Don't tell me bye bye (mystery/ thriller)

Chapter 4

The hospital sent me home with some creams and an appointment to go back for a check-up. Instead of my hands being swaddled up like weird puppets, my thumbs are free and my fingertips poke out of the tops of the bandages. I'd be able to use my phone now, if it was working. And if I had anyone to speak to.

"Helloooooo?" Jin ushers me through the front door of the house, holding my elbow like I'm his unsteady granny. "We're back! The patient's home!"

Teddy's clumsy footsteps clatter from the living room into the hallway and he goes to throw himself against my legs, but looks at my bandaged hands and leans against Jin instead. I smile at him, hoping that I don't look too terrifying, dressed up like a Halloween mummy.

"Does hurt, Y/n?" he asks, taking a step closer and peering at my injuries.

I kneel down to his level and hold both my hands up. "No, I'm fine, Teddy. The hospital made me feel better. The bandages are just for extra protection."

Teddy frowns and looks up doubtfully at Jin, concern welling up in his eyes.
"I promise. Look, if you're really gentle you can even hold my hand and I promise it won't hurt me."

He stares at my hands, then looks deep into my eyes, trying to figure out whether this is one of those times when an adult isn't being totally honest with him. He smiles, and nods.

"Okay. I be very, very gentle."

I stand up and hold out my hand out to him, ignoring Jin's grimace as Teddy gently places his chubby hand into my own.

"See? I'm fine."

Teddy's face brightens, and he leads me down the hallway. "We show mummy."

He leads me into the living room where mum is fluffing up cushions on the sofa. She grabs some magazines and arranges them on the coffee table, then shakes out a green blanket and folds it in half, putting it next to the cushions. She always tidies when she's stressed.

"Mummy, look at Y/n's ouchy."
"Oh Y/n! Come here!" mum says, tears in her eyes.

I slope over and lean into her as she squeezes me so tight I feel like my ribs are going to crack. "Mum, take it easy. I'm okay."

"They said the bandages are just a precaution and she's absolutely fine apart from that," says Jin. He raises a hand to the side of his mouth and adds in a theatrical whisper. "Apart from the hair. Don't mention the hair."

I put a hand up to my head, grimacing at the blunt clumps of hair that hang down the side of my face. "Very funny, Jin."

"I'm just teasing. You look fine. Maybe you'll start a trend?" He looks at Jules. "Did you manage to get Y/n an appointment?"

"I've booked her in for tomorrow at two. I'll go with you, Y/n," says mum.

"I'll be fine on my own, mum," I say. "Aren't you supposed to be started work tomorrow." Not that I want to remind her she's got a job at my new school.

"No, freaking way, Y/n. You don't honestly think you're going off to town on your own after all this?"

"It's the hairdressers, Jules," says Jin and mum shoots him such a ferocious look that I'm surprised he's still standing.

"Fine. Just fine!" she snaps, throwing her hands in the air. "All roll your eyes at Jules, but you could have ended up at the bottom of that river, Y/n."

A siren turns our attention to Teddy who is playing with a toy fire engine at our feet, but he's looking right at us and taking in every single word. Mum takes a deep breath.

"We'll talk about this later, but we are going to establish some rules, Y/n. I mean it. Now, you were supposed to be starting school tomorrow but I think you should stay home. I'll speak to them and explain what happened. You can watch TV, read some magazines, whatever you like, but you should take it easy."

I wonder how many more days off school I could squeeze out of all this, then a wave of exhaustion sweeps over me. "I'm going to go to bed for a bit."

"Good girl. I'll come up with you."

"Mum, please, I'll be okay. I think I can manage it to my bedroom." I ruffle Teddy's hair then walk through the living room doorway "See you, Teddy."

Teddy ignores me in favour of ramming a train and a Barbie into one another, and I trudge up the stairs and hover on the top step, listening to mum and Jin's not-so-hushed voices.

"What was she thinking? She's been here a day, one day, Jin, and she almost got herself killed. I knew this was a bad idea."

"We agreed this was the best thing for her, to get away and have a break? I doubt she went out hoping she'd find someone setting themselves on fire, Jules. Besides, she's fine, and technically she's a hero. Who knows what would have happened to that boy if she hadn't have been there."

"What was she doing with him though? He's just some random boy!"

"Not bad random, Jules; he's the parish priest's son."

"I don't care. I don't want her anywhere near him. Him or his brother. They're obviously nothing but trouble."

"Namjoon? Where on earth have you got that from? I doubt either of them have ever been in trouble in their lives, and look what Namjoon did for Y/n, if he hadn't of been there-"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore! She is not spending any time with that Taehyung or Namjoon, and that is it."

Mum stomps out of the living room before Jin can say anything more. I hunch myself against the bannister as she walks past the bottom of the stairs, but her supermum senses tingle and she glances up at me.

"Y/n?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Nothing," I say, pulling myself up and leaning over the bannister. "Just seeing what the light's like up here. I'm thinking about maybe doing some drawing."

A smile explodes on her face and guilt pinches my heart. "Oh, Y/n, that would be so good for you! We'll get you set up in your room though, you don't need to sit on the carpet up there. I'll tell Jin you need a proper desk."

I offer mum a stretched smile and hers falters a little as she looks back at me, her eyes glistening with sadness. "Now go get some rest and we'll check on you later. You'll feel normal in no time."

Normal? It's been ages since I felt anything close to normal.