A/N: I know, I know, it's been too long. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Next one is well on the way, should be up on Friday.
Chapter 29: Adam who?
Humphrey's POV:
Kate and I joked back and forth as we headed for the entrance of the school, having an easier time of it than earlier since most of the students had already left.
"Ah crap." Kate muttered suddenly as we left the main doors, looking out across a now all but deserted car park. I turned to her in surprise, wondering what the problem was. 'Left something in her locker or something?' I thought to myself as I watched her searching in her bag for something.
"What's wrong?" I asked aloud. Kate turned to me, giving a shaky laugh.
"I forgot my bus pass back in my locker." She said with a small sigh, turning to look back towards the school with a forlorn expression.
"I never usually need it but Lily is going to a friend's house tonight so I said I'd catch the bus..." Kate paused for a second as she pulled out her phone to check the time, "... which I'm going to have missed by the time I go back for it." She finished in a tired voice, turning to look at me for a moment with a curious expression before very deliberately looking away again. 'It's so obvious what she's thinking.' I thought to myself as I just stood there with an amused grin and wondered how long it would be before she gave in.
The seconds rolled by and I was surprised how stubborn she was being about the issue, it wasn't like she was asking me to drive her to Montréal. It seemed that this stalemate wasn't about to end any time soon since I figured she knew what I was trying to do so I decided to play with her a bit, letting out a dramatic sigh and looking around.
"If only there was some other way for you to get home..." I said in a voice that was practically dripping with sarcasm.
"Some kind of alternative transport, like a train, or a bike? Maybe a privately owned and operated vehicle? Kind of like a bus, but much smaller and better looking..." I said, pretending to be deep in thought.
"Nah, that's crazy. Right? Mini bus..." I trailed off, shaking my head as though disappointed in myself for the idea.
Kate's POV:
Kate had to grin as Humphrey spoke. She knew exactly what he was trying to do, both before when he'd waiting silently with that smug grin and now as he wound her up but she refused to give in. Originally it was because she felt bad about asking him to give her a lift again. After all he wasn't her chauffeur, although she really wouldn't mind a chauffeur like him, especially in his car. Seeing how he was acting however she didn't feel bad at all and simply didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
"Well that sucks huh?" He said a moment later, turning with a chuckle and walking down the steps and towards the where his car was parked. Kate watched for a minute, wondering in a second of doubt whether or not he was actually about to just leave her there but then she realized that he was still carrying her sports bag and ran over to catch up to him.
"I thought you had a bus to catch?" He asked without turning as she caught up with him, the same smug grin from earlier on his face. They arrived at his car and Kate faced him, hands on her hips in a sassy pose as she mirrored his smug grin, causing his to fade a little as he opened the trunk.
"Well I do but you've still got my bag." She replied.
"Ah so I do. I guess you're stuck with me until you get it back." Humphrey placed the three bags into the trunk and gestured for her to do the same with her school bag as they both broke out laughing. Kate placed her bag in with the others and walked around to the passenger side of the car, smiling as she slid into the seat. Kate sat in silence for a while, vaguely listening to the radio as Humphrey drove when she heard her phone give a little 'bling', indicating that she had a message as she pulled it out and saw that it was from Sam.
S: Hey K party at our 2moro U comin?
Kate smiled at the message, mostly because of the thought of a party, since any time they got together at Sam and Angel's it was always a good time but also at how little Sam paid attention to grammar when she texted.
K: Hey Sam sounds great. I will ask my parents but it should be fine.
S: B here at 7 or so can U invite H as well?
K: Will do. Who else is going?
S: every1 C U then
Kate put her phone away with a smile, turning to Humphrey who glanced at her with a raised eyebrow, amused smile on his face.
"Someone's in a good mood." He said in a light tone, returning his attention to the road as the light turned green as Kate chuckled a little.
"Well yeah I guess. There's a party at Sam and Angel's tomorrow night. You'll be there right? Sam said she wanted you to be there." Kate replied.
"Well in that case how can I refuse?" Humphrey said with a smile. Kate was about to reply when something on the radio caught her attention and she leaned over to turn it up a little just in time to hear, '... number one on the charts again this week, that was Adele with "Rolling in the Deep". And now as always we've got you covered with the latest tracks. This one was released today, "Move it like Jagger" from Indigo 6 coming through right now.'
"Oh my god I love Indigo 6." Kate said, giving a little squeal. It looked like Humphrey had something to say but at that moment the song started playing and he kept silent to let her listen.
Humphrey's POV:
I nodded my head along with the beat, humming the tune quietly to myself as I drove. I was careful not to hum too loud since Kate had never heard the song before and was clearly a fan as she danced along to the song. I couldn't help but watch her every now and then, admiring her as she danced and then began to sing along with the final chorus, with which I joined in. We were just arriving at Jasper Heights estate as the song finished and Kate turned the radio back down a little, turning to me with a slightly surprised expression.
"Wow Humphrey, I didn't know you could sing so well." Kate said as I drove slowly past the expensive house, making me frown a little as I remembered something that had happened the previous year.
