I'm Fine

Chapter 20

I avoided everyone for nearly the rest of the day, even Harly. I needed time to myself.

"Imogen," says somebody, as I walk to my last class for the day. I turn around and see Brody looking at me.

My cheeks flush. "Hi," I reply. I start to slow down my pace and allow myself to engage in a conversation with him. My class is all the way on the other side of the school, anyway.

"Are you alright?" he asks, stepping in time with me. I breathe out and look at him.

"No," I reply, my chest flattening as I exhale a heavy sigh.

"Is your sister alright?" he asks, pausing to look back at me.

"She's in a coma." My voice sounds frail but monotone. I look at the people passing by us and I spot Ellie walking with Shay.

Ellie glances my way and smiles at me. I don't acknowledge her and return to my conversation with Brody.

"I'm worried about her."

"Of course you would be. She's your sister."

"But it was my fault that she got hit." He stopped in his tracks, a weird power pulsing in his captivating blue eyes.

"Imogen. Never blame yourself," he says, his tone serious and scary.

I look down to the ground and we continue to walk. "I stopped in the middle of the road...I had no idea the car was even coming." I paused and shook my head. "She jumped to push me out of the way."

"Why'd you stop?" he asks.

"Hmm?"

"Well, there must've been a reason you stopped in the middle of the road. I mean, if you didn't see the car, you would've just kept on walking wouldn't you?"

A sudden jerk tugs my heart. It was Brody. He had sent me that text and that was the reason that I had stopped. That was the reason that Lee had to push me out of the way. That was the reason why she's now in hospital fighting for her life.

"Uhh..."

Brody's eyes widen in realization.

"Oh my gosh...Imogen. It was me wasn't it? I sent you that text..." He started shaking his head wildly and it scared me. He looked at me with pained eyes.

"I'm so, so sorry. This is all my fault. I_"

"_Shush! No! It's no your fault. Take your own advice, don't blame yourself Brody. It was just...unfortunate that this happened to my sister." I think I was trying to convince myself as well as Brody.

He paused and our footsteps were drowned out from my heart beating in my chest like a trapped bird.

"You're right." I nod and we walk silently all the way to my last class of the day.

The bell had just rung and everybody rushed out of class like they're lives depended on it.

I walked slowly, hoping no one would notice me. I was wrong.

"Imogen! Please talk to me," cries Harly, running to catch up to me.

"Harly," I reply, shaking my head. "I need some time."

Harly pauses then nods and looks at me with a sad smile. "I get it." She then sprints in the other direction towards the car park.

I sit on a bench by the courts and curl up into a ball. Slowly, people walk out the gate to, I presume, get away from this place of terror.

I see Shay and Damian take the bus and wonder why I felt the sudden urge to go and talk to him.

My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Imogen," he says with a wide smile.

"Brody."

He sits down next to me and asks me what I'm doing. I tell him I'm waiting for Annette and he tells me he's waiting for his sister, Alice.

"I realized we don't really know much about each other, do we?"

"Yeah," I reply, checking my phone for the time. Annette always calls me when she gets here and she's already ten minutes late.

"Well...what's your favourite colour?" he asks, keeping in a stupid laugh.

"Purple. And yours?"

"Promise not to laugh..." I nod. He mutters something but I can't hear it.

"What?"

"Pink."

"Ohhh," I reply, understanding why he felt embarrassed. "Brody, pink is not a 'girl colour'. It's just a colour."

He nods. "I know, but there are some sexist people out there."

We asked stupid questions and answered stupid answers. I found out that he hates mint chocolate chip ice cream and is dog person. I also found out a bunch a silly random facts that we splurged to each other in fits of laughter and smiles.

We were silent for a while after I had asked him what stupid thing he had done as a child. I checked my phone and saw that it was nearly quarter past four.

"It's so late! Where's Annette? And Alice?"

We looked around and sighed. Brody couldn't see Alice and I couldn't see Annette. I was starting to get worried.

I called Annette but it went straight to voicemail. The same thing happened to Brody.

We both sighed and picked up another conversation.

I was talking to him about a funny story I had a heard, when my voice dropped me it went quiet. I realized that my face was slowly nearing Brody's.

We were tilted forward and the air between us shortened until our noses were touching.

Then suddenly, I heard a huge horn sound ricochet through the courtyard.

Hoooonnnkk!

We pulled away as fast as possible and I hid my cheeks to fan my flushed face.

"Sorry," I squeaked then ran off towards the sound, pulling my bag onto my shoulder and speeding off towards Annette.

I jump in the passenger seat and let my hair form a curtain around my hot face.

"Are you alright?" she asks with a confused laugh.

"I...I nearly kissed Brody," I said, my voice exasperated and thick like soup. "I nearly kissed Brody...I just met him."