Cheap Shots

00:14

THANKS FOR THE BANNER @LADYLIKELAUREN(; listen to the song on the side (it sets the mood)--

UNEDITED

14.

            Recap--

“Ever think there’s a reason I’m so cold?” I asked her, my voice steady but clearly angry.

            “Well you wouldn’t tell me, so I don’t know!”
            I turned to face her, my lips pressed in a thin line and she glanced over at me, clearly expecting some sort of story.      

“You’d be cold too if you watched your brother kill your best friend.” I said bluntly.

            I heard her gasp, and the last thing I remember was the car swerving off the road.

I felt heavy, almost as if someone had cut me open and replaced all of my organs with fucking bricks.  I attempted lazily at opening my eyes, but the darkness remained.

“… I know we could sue.”  Mom?  I heard the steady beeping of a monitor somewhere to my right, and I’ve seen enough movies to realize that it was my heartbeat.

“Why would we?  We’re family friends with them, she got the blunt of the impact, not Orion.  There’s nothing to press charges for!”  I was positive that I wasn’t just hearing voices now; that was my father’s voice.  Were they talking about Catherine?  Is she okay?

I released a groan as I desperately tried to open my eyes again, and I smiled internally at the accomplishment as they fluttered open, adjusting poorly to the bright white lights of what looked like a hospital.

“Orion?  Are you okay?  How do you feel?”  My mother asked frantically, searching for something in the room, “Nurse!  Nurse, she’s awake!  Nurse!”

“Fine,” I croaked out, but my throat sounded hoarse and dry like I haven’t used it in weeks.

My dad stood off to the side watching me with a curious expression on his face. 

“How long have I been out?”

My mother shot my dad an undecipherable look, one that I couldn’t read, but was most likely asking him if they should tell me.  “What?”

“Don’t use that tone with us,” my father said.

“I just woke up and I want to know the extent of my injuries,” I said bitterly, “Forgive me.”

 “Orion- it’s not that…” My mother trailed off.  “You were only out for a few hours, it’s just…”

“Spit it out!”

            “Orion!” My father warned. 

            Instead, she handed me her phone, which was already opened to the camera.  I clicked on the button in the corner and took a deep breath as it turned to the front facing camera and I watched my eyes widen as I took in the sight before me.

            There was a bright red and bloody cut running along side the right side of my face, starting from a little bit farther down from my hairline towards the top of my forehead and running down the side of my face until it reached the top of my cheekbone.  It had multiple stiches covering it, and there were dots of blood on my face.  “Holy shit.”

            “Language,” my father spat.

            I looked up at my mother, ignoring my father completely.  “What happened?  It doesn’t hurt.”