"You too?" I replied a tad incredulously. "Adam told me the same thing but I'm really not that good. I think you sound much better than me." I added, seeing Kate blush a little and smile at the compliment.
"You really think so?" She asked me in a quiet voice and I nodded in response. "But you are a good singer Humphrey. I'm not just saying that." She added in a firm tone to which I just shrugged and we fell into a thoughtful silence for a while.
"So I take it you're a fan of their music?" I asked after a bit, my voice sounding strangely loud after the silence as I pulled up to Kate's front gate which began to open after a moment.
"Ever since I heard 'Wake up.' way back when." Kate said as she nodded. I pulled up out the front of her house where I had the first time I'd dropped her home, parking the car and turning to her in time to see her face through a range of emotions as a thought struck her. Eventually she settled on disbelief as she looked at me.
"Humphrey... When you said 'Adam told you the same thing'... You didn't mean..." She asked haltingly, her face almost looking as though she wanted me to say 'No, of course not.' I tilted my head at her, confused about what she was asking as Kate took a deep breath before asking the question.
"Who were you talking about?" She said finally. I didn't really get what she was so worked up about though as I answered with a shrug.
"His name was Adam, never found out his last name. I met him in Las Vegas last year when he hit me with his car..." I said, chuckling slightly at the memory as I told Kate the story.
Flashback, 2010, Las Vegas.
The 'safe to walk' light turned green and I stepped out onto the road, making it about half way across before I heard the scream of tires, looking up just in time to see a car rushing towards me. I had no time to think and just dived to the side but was too slow to avoid the car completely, rolling across the hood and hitting the side of the windscreen before falling and hitting the asphalt on my back with a thud. I closed my eyes and twisted slightly in pain, letting out a groan as I heard doors open and at least one person get out of the car, rushing over to me.
"Jesus! I'm so sorry." I heard a panicked voice and opened my eyes to see a man standing over me, concern and panic all over his face as he knelt beside me. He breathed a small sigh of relief as he saw I was alive and conscious, repeating himself.
"I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"
I groaned once more as I took his offered hand, hauling myself with his help into a sitting position and feeling pain all over my body, particularly in my back and ribs. I knew I'd like have severe bruising if I was lucky and multiple fractures if I wasn't but the pain didn't feel too bad so I was hopeful as I took in the man who'd hit me. He was fairly young looking, maybe in his thirties somewhere with a short black hair and tattoos all over his arms.
"I'm alright I think." I said after a moment, contradicting that a bit as I twisted my back and yelped in pain, grimacing as it swelled and then returned to a dull ache. He could clearly see that I was hurt and took my arms, helping me to my feet and into the passenger seat in his car.
"We need to get you to a hospital." He said as he got in as well and began to drive, every bump in the road causing a new wave of pain. I closed my eyes as he drove, trying to mentally suppress the pain and eventually fell asleep.
Adam's POV:
Adam pulled into a park near the entrance to the hospital, a wave of fear washing over him as he turned off the car and looked over to see that the boy in the passenger seat had his eyes closed. After a moment of intense panic he saw his chest move a little and realised he was just sleeping as he quickly leaned over, shaking his shoulder gently to try and wake him.
"Hey, wake up, we've arrived at the hospital." Adam said gently. The boy's eyes opened and he sat up slowly, looking like he regretted it as he grimaced in pain. He reached for the door handle as Adam got out, running around to his side to help him out and into the hospital.
An hour later.
Adam sighed, hanging up the phone and turning to head back towards the hospital room where the boy he'd hit, Humphrey he said his name was, was waiting to get the results from his scans. He'd stepped out to call his manager and explain the situation since he was now very late and after it had been firmly established that he hadn't murdered someone he'd been grilled for the last ten minutes about being late and allowing this to happen.
As he returned to the room he smiled at Humphrey, who was sitting on the bed as the nurse applied the last of the bandages to his torso and arms, leaving him looking like he was half way through preparing a mummy costume for Halloween. The doctors had reassured him when they'd inspected his injuries that it was likely just heavy bruising and that there didn't seem to be any internal injuries or broken bones but they'd taken a full set of x-rays and a CAT scan just to be sure.
"Hey Adam. How'd they take it?" Humphrey asked, grinning as though he knew exactly how it had gone.
"Fine really. Just got a grilling about being organised so that things like this don't happen." He replied with a sigh. Adam had already explained how he'd been late to a recording session and had been in a hurry, leading to the circumstances of the incident.
"More importantly, how're you feeling? Any news back?" He added the questions on after a moment, moving back to the real issue at hand.
"You just missed the doc, he said that- ..." Humphrey paused as the nurse announced that she was finished and that he could go when he was ready, both he and Humphrey thanking her as she took her leave.
"... He said that I was fine, just a case of heavy bruising. He also gave me some painkillers which have really taken the edge off." Humphrey continued, Adam moving over to help him get his shirt back on since he couldn't lift his arms properly in the bandages.
