Chapter 11
Pheonix
Every single one of my body parts hurts like crazy. I did get the first swing, but she got the last laugh when she kicked me right in the stomach. Caleb, Moose, and Nick went out to buy Tylenols, Panadols, Advils, and the large bags of ice that you can buy at the gas station.
I was laying down in Riley's bedroom. Riley was sitting beside me on the bed, wiping the blood off my split lip. I winced once the warm cloth in his hands made contact with my cut.
"What happened?" He asked.
My eyebrows knitted together. "I don't even remember," I said in amazement.
Katherine must have really hit me hard if I couldn't remember a single thing of what happened. All I remember was me charging towards her at full speed.
He chuckled and wiped some more blood softly. "Well, she really did hit you hard," He murmured as his eyes traveled all over my face. "But I'm pretty sure you'll be okay. We just need to patch up a few things."
"Please tell me that I don't need stitches," I groaned. Just the thought of a needle and a piece of thread going through skin and stitching things together was revolting. My stomach did a flip and I felt my lunch creep up my throat.
He smiled and shook his head. "No, that will heal by itself." He assured me as he put the cloth down.
Then, the bedroom door opened and there stood Justin. I felt self-conscious at the fact that he was staring at me while I looked like a wreck. My eyes traveled down to the comforter underneath me. Riley stood up and looked at Justin, giving him a small smile. Justin returned the gesture and walked over to me.
"I can take it from here," Justin volunteered as he st
udied my face.
Riley nodded and patted him on the back before exiting the room. I sat up and pulled my legs closer to me. The door closed and Justin sat on the bed.
"Alright, where does it hurt?" He asked.
"Everywhere," I replied as I pointed to my face.
A smile threatened to appear on his face but he remained serious. He leaned in closer and my stomach did a complete 180 degree turn at the proximity of our faces. I haven't even seen myself yet, but it can't be too pretty.
"How are Evan and Cassidy?" I asked suddenly, remembering how scared Evan was when he saw me.
"They're fine." He affirmed. "Just a little shaken...again, but they're going to be okay as long as you don't make a big deal out of this."
"I won't," I nodded. He chuckled and pressed his fingertips gently on my bruised eye. I winced, a gesture that couldn't escape his eyes.
He sighed and grabbed an ice pack that he had in reach and placed it over my bruise. I winced and he removed it quickly, but then he shook his head and applied it again. "Do you want me to hold it?" I asked.
Justin shrugged and I took the ice pack from him, placing it over my eye. "That bitch," Justin muttered.
I sighed. "It's not her fault. I'm the one that sassed her and started that fight in the first place," I looked down at the bed. "It was my fault."
Justin gave me an incredulous look. "It's her fault, Pheonix. She's the one that made that comment about your name in the first place, and obviously it ticked you off, and you weren't going to react normally, or...be rational-"
"Hold on, hold on." I held my hand up, stopping him. "Be rational? Bieber, how would you have reacted to that?!"
He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Don't call me Bieber, I have a name."
"Oh, too bad, Bieber," I stuck out my tongue at him, but not in the playful way. I did it in the 'I-Hope-It-Makes-You-Even-More-Mad" kind of way. "Build a bridge and get over it."
"Look, you're really ticking me off," He shook his head and licked his lips.
I stood up and dropped the ice pack onto the bed. "That doesn't seem to change," I used my hands for exaggeration in my sentences. "Everything I do 'ticks you off'," I quoted him. "Which is why these days, everything seems to be my fault!"
"Pheonix, look-"
"No, Bieber. Everything is my fault. Who's the one that's doing everything that apparently makes you mad? Me. Who's the one that started that fight out there with Katherine? Me. Who's the one that's going to end up being blamed for Evan and Cassidy having a jacked up life?" Tears welled into my eyes at that one. Justin's eyes widened, but I pushed the tears back. "Me. Who's the one that can't get her crap together? Me."
He stood up. "No, stop blaming everything on yourself, Pheonix. Not everything is your fault and you know that. Okay, so maybe the first two are your fault, but the other two...." He shook his head. "I'm responsible for that too."
"How-"
"Pheonix, I killed your mom, kidnapped you, Evan, and Cassidy, and I'm emotionally destroying you without even trying. But out there, I guess that something changed when Evan hugged me and-"
My eyes widened. "Evan hugged you?"
He nodded. "Yes, Pheonix, he did. And to my surprise, I hugged him back." He took a step towards me, and I could tell that it was involuntary. "I don't bite." He teased.
"Yes, but you do punch, kick, and kill." I pointed out as I took a step back. Justin noticed that he had unintentionally approached me so he took a step back.
"Just...stop putting the weight of the world on your shoulders," He advised.
Then, out of nowhere, I just walked up to him and hugged him. And, to my great surprise, he hugged me back. And at that moment, I thought that everything was going to be okay.
Oh, I am so wrong.
I'm soooooo sorry it took so long but I'm going to continue it! hopefully updating everyday! :)
