I Hate You...I Think (15 page)

             
I shot straight up. Fire ripped through my side and head. I let out a squeal of pain. There was instant movement beside me and a hand shot out and pushed me down gently. I laid back down on the pillow looking up at who was with me. Oliver's face came into view. His hair was messed up and he looked half out of it. My eye slide down to his bare chest where a white bandage covered the wound he received.

             
"Don't try to move around much. Your ribs are bruised," he told me frowning. Looking around the unknown room, the walls were dark blue and posters littered them.

             
"Where..." I brought me hand to my throat. It was scratchy and hurt.

             
"You’re in my room. Let me get you some water," Oliver said standing up. The blankets fell from around him. He was only in boxers. My face burned with embarrassment. I can't believe I slept in the same bed as him. He left the room. Glancing down at myself I saw that my clothes were changed, which made me blush even more. When had I been changed? For that matter, who changed me?

             
My question was answered when Kimmy came bounding into the room. I flinched hoping she wouldn't jump on me.

             
"Ever! Are you okay?" She squealed worried.

             
"I will be if you don't bust out my ear drums," I told her groaning and holding my head.

             
"Hang on I have medicine to help with the pain," Kimmy said running out of the room. Oliver came back staring after Kimmy looking worried.

             
Walking to my side of the bed and he sat the glass on the dresser and proceeded to help me sit up.

             
I hissed in pain as Oliver accidently hit my side. Instinctively I smacked him in the chest. Which, in return he hissed in pain.

             
"Watch it will ya. I'm sorry," Oliver told me handing me the glass. I gulped down half of it; the cool liquid ran down my throat instantly making it feel better. Oliver sat down on the bed next to me.

             
"Ever," he started, but Kimmy came back into the room. She handed me a pill. I looked at her questioning.

             
"Don't ask just take," she ordered.

             
"Yes ma'am," I muttered downing it. Through the bottom of the glass I saw we weren't alone. The guys had gathered at the doorway.

             
"Hey munchkin, how you feeling?" Logan smiled.

             
"Like I'm in a display case. Either come in or go somewhere else. Just don't stand in the door like that, it's creepy," I told them holding my head. They all came in scattering about the room. Alex was leaning against the wall a bandage wrapped around his head.

             
"What happened to you?" I asked him curiously. I don't remember him getting hit in the head during the match that would cause him to have his head wrapped like a mummy.

             
"He went after a guy with a bat," Jake smirked.

             
"What made you think you could deflect a bat with you head?" I joked. Alex grinned at me.

             
"I thought my head was hard enough to with stand it. Clearly I was mistaken," he chuckled.

             
"No, you head it hard enough," Jake muttered. I snarled as Oliver suddenly stood from the bed. The movement made my side hurt.

             
"You’re such a wimp," Oliver muttered half-heartedly.

             
I made a gesture to come closer. He looked at me confused and leaned down. I wacked him upside the head and he just took it without flinching.

             
"Shut up, I'm entitled to be wimpy."

             
Oliver frowned deeply. "I'm sorry about that, Ever," he said softly. He straightened back up and Kimmy took his place on the bed.

             
I pulled my eyebrows together in frustration. "Don't be. You didn't kick me," I told him.

             
"No, but I shouldn't have taken you out there in the first place. It was a bad decision and I will never let this happen again," his tone had a since of finality to it. I was a little unsure whether he meant that he would never take me back out to the arena or he would never let me get hurt. It was probably just me but it sounded like he meant both. Looking around I realized someone was missing.

             
"Where's Eien?"

             
Oliver's face darkened for a moment it seemed.

             
"He's not here."

             
It was dead silent in the room making me more confused. Was he hurt during the fight?

             
"I'm hungry," Logan complained breaking the silence.

             
"You’re always hungry," I smiled.

             
He nodded, just as my stomach growled angrily.

             
"How about some take out?" Jake asked propping his feet up on the coffee table that was in front of the couch he was sitting on in the corner. Oliver nodded.

             
"Chinese!" Logan grinned.

             
Oliver looked at me questioningly. I nodded.

             
"Alright, I'll go get it," Oliver muttered leaving the room.

             
"I'm coming too," Logan jumped up running after Oliver. Alex bid me goodbye and left the room.

Chapter Nine

              "But Oliver!" I whined.

