The Bad Boy's Sister

Chapter 28 - I'm Actually Kind of Missing My Bad Boy of a Brother

"That's it, keep coming," Jace says to me. I push the crutches against the ground and bring my right foot forward, keeping all my weight off my left foot. I try to do it again, but I stumble and fall right into Jace's arms. He helps me back up, hands me the crutches, and gives me an encouraging nod.

"Again," he says.

"Jace, I can't," I say, feeling very discouraged.

"Sure you can," he says, keeping his arms out. "It gets easier, it really does."

"I don't want to," I say, trying to hand back the crutches. I've just barely gotten out of the hospital and Jace is trying to help me learn to use my crutches. I can't walk on my left foot for three weeks, so I'm either stuck in a wheelchair or crutches. I don't want the attention of a wheelchair, so I chose the crutches. Unfortunately, I'm starting to regret my decision.

"You really want to get stuck in a wheelchair?" he asks, a smirk crawling on his face. I give him a death glare and put the crutches back under my arms.

"I will kill you," I say, turning to walk away from him. I am going to learn these now. Jace still hasn't let me see Jake and I'm itching to make sure he's okay. Last I heard, he's still in the hospital, but I'm not sure. I bribed the nurse to tell me what room he's in, so now I just need to go see him.

"Where are you going?" Jace chuckles as I slowly move away from him.

"I'm learning to use my crutches," I say, keeping my focus ahead of me.

"Um...the exit is that way," he says from behind me. I ignore him and continue to inch my way toward room 104. We are in the teens, so it's going to take me a few hallways to get to him, but I know I can do it.

"I'm not leaving yet," I say.

"Just a minute ago you were itching to get out of here," he says, sounding confused.

"I just realized that the fate of me walking lies on me learning to use these poles, so yes, I am definitely going to learn to use them. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go up and down this hall once or twice."

"If you insist, sassbucket," Jace scoffs. I hear him slowly following me and I wish I would have told him to meet me in the car. Crap.

"That isn't even a word," I tell him in a smart-alec tone.

"Yes it is," he disagrees. "You are a bucket full of sass. When you combine those, it creates the name."

"Since when did you major in English?"

"Well, unlike you, I've actually been attending school for the past few weeks. Once I knew you were awake, I decided to go back. Kasen has been itching for some trouble."

"Ugh," I groan in exasperation. "Kill me now."

"You know you love it, Sammy," he grins. I roll my eyes at him and check the room numbers. We've made it a whole six rooms...only four more to go.

"Well, I can't really do anything about it," I say. "My reputation is long gone and I haven't been there to defend the family, so yes, I'm literally doomed."

"Oh, stop being dramatic," he chuckles, roughing my hair up. Curse you, dirty boy...

"I wouldn't have to be dramatic if you weren't such a troublemaker."

"Sweetheart, it's in my nature."

"Is being a creep in your nature?"

"No?"

"Then why did you call me sweetheart?" I gag.

"Because you were being dramatic?"

"Oh, so drama queens are sweethearts?"