The Tangled Rose (Book One in the Tangled Series) (Editing)

Chapter 3: Take Care

When we get back to my place Kyle carries me inside and sets me on the couch. He carefully removes my shoes and places a pillow underneath the foot that is starting to swell. Rushing to the kitchen he grabs a plastic ziplock bag and fills it with ice wrapping it in a paper towel. Walking back over to me he gently rests the cold homemade ice pack on my foot. I lay back and try to relax as Kyle gets onto his phone and calls someone.

"Hey I need you to come to Rose's house I think she sprained her ankle but I'm not sure can you please come look at it? Okay. Thank you." He hangs up and sets his phone on the coffee table. I'm guessing that was Eric or at least I hope so. Kyle sits on the other side of the sectional resting his elbows on his knees as he shoves his hands into his hair. We sit in silence for about 5 minutes.

"Kyle... I will be okay..." I try to reassure him but he still says nothing. About 5 more minutes pass and there is a knock on the door. Kyle looks up towards the door and I see a few tears on his cheeks. He wipes them as he rushes up to the door letting in whoever was there.

"Rose. Hey, how are you feeling?" I hear a familiar voice ask me as Eric's face comes into view.

"I-I'm alright," I reply.

"Okay let me take a look," Eric says sitting at the end of the couch. He removes the ice pack and carefully looks over my foot occasionally glancing up at me to see if it hurts.

"How is it?" Kyle asks worriedly.

"Well, luckily this was only a grade 1 sprain so it only takes 2 weeks to fully recover. You will have to be in bed for at least the first week then you can start walking. But I don't want you walking without the crutches. I will let you borrow them. Heh, they used to be mine so you will have to adjust them for height." he says with a grin. I know he is teasing me but all I can muster up right now is a soft smile. "I want you to wear this ankle brace off and on it helps control the swelling and adds stability while healing. Umm ice keeps down the swelling as well as keeping it elevated but with the ice don't keep it on more than 20 minutes. Umm let me see am I forgetting anything..." he takes a moment to think and then smiles at me. Follow the doctor's instructions or you shall be in trouble missy. I will check up on you 1-2 times a week okay?" I nod and he places the ice back over gently.

As he gets up he starts to walk past me but I grab his hand and say, "Thank you, Eric." He replies with a soft smile that makes me feel happy. Letting go of his hand he walks towards the kitchen to talk to Kyle.

"Kyle, what happened?" Eric asks his brother seriously.

"Her ex-showed up and he just- he wouldn't shut his damn mouth!" Kyle says angrily.

"What do you mean?" Eric seems to be trying to get the whole story.

"Well he kept insulting Rose and putting her down I guess my anger just took over and I lost it. I wasn't even paying attention when I just pushed Rose off to the side. God, I can't believe myself." Kyle says angrily.

"Kyle... I know how hard it is for you to control your anger sometimes but I also know that you didn't mean to hurt her. She is your best friend. Stop wallowing about what you did. She doesn't blame you! Just help her recover okay? I have to go now... Be there for her!" he says sternly. Kyle nods calming himself down.

Eric comes over to me and rubs his big hand over the top of my head. "Would you like me to carry you to your room before I go?" he asks and I nod. "Kyle can you grab the bag of Ice and follow me up as I carry her to her room. Kyle just nods and comes over picking up the ice pack. Eric slips me into his arms and carries me upstairs to my bedroom.

"What a way to start out my summer huh?" I mumble against Eric.

"It will get better. I promise," he says carrying me into my room and laying me gently on my bed. He kisses my forehead and steps back. "Take care of her Kyle. See you guys later.

Kyle gently lifts my foot up resting it on a pillow and covers me upsetting the ice pack on the end table next to me. He turns around to leave but I call out to him. "Can you stay with me tonight?" I ask softly.

"Are you sure?" he asks and I nod. He climbs into the bed next to me and I rest the back of my head on his chest and he wraps his arms around me. We both end up falling asleep.

As I begin to open my eyes the view becomes more clear as I realize I am lying on the bed in my own bedroom with my ankle elevated with an ice pack on it. I look around my bedroom for the clock because it isn't on the vanity like it should be. Sitting up carefully I try to avoid any more pain on my foot and find a unique small clock sitting on the endtable right next to me. The sun is shining into my room through the cracks in the black curtains. Looking back at the clock, it is 7:42. Suddenly I hear someone talking outside of my door.

Thinking it's Kyle I uncover myself to find that I am wearing one of Kyle's T-shirts. 'How did I get into one of his shirts...' I slide my feet so they are hanging over the side of the bed and try to stand up but I end up collapsing onto the ground. Shit that hurt! Thump. My foot is in too much pain for me to stand up. Wow, I'm stupid. Bang. My bedroom door is swung open by Kyle as he runs over to me picking me up off of the floor like a doll and sets me back on the bed.

"I'm so sorry about what I did to you!" he says with a pained look in his eyes.

"I know you are and it's okay. I forgive you." I say looking into his eyes.

"No it's not okay and you shouldn't forgive me," he says sadly.

"But I do. I understand what happened. Just accept that I forgive you please."

"... Thank you, Rose... I know I don't deserve it." he replies with relief in his eyes.

"But Kyle, you shouldn't have gotten into that fight..." I tell him. " You owe me now," I say with a goofy grin.

"Anything!" he says with a smile.

"When I get better and can walk on my own again take me to a party so we can have fun."

"Of course!...Oh yes, I almost forgot! I made you eggs and toast." he says rushing out of my bedroom. I smile and grab my phone that is on the end table noticing I have a message from Eric. I pull up his message,

Eric: "Hey how ya feeling today shortie :P"

Me: "Much better thank you. Although I still wonder if I should listen to "doctors orders" since technically you're not one :P" I joke back.

Eric: "Oh you will regret saying that." he replies and I just smile.

Kyle comes back into the room with a tray of my breakfast.

"So I have a question. Why am I wearing your shirt?" I ask with a smirk.

"W-well I-I figured you wanted to be more comfortable don't worry I-I didn't look at anything." He says as his face blushes. I just giggle and we continue to talk as I eat my breakfast.

*Two weeks later*

Over the next two weeks, Eric did come and check on me as he said he would. Kyle wasn't always staying over I had to tell him to go home a few times or else he wouldn't have left. I can finally walk on my own again now and it makes me really happy. Today Kyle is back at his house and Eric is coming over to help me get used to being on my feet again. My mom is on a work trip in New York to "close the biggest deal of her life". If she successfully closed the deal she would become the CEO of Queen Corporation. But if my dad heard about what happened he would probably kill Kyle so he can NEVER find out. Since my parents are not around much it's not like they would know if I was dead unless someone told them.

A few months finally pass by and before I know it, it is getting closer and closer to my birthday. Eric has been a little distant for the past few months so Kyle said that he was going to take me out for my birthday.

A/N

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