chinese sounds hella good," I muse. "Yeah, Chinese."

"Let's go, then. Jack said we're not supposed to take you out, so we gotta be quick,"

"I'm ready,"

After going to the restaurant and eating what felt like three times my weight in rice, egg rolls, and chicken, we came home.

"Where in the hell have you been?" Jack's voice booms, making me jump.

I look at Gilinsky, Gilinsky looks at Sam, and Sam looks at me.

"Well?"

"To get food," I murmured, looking down at my feet. Jack told me to speak up, so I spoke up.

"I specifically told you guys to keep her here,"

"I can't just be pented up inside of this house forever, Jack," I frown.

"You got home two days ago. You should be resting your foot, not going out and about,"

"Stop it," I whine dramatically. "I'm not three, I can take care of myself,"

"I'm doing what's best for you, you know that,"

"I'm okay. It's just a broken foot. It's not like I had open-heart surgery,"

"Just, please, be careful," he sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"I will. Don't worry," I smile, hobbling up the stairs.

"Let me help you," he sighs, letting me jump into his arms.

"Only because it's the stairs, that the only reason why," I argue.

He chuckles. "Of course,"

"Love you, Jack. Thanks for helping me out. Sorry for snapping," I kiss his cheek as he sets me down.

"No problem, Mags. Love you too,"

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Song attatched: I'm In Love (feat. Jack and Jack) by Skate

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this chapter sucks sorry and its really short

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lmao school is putting a whoopin on my ass right now. yay me

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please comment if you found any mistakes (i'm half asleep so there's gotta be some), or if you wanna say something cute to cheer my valentineless self up.

i'm tired and i hope my mom buys me a pizza shaped like a heart tonight.

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lots of love (especially because it's valentines day),

em xx