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Lucas scowls and Jerry shrugs, “for my troubles.”
Lucas purses his lips, but he nods and writes on the check before tearing it out of the book and handing it to Jerry. “I don’t want to see your face again,” says Lucas.
Jerry chuckles. “Fair enough.” He turns towards me and my grip on the stop sign pole tightens. “Until next time Hunter.”
The hairs on the back of my neck rise and I watch Jerry turn on his heel back to the house, twirling his bat. Lucas grabs my arm and drags me towards his black SUV parked on the other side of the street.
“We have been looking everywhere for you,” Lucas says between his teeth, his grip bruising on my arm. “Do you know how worried we’ve been? Not like you care.”
I shove my arm out of his grasp and wobble on the ice beneath me, nearly sliding and falling on my ass. Lucas whirls around, his scowl set on me and I swear steam leaves his ears. I watch him, waiting for him to yell at me or punch me, but instead he turns around and stalks the rest of the way towards his car.
“Get in,” he calls while slamming the door shut.
I trudge after him, knowing I can’t walk home in the state I’m in. I slide into the front seat and lean back in the chair, closing my eyes and allowing the silence to settle over me.
“I do care,” I whisper as the car starts.
“Well, you could act like it.” Lucas groans and I crack open one eye, watching him wave a hand in front of his face while grimacing. “Dude, you need to take a shower.” He glances over at me, his frown deepening. “Or maybe we should take you to a hospital. You really look like shit.”
My stomach twists as I remember the last time I was in a hospital. An image of my mom surfaces and I realize it’s been too long since I’ve heard her voice. I should call her as soon as I get home. Maybe I can borrow Lucas or Seth’s phone.
“Hunter?” Lucas asks, his scowl turning into worry as he keeps glancing over at me as he drives us home. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” I murmur, turning my gaze out the window. “No hospital. I don’t think anything’s broken.”
“What exactly did I just pay for back there? What mess have you gotten yourself in?”
My eyes slowly close. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”
I hear something slam, knowing its Lucas’s hand smacking the steering wheel. My father often made the sound when he was pissed with me about my grades. “It’s not fucking nothing, Hunter. God dammit. We’ve been so worried about you. At least promise me you’re not going to pull this bullshit again.”
I don’t answer him, because I know I can’t make that promise.
I hear his phone buzz and Lucas’s exasperated sigh. “That must be Seth.” I hear him fumble for the phone and my head lulls to the side, pressing up against the window and enjoying the coolness against my forehead.
“Hey,” Lucas answers. “Yeah, I found him. Tony called me about thirty minutes ago. Told me he saw the asshole wondering outside barefoot. We’re heading home now. Yep. See you soon.”
I feel the car swerve to the left and begin to slow. Lucas puts it into park and I hear him open and close the door. My eyes open and I nearly jump out of the seat as I’m met by Lucas’s dark scowl. He throws open the door and offers a hand to me. I smack it away. I don’t need his help. I don’t need anyone’s help. I’m fine.
Sure you are, comes that dark whisper again, taunting me. I grind my teeth, ignoring the piercing pain in my feet as they touch the snow. Shivering, I slowly wobble towards the staircase, feeling Lucas’s glare boring a hole into my head. I grab the railing and pull myself up the stairs, taking them one at a time.
I reach for the door, but before I can grab the handle, it’s thrown open and I see Seth glaring at me while Rachel hovers behind him.
“Where have you been?” Seth shouts, barely offering me space to get inside.
I shove pass him, nearly tripping over the shoes laying just within the doorway. Rachel steps back, her hands covering her mouth as I walk through the kitchen towards the bathroom.
I stop when I feel a hand on my arm. “Are you alright?” Rachel asks while I turn around. “You look-”
“Terrible?” I finish with a cruel smirk.
Rachel releases me and I continue on to the shower, cursing myself for being such an asshole to her. Not just to her. To everyone. They don’t deserve this. I turn on the shower and strip myself of my clothes, making a note in the back of my head to throw away my t-shirt. I hear talking just outside the door, but I decide to ignore it as I step inside, groaning when the hot water meets my skin. It feels absolutely heavenly.
I lean my forehead against the wall and close my eyes while feeling the water pelt against my beaten body. My head feels like it's swimming. My feet are beginning to feel again. My shoulders shake. My bad side burns with each movement I make.
Maybe the hospital isn’t such a bad idea.
I turn off the water and immediately hear shouting.
