“You calling me fat, sweet cheeks?”
I grinned. “Maybe just a little.”
“That’s what happens when you’re bedridden, I guess.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll whip you right back into shape.”
He growled softly. “That a promise, beautiful?”
And as I gazed up into
his eyes, the world faded away for a split second.
“That’s a definite promise, handsome.”
22
Clinton
All morning, I’d been apprehensive about going back to school. Because for once, I didn’t want all the attention to be on me. I didn't want people asking me tons of questions and coming up to me wanting stories. I didn’t want girls staring at me with their big doe eyes. I didn’t want to tell them how I saved some girl’s life by forcing drunk, bullshit assholes to chase me down. All I wanted to do was forget about everything that had happened, press the reset button, and try that entire night again.
Hell, try this entire year again so I could do right by Rae.
Dad came home for a short time this past week, making my life an absolute nightmare. I heard him and Cecilia fighting more than usual. Mostly because she kept standing up for me. Which, in my father’s eyes, meant standing against him. I didn't understand that. I never would understand it. And though I was thankful for the times Rae came to visit, I hated the fact that things never quite felt like that dinner we’d shared. Just the three of us. Her, myself, and my stepfather.
Fucking hell, that man ruined everything good around him.
Through it all, though, I kept up with my physical therapy. Cecilia stayed at my side for every appointment, taking me to and from them like a parent should have. Hell, she stepped up to the plate more this past week than my father ever had in the entirety of my life! It felt great, to be honest. Having an adult in my corner for once. She cheered me on and worked me through my frustrations. She helped me stretch in the mornings, trying to work that bruised stiffness out of my muscles. After throwing down that beautiful lasagna dinner meal over a week ago, she got me back onto a strict diet. No overdoing it on the sodium, cutting back on the fatty foods, and getting rid of all the sodas in the house so I was forced to drink more water than I ever had in my entire life.
There were parts of me that didn’t want to leave her care and come back to school.
But I knew I had to. Even though Rae had been a doll and come over every night she wasn’t working to help me with schoolwork, it still wasn’t enough. She was still doing about half of my work because I kept falling asleep. Or she kept jumping my bones. Or I kept jumping her bones.
Mmph, I want to take her home and jump her bones.
“Clint?”
Rae’s voice ripped me from my trance and I found myself still looking down at her. She had this worried look on her face. How long had I zoned out? I knew I shouldn't have taken those damn painkillers before I left the house.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah, gorgeous?”
Rae blushed. “Are you sure you’re okay to be at school today?”
I nodded. “I’m sure. Yep.”
“You guys need anything?”
“Clint, you okay?”
Mike and Aly’s voices pulled my head over to look at them. They were still at the curb, peering out of Aly’s rolled-down window. Despite the fact that I knew Mike still had issues with me, I was thankful I’d had their support this morning. I nodded at them, hoping they understood how thankful I was for their support. Even with the way I’d treated them in the past.
Rae’s hand slipped to my hip.
“We can do this, Clint. Okay?”
My eyes fell back to hers. “You sure about that?”
She smiled. “You’ve got the three of us. You’ll be good.”