Right Through Me

It hurts!

        I put my hand on my rib cage and wince. Auska was really mad at me after he met Mino and Yamato. He beat me really hard this time, to the point where I couldn't talk.

     I sigh and put my hand over the sore area again, touching it lightly. Gosh, it hurts so badly. I drop my hand and continue to walk down the street.

     "Oi, Alex!"

     I look behind me and see Hiroki running towards me. I straighten up as much as I can, without hurting myself and put on a fake smile.

     "Hey, Hiroki! What's up?" I say as soon as he catches up to me. He looks at me with a serious face.

      "How are doing?" I close my eyes and smile at him.

    "I'm doing good! How about you?" He eyes me.

    "I'm fine. Where are you going?" I hold up my bags of groceries.

     "I'm on my way home. Where are you going?"

    "To the hospital to visit Nowaki. It's not far from here." A small smile spreads on his face when he says Nowaki. I smile up at him.

    "Want to walk with me? My house isn't far from here." He nods his head and we start to walk.

      It gets quiet and a little bit awkward between us and I instantly know he's thinking about how I acted at the party. I mentally face palm. Please don't ask-

     "Um....Alex? About what happened eat the party..." he says.

    Crap!

     "It was nothing, I just had a nightmare." I wave my hand dismissively.

     "Are you sure? Because a nightmare wouldn't make anyone cry the way you did."  I sigh and clutch my bags tighter. He looks down at my bags and takes the heaviest one.

     "What are you doing?" I look up at him and try to reach for my bag, but he pulls it out of my reach.

   "I got it. It looked like you were struggling with it anyway."

    "It's fine, I can carry it." I go to reach for it again, but the pain in my rib and back spread through me. I gasp and let go of my other bag, clutching my ribs and breathing hard. Oh no...

     "Huh?! Alex! Are you okay?!" He drops my bag and puts his hand on a bruise that is on my shoulder blade. I gasp in pain again, making him pull his hand away.

    "What's wrong?!" He yells, panicking. At this point, my body is bent over and a burning sensation goes through my ribs.

     I can't speak, so I shake my head and close my eyes. My eyes had started to tear up and now the tears are running down my cheeks. My breathing starts to get rapid and my legs give out from under me. Hiroki catches me.

     "Hold on, Alex! I'm calling an ambulance!" He says and pulls out his phone, dialing the number and putting it to his ear.

     My eyes widen. No...if I go, then he'll find out! I turn my tear stained face up towards him and tug on his sleeve. He looks down at me and I try to speak.

     "...no....I-I'm...f-f-fine....." I gasp out. My ribs start to hurt again and I clench my eyes closed, once again letting the tears fall. Hiroki stops talking on the phone and try's to hold me up.