His Nepenthe | complete

13. Falling

F A L L I N G F A S T

*

I leant against the frame of the door, watching her as she danced so graciously, so effortlessly, around on her toes, not once revealing any signs of pain.

She spun several times, the way a professional ballerina would, her posture perfectly aligned. She lifted a foot, completing three pirouettes before starting to jump.

And that's where it went wrong.

Whether she was dizzy, not thinking, or in pain, she missed the landing, falling down on her forearms. As I watched her falling, I couldn't help myself but to try and catch her, save her the pain she was going to go through.

I was too late, and by the time she had fallen, still too noticeable.

She groaned in pain, lifting herself up by her bruised arms, "Pretend you didn't see that," she mumbled, taking a sharp intake of air before trying to sit herself up.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, helping her to a sitting position as she placed a hand on her temple in a way that seemed to attempt to soothe a headache, "Do you need some ice, or something? That looked painful."

Her eyes widened at my offer, "No! Uh-" she cleared her throat, taking a shallow intake of air, "No. Just a second to catch my breath."

I moved back, sitting beside her, "Are you sure?" I asked sceptically, unsure of what to do to help.

Just as she was about to say something like 'yeah, just fine', she winced, letting out a heavy breath through her nose, "Could you get me my bag?"

I nodded without a second thought, half-jogging over to her bag to deliver if to her.

She smiled as she accepted it from me, a mumble of a thanks as she opened it up, only to pull out bloodied bandages.

"Do you want some new ones? Those are nasty."

She shook her head before she begun unravelling the old bandages, "I shouldn't need any at all, I'm not supposed to be doing that anymore while Heath is gone," her eyes widened at her own words, slappung a hand over her mouth as she turned her gaze to meet mine, "If you tell anyone I'm fucked."

I shrugged, crossing my legs and leaning back on my arms with a raised eyebrow, "Who do I have to tell?"

"Touché"

Even just watching her move for a second seemed too painful for me to keep my mouth shut, ache resonating in her bones that felt too familiar.

"Do you want some help?"

She looked away from me, a small smile on her lips as her cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink, "That would probably be for the best."

"I'll be right back."