Rugged To The Core

Chapter 88

Song for chapter: Perfectly Wrong By Shawn Mendes

Lucky

     My eyes flew open and I found myself staring into darkness. I was on a bed but it wasn't mine. It was smaller and reclined. I wasn't in the clothes I'd changed into this morning, I was clothed in a very loose-fitting garment. A layer of fabric concealed the lower half of my body. It wasn't my first time waking up in a hospital bed after a beating. Each time I always felt the sense of panic like I was somehow I wasn't meant to be and like someday I would stay here longer than my previous admissions. So whenever I was conscious, I fought my body so I could be discharged.

     I sat up and immediately felt a sharp pain shooting through my right temple. I winced and my hand flew up instinctively to see a lump of plaster on the area that ached. That was when it all came back to me. Being attacked by my father. I roughly kicked the sheets off and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I scanned the area with my eyes and couldn't find any of my belongings. I was just approaching the door when it opened and someone walked in, his huge silhouette making me squint my eyes as I tried to recognise this intruder. Upon seeing me, he marched to me just as I stood on wobbly legs. He stopped before me and immediately scooped me up in his arms. In his arms, I realised this person wasn't a stranger. His strong scent, his arms, his body frame.

"What are you doing here? I don't want you near me! Stop it. Put me down now!" I wiggled my body, flinging my legs and flailing my fisted hands. One of my fist accidentally shot up his eye and cursed.

"Damn it, you idiot! Shut up for once and stop causing me so much trouble!" He spat and I stilled in his arms.

Stop causing me so much trouble...

I got the feeling there was a deeper meaning behind that.

Grunting, he placed me on the bed and in a few seconds he turned on the lights just above my bed. He was rubbing the eye I hit with his other hand. Guilt washed over me for a few seconds as i watched him.

Abel was dressed in navy blue sweatpants, an oversized grey tee and slides. When he still continued rubbing the eye I was forced to ask: "Does - Does it hurt?"

He scoffed. "Don't ask me stupid questions." He stopped rubbing the eye and I realised just how bad it was.

"Fine!" I snapped back. "Answer this one: what are you doing here?"

He didn't answer. He wasn't even looking at me. Instead he fished out his phone from his pocket and began tapping. When he was done, he moved to stand by the blinds, shoving his hands in his pocket as he stared into space.

"Why isn't my family here?" I asked. If he didn't answer this one I swore I would give him another red eye.

"Your mother went to see your grandmother. Moustapha went with your sister to withdraw money to pay your bills." He droned an explanation.

I digested the answer for some seconds. "Okay... but why are you here?"

"Your father left with his car after his handwork, you needed to be brought to the hospital with a car. Your brother called me." He wasn't even looking at me as he answered my questions.

Moustapha actually called him...

Who did he tell mum he was?

"My mum or Moustapha will be here soon, I'm sure. You can leave now. There's no need for you to be here-"

"I'll leave when Moustapha gets here. I already texted him." He took his hands from his pocket and folded them across his chest. "Asking me to leave, you don't even have manners to say thank you."