From Dusk to Love

ch.18 Bruises

        I woke up in the alley with a pain in my head. It was sunset. What just happened? I got up and dusted off. I began to walk but I had a sharp pain in my right leg. I looked down to see a bruise. Great. I walked back through the mall to the skating rink. I looked around and saw Jack and Cole running toward me. Ricky was behind them. "Lyle what happened?" Jack asked me. "Where's Emily?" Cole asked in a stern  voice. "Dude are you okay?" Ricky asked. "Yeah. I'm fine. Emily's dad took her home. Let's just go." I spoke in pain. "Okay let's go. Ricky get the car." Jack instructed. Cole and Jack supported me as I walked. We got into the car and the pain felt worse. We sat in silence the whole way the ride home.

      "Okay little dudes. Do you guys want me to come inside with you. I don't think your mom will be okay with a broken dude coming home like this." Ricky suggested. "No. It's okay. C'mon Jack." Cole told him as they got out the car and met me when I got out. We all walked to through the long drive way to the door. I took a deep breath before we walked in. "Jack, Lyle, and Cole are home!" Lucy screamed before coming to us in a rushed hug. She stopped in her steps when she saw me. Sadness consumed her happiness. "What happened?" she whispered in her tiny voice. "Nothing Lucy." Cole whispered to her. She put her hands behind her back and walked closer. "Lucy." Cole warned. "Lyle are you okay?" she asked me. "I'm fine." I answered her. "Lucy." Cole snapped in a whisper. "Hey guys so I've been practicing on the X-box today and...." Janie stopped when she saw me. "Lucy can you give us a moment." Janie said with dropping her eyes from me. Lucy turned and walked toward Janie. She tugged on her pants and Janie leaned down to her. Lucy whispered something in Janie's ear and Janie said something about making something tonight. 

        Lucy smiled and skipped upstairs. "What happened?" she snarled. "Janie. It's nothing." I told her. "We were at the skating rink and he fell." Jack lied. "How many times?" she questioned. "Once." Jack quickly answered. "That's alot of bruising. Lyle you don't bruise easily." she said. "What do you mean alot?" I asked confused. I turned and looked at the mirror. I had a bruise on my left cheek and my arms were covered in blue, purple, and red. The bruise on my right leg grew three times as big as it was. My hair looked rough and my clothes were a mess. I looked like I never lived in a house. "Who did this?" Janie kept glaring at me. I notice she was looking at the scaring. "I'll heal." I simply put it. "That's not my point. Who did this?" she repeated herself. "Why do you care?" I snarled. "You're my brother. It's my job." she snapped. "Well last time I checked. You were off duty." I growled. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "That's not true." she said. I remembered and reached into my pocket. I pulled out the once neat box which was now wrinkled. "I didn't mean what I said either." I gave her the box. She looked curious. "I spent all my money on it. Emily picked it out." I pointed out. She looked up at me when I said her name. Janie's face softened as her thoughts ran through her mind. "Open it." Jack encouraged. Janie looked back at the box and opened it. She gasped and smiled widely. "Thank you Lyle." she smiled. "You're welcome." I smiled back. She held it up and the light shimmered through it. It looked amazing.

      I saw a tear form in her eye. She quickly wiped it away. A group of girls and a couple of guys came down stairs. They were loud and rude. They swore and screamed with laughter. As they came down stairs some had trouble walking straight and they had cigarettes in their hands. There three girls and two guys. They girls had tight dresses, skirts, and crop tops on. They were either drunk or high or neither because they were driving. One girl passed by Janie and bumped into her really hard. "Hey. Watch out. Ooo that's a nice necklace." she pulled it away from Janie. Janie pushed her and took it back. That's when Jack, Cole and I moved through the bunch. Every one was chanting the fight. The girl pulled Janie down and they were fighting like crazy. Nick came down stairs and tryed to break them up. She pulled Janie by her hair and took the locket away from her. "Move bitch!" she yelled with laughter along with her crowd of fans. Cole hopped in and helped Nick break the fight. Janie pulled the girl down again and bit her. I cheered her on. I was getting into it. The girl kick her back and through the neckles at the wall. It shattered into little pieces. I stood there shocked. Janie couldn't believe what just happened. The girl stood there laughing, not even able to support her self. Janie got up and turned to her. Nick got in front of her thinking she was going to approach her. "Aw. What's wrong? Upset because you can't fight?" she taunted her. "I'm......going.....to.....KILL YOU!" Janie screamed with fury. I was shocked to she how angry she was. The girl was cursing at Janie and Janie turned the same thing on her. Cole was holding the girl back and Nick was barley holding back Janie. She was strong. Every one was loud. I couldn't think straight and that irritated me. I limped into the kitchen and grabbed the biggest bowl and the largest knife.