The Way Back To You

Chapter 11

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I wrap my arms over my knees and collapse into one of the chairs in the small office waiting room. I'm there alone for approximately two minutes when the door slowly opens and Alex enters, looking impassive and expressionless.

He doesn't say a word as he takes the seat next to me and opens up a small first-aid kit on his lap, extricating a few bandages and a handful of gauze wrapping. I watch through half-closed eyes as he tips a bandage out of the box and squeezes a bit of ointment out onto the cotton bindings.

He proceeds to undo the bandage and lean towards me to apply it, but I stop his hand. He retracts and looks at me admonishingly.

"You can't go in there looking like that."

I shake my head and keep my gaze fixed on the floor. Alex rolls his eyes and holds up the bandage again.

"I need you to stop being stubborn for, like, one second. Can you do that?"

I take in a deep breath and let it out. "I'm not being stubborn. I'm just refusing your help. I don't need it."

"Really? 'Cuz it looks like you do."

I purse my lips and keep my gaze fixed on the floor, suddenly interested in the diamond-patterned carpeting. Alex moves forward again, but this time I don't stop him. He sets the bandage on the side of my forehead and then pulls his hands away, closing the lid of the first-aid kit.

"There. Was that so painfully hard?"

I bite my bottom lip and slowly pick up my eyes to look at him.

"When did you learn so much about cuts and bruises?"

I bring the tips of my fingers to the bandage on my temple. That's exactly what a nurse would do for such a wound, and I would know. I did spend the majority of my summer as an intern at an urgent care center.

At the thought, a memory of inexperienced old me surfaces in my brain. Searching Alex over for injuries and reporting my finds on his sheet when no one else was around.

I blink rapidly to clear my vision as he responds.

"You learn to take care of yourself after a while....You know, getting into fights and what-not."

I laugh harshly. "You always seem to be getting yourself into spots of trouble. When will you learn?"

Alex raises an eyebrow. "Who? Me? I box for a living, it's kind of my job. And you know, those men would never have come here if it weren't for you."

I look away. He's right. It's my fault he had to face and fight them, and my fault we're both in trouble. If I hadn't been so stupid and have gotten lost, then gotten down and asked three random guys smoking weed for directions...-

Alex leans back in his chair. "You sort of owe me now."

I look back at him. He's facing straight ahead, so all I can see is his profile. His arms are crossed over his chest and he shrugs.

I bite the inside of my cheek. "Oh, do I?"

He nods. "Yeah. That's how it works, doesn't it? But don't worry. A simple 'thanks' will suffice."

"Does it though?"

He looks at me bemusedly. The corner of his lip twitches. "What do you mean?"