From Yesterday

S E V E N

The Concert
7: 30 p.m.

Jared had carried me all the way down from the hilltop, despite me instantly insisting on being okay (and quite heavy...). He just scoffed and told me off, even though his hands were still bleeding, leaving a crimson path of red droplets in the mud, tracing behind us.

When he had finally put me down, my shock was long gone. I felt safe and sound, although a little worried for him. I had persuaded him to go to the medics and get some help with cleaning and bandaging his wounds.

Firstly, he wasn't head over heals with the idea to get help, but seeing my concern and only beginning to grasp the extent of just how stubborn I could be, he gave in. When we'd arrived back at the Camp, it had been empty. Everyone was already eating dinner or preparing for the concert that was to take place in about an hour. And here I was, with the lead singer of the band, right outside the healthcare assistant's tent, drenched in Jared's blood from head to toe, whilst previously mentioned, injured person denied even the possibility of letting me out of his sight, after what had happened. He felt guilty and responsible for making a decision that could've cost both of our lives. He wasn't going to let anything happen to me, ever again, even if not leaving me alone meant that he'd bleed dry, in the process.

I called for the nurse, who came rushing out instantly. Upon seeing us; me covered in blood and still trembling of exhaustion and Jared still bleeding, a little pale and dizzy (because of the excessive blood loss), but steady nonetheless, she nearly fainted.

- Oh, Jesus! - she squeaked in horror.

- Not quite, but close enough... - Jared joked, glancing over at me to seek approval. I smiled half heartedly. - A little help? - he asked, gripping my arm, a bit off balance.

The nurse invited us inside and rushed over to me, but I shot her down immediately, explaining that I was fine and that all the blood that covered me was Jared's. She gave me a towel, to wipe off some of the semi dried, red substance off my face and hands, while she started cleaning his wounds, pouring a great amount of disinfectant on them. Jared hissed in pain, grinding his teeth together in order to stop himself from cursing the poor woman.

***

Some time later, his hands were in a light bandage and we were ready to go. I mumbled something about cleaning myself up before the show. He followed me to the tent where I held my humble residence, head bowed and dead silent. We had barely spoken since I almost had my fall, so I practically jumped in surprise when he addressed me and took my right wrist, just as I was about to tell him goodbye outside the tent. I made a grimace of pain. My arm was still hurting since he'd catched me.

- Sorry... - he said and let go. - Yvette, I really am so sorry. I don't know what to say. I have no excuse. I just hope you will forgive me one day, assuming that you don't want to see me anymore, during this Camp... -

He bent his head, looking firmly on the ground, clearly ashamed of himself. But I just smiled, catching his gaze with a ridiculously hard and wobbly manoeuvre. He had misunderstood the situation.

- I'm not mad Jared. I'm okay and so are you. Nothing happened. We are still friends, at least I hope you don't mind me saying that, and I wouldn't change that for the world. So I believe, I'll see you at the Concert? - I smiled, raising my brow, playfully.

- Hang on!? I nearly just killed you, you're not even mad and you're even coming to the Concert? - he blurted out, in a sudden wave of relief and happiness. He straitened up. It was but now I remembered how he had been walking all this way in a slouching manner, his back bent, arms across his chest, as if he wanted to seem smaller. Now, he seemed a new man. His old self. I chuckled at his sweet reaction.