"Adam! Adam!"
I blinked a few times against the bright light. it took a moment before I realized that I was still lying on the sidewalk.
"Adam, can you say something?"
"Eli? what happened?" I mumbled. when I tried to open mouth wider, pain shot through my jaw.
"shit. Owen beat you up. ok, try to sit up."
my vision finally focused, and I saw Eli hovering above me, with the sexiest worried look I'd ever seen. he put one hand behind my back and tried to help me up. I tried my best, but I could only get about 5 inches off the ground before the pain in my sides was too much.
"I can't," I said a little more clearly. I slowly raised my arm and tenderly touched my chin. it was already swollen.
"shit. okay, just relax for a few minutes."
I laid on the ground, wincing every few breaths.
"how long was I out?"
"only about 2 minutes. long enough for Owen to flee."
I moaned, only partly from the pain.
"okay, you wanna try to get up again?"
"sure" I took Eli's hand and he slowly started to pull me up. I winced, and he started to set me back down.
"no Eli, just help me stand up."
it took a minute, and inflicted a lot of pain, but I was finally able to stand. eli took my hand and we started towards my house. well...sort of. if you count putting all my weight on Eli and barely hobbling three steps before I needed a break. we had only "walked" about a block when I had to stop and sit down. though that probably wasn't the best plan, considering how my sides felt when I bent over.
"Eli, I can't walk 6 more blocks."
he sat down next to me and took my hand.
"okay well...why don't you call drew?"
"no good. he's at football practice."
"hmm.."
"damn it Eli! stop putting on that sexy thinking face!"
Eli raised his eyebrow, amused. "what?" he had a smirk.
oh shit. did I just mention his sexy thinking face out loud? crap.
"oh..um.."
he laughed.
I laughed too, then stopped when I felt the stabbing.
"god, how am I gonna get home?"
"I can run home and get my car?"
it was a nice thought, but Eli lived more than twice as far as I did. by the time he got home and drove back, Owen or one of his friends would probably come by and kill me. besides, I didn't want him to leave me.
"it's too far...what about Clare?"
I could see Eli wince at the mention of her name.
"not the best plan. she hates me, and probably hates you because you stole me from her. and besides, she doesn't have a car."
shit. there was only one more person I could think of.
"we gotta call my mom."
I know, stupid idea. but here I was, sitting on the curb barely able to move, with my house blocks away. no one had a car we could use, and it's not like Eli could carry me.
"but she'll see..Adam."
"I know...but I don't see any other options."
I had to come up with something to tell my mom. some explanation of why her daughter was wearing men's clothing and her boobs were taped down. yeah, not as easy as it sounds to come up with an excuse for that.
Eli laid back on the grass and sighed, and I pulled out my phone. she picked up after the third ring.
"Gracie?"
"hey mom...can you come get me?"
"honey where are you? shouldn't you already be home by now?"
"there was a slight...problem."
my mom put on that tone again.
"Gracie, you ask me to pick you up from school for no reason yesterday, and now when you should be home, you need me to pick you up from somewhere with no reason again. just tell me what's going on."
I took a deep breath, wondering how to proceed. my mom could...over react.
"okay. there was a small...fight."
"a fight! Gracie what..."
"mom! it wasn't that serious...I just can't walk home."
"oh my god! where are you?"
"about a block down the road from the school."
"stay there. I'll be there in 15 minutes."
I groaned as the line went dead.
Eli looked up at me.
"any idea how to explain this to your mom?"
Hell no.