Ten days before Christams

Day three

My alarm woke me up. I lazily pressed the off button and groaned as I got out of bed. I didn't sleep well at all last night due to the big bruse on my butt and forehead. I walked to the mirror to see how bad my face was. I wish I didn't. My forhead was really badly bruised. I somehow managed to sprain my wrist because of the way I landed on it. I  now have a brace on my arm that should come of in three or four weeks. We went to the hospital, Logan was apologetic, really apologetic. I still don't know what he was doing in the art room. Oh well, guess I'll never know. Logan felt really guilty about the whole thing so he offered to take me and Rick to school today. I told him that it really wasn't necessary and that I could drive, but then he said that it would make him feel better about the whole situation so I gave in. He should be here in half an hour.

I just finished getting dressed as Rick came in. He's not taking this whole door thing too well. Honestly, I thought he would've handled it a bit better after all, he is friends with the guy.

"How's your forehead?" He asks reaching over to touch it. I wince as he lightly brushes my forehead with his index finger. He pulls his hand back and curses undead neath his breath.

"Rick," I plead, "Rick, look at me."
Slowly he turns his head and faces me.
"I'm fine." I try to reensure him.
"Says the girl with a bruise the size of a tennis ball on her head."
"It's not that big, or bad. I promise, I'm fine. Besides, thanks to rugby, you've come home looking worse than me before."
He doesn't smile, but he doesn't seem so tense either, I've won the argument for now and that's all I need.

"What doesn't make sense to me though, is why the on earth he was in the art room. He's never in there after school." I say applying foundation with some difficulty, being careful on and around my bruise, my brace not making things any easier, at least it's my left, bit my right

"I'm sure he has his reasons." Rick says with a shrug."

"No duh, that's kinda obvious, what I want to know is what they are."

"I don't know."

"Is that an I don't know as in, I don't know, or I don't know as in, I do know but I don't want to tell you?"

"I don't know?" Ruck chuckles.

I quickly finish my makeup then charge full speed at Rick and pin him to the bed tickling him.

"Tell me." I demand

"I'm not ticklish."

"Is that so?" I question, then I quickly turn him on his stomach, pinning him down I start tickling his feet. Roaring laughter comes gushing out of his mouth.

"Okay...I'll...I'll....tell you.... just st......stop tickling me." He says between laughter.

Being satisfied that I won, I release him from my clutches. As soon as I get of him he says.
"I never said when." And charges out of my room closing, or rather, slamming the door to create an obstacle.
"You little." I say as I grab my bag and chase after him.

As soon as I make it down the stairs I spot Rick. He looks shocked to see that I made it down do fast and starts running again.

"Rick, Joe-Anne, how many times have I told you not to run in the house." Mum says taking control of the situation.

"Yes mum." I say, slowing down to a brisk walk chasing Rick around our long island bench

"Don't walk so fast either, there are a lot of things in the house that you two can't afford to replace." She says

"Fine." I huf glaring at Rick who standing on the opposite side of the bench.

"You heard mum, no walking." He says looking way too smug.

"Correction," I say walking to him, he then starts walking away. "She said no brisk walking."

"Okay let me clarify that a bit more." Mum intervenes, "Stop chasing each other."

"Yeah Joe, stop chasing me." Ruck says

"Okay, all right, I guess I'll stop. Don't think that I've let you of the hook though." I say to Rick, stopping at the opposite side of the bench that I started on.

The sound of a car pulling up followed by the sound of a honk, signaling that it's time for us to go.

"Bye Mum," I say grabbing an apple and kissing her on the cheek.

"Bye hunny, have a good day at school." She calls after me.

"Bye mum." I vaguely hear Rick say and miss what mums says back as I head out the door.

Logan's mazda is parked up from at and as I get near to the car, he opens the door for me, from the inside, but still, it's sweet. He then gets out and opens the boot, takes my bag and puts it in the back for me, leaving it open for Rick.

"Hey Playboy, thanks for doing this, you know you didn't have to." I say as I get in the front.

"Well how else would you've gotten to school?" He says.

"I would've made plans, or ditched, I have an excuse." I say pointing to my wrist.

A pained expression covers his face and looks down at the wheel.

"Hey," I say placing my right hand, my good hand, on his arm. He slowly turns to look at me in the eye."I'm okay don't worry about it."
A vague smile comes to show on his face.

"It doesn't look like you forehead suffered to much." He says examining my face.

"No, it did, there's a huge bruise that I covered up with make up." I mumble looking down at my hands.

"You did a good job." He says heavily while examining my bruise.

Rick then comes and gets in the car. Logan then starts driving

"I'm not sure I like this." Rick says

"What?" I ask spinning around to look at Rick then Logan.

"You two sitting in the front together."

"Why not? We've done this before, what's different now. We're friends aren't we?" I say turning around to face the front, not sure what to do with the situation.

"Not for long." I hear Rick mutter under his breath.

"What did you say Rick?" I question turning around to face him.

"Huh, what? I didn't say anything." He says putting his hands up in defense.

I turn to look at Logan who is bright red in the face. What is going on?