             
He shook his head. "You’re not going anywhere now go to sleep," he ordered.

             
I crossed my arms glaring at him. It was Monday morning and he was refusing to let me go to classes.

             
"All I have to do is sit in a room for an hour," I protested. He shook his head and continued digging in his closet for something to wear.

             
"No Ever, and that's final. Your ribs are bruised and need to heal."

             
"I'm not a baby. I'm grown and I can do whatever I want to," I spat standing I resisted the urge to cringe and started for the door. Oliver wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up.

             
"Put me down," I ordered thrashing in his arms. I regretted it instantly and bit my lip as not to cry out.

             
"See, you’re in no condition to go anywhere."

             
He laid me on the bed and pinned my arms to either side of my head.

             
"Am I going to have to tie you down?" he smirked. His face was a few inches from mine and I had stopped breathing.

             
"No," I breathed.

             
"Good girl," he approved and pressed his lips to mine. He pulled away all too quickly as Logan bust in the door.

             
"Oliv...oh..." Logan said and turned running back out the door shutting it behind him. I laughed a little; Logan acted like such a little kid sometimes.

             
"Well, what can I do? I'll be bored all day," I scowled at the ceiling.

             
"You can watch TV and stop complaining, you’re worse than my little sister."

             
"You have a sister?"

             
He was halfway to his closet when he turned and gave me a silly lopsided grin.

             
"Yes, she is six, and she seems more grown up then you," he chuckled.

             
"Aww..." I smiled ignoring his remark. "Does she look like you? Like dark hair?"

             
"No..." he began, he set his jaw. I frowned. I guess she was a touchy subject.

             
"She looks like her mother, and no we don't have the same mom," he added.

             
"So do you see her?" I asked curious to know about his family.

             
"We'll talk later, Ever. I'm going to be late," he laughed coming around my side of the bed. He had a nice blue button up shirt and loose blue jeans.

             
"Like what you see?" he smirked. I peeled my eyes off him to look up into his eyes. He chuckled and kissed me quickly.

             
"Bye," he said kissing my forehead. I resisted the urge to awe at that.

             
I lay glaring at the ceiling for about five minutes after they left. Throwing the blankets off I climbed out of bed determined to get out of here before Oliver got back just to annoy him. The only problem...how would I get home? Walking in this condition was a bad idea. Grabbing my phone off the dresser I was surprised to have six missed calls and a voicemail. I dialed the number and listened.

             
"Lyly, it's your Aunt May. I know you are busy with school but hunny you need to call me."

             
I frowned at the message. Aunt May only called me Lyly when I was in trouble or if something bad was wrong. I quickly called her back.

             
"Hello," she answered, she sounded as though she had been crying.

             
"Aunt May its Ever, what's wrong?"

             
"Oh Ever," she wailed and started crying hysterically into the phone. Aunt May was known to be loud and emotional but this was bad.

             
"Your ma she's gone," Aunt May cried. I couldn't hear a word she said through her tears.

             
"Who? Who's gone?" I asked confused not full understanding her.

             
"Your mama," she choked finally speaking clearly.

             
"My mom?!" I asked shocked.

             
"You need to come home," she said softly. "I...I have to go."

             
And with that she hung up. I stood staring at the phone a moment. My mom was gone? Dead? Is that what she meant? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I sank to the floor. I mean the woman had always been a little off, and was a horrible alcoholic but...she was still my mother.             

             
The bedroom door opened. Alex stood in the doorway.

             
"Ever? Are you okay?" he asked.

             
"I..." my voice broke. I cleared my throat and faced him. "I thought you guys left for school?"

             
"Yeah the guys did but I still have this thing wrapped around my head," he said pointing to the white bandage around his forehead. He came in and knelt down on the floor next to me.

             
"What's wrong?"

             
And with those two simple words a waterfall of tears fell. Alex looked bewildered but pulled me into his arms and started rocking me.

             
"Ever, breathe, dear lord. Hunny breath," he told me patting my back. After a moment I calmed down.

             
"Should I call Oliver?" he asked unsure. I shook my head.

             
"Kimmy. I have to call Kimmy."

              I looked around at the messy apartment I use to call home. That wore out brown couch that I use to take the cushions off and throw in the floor in front of the TV during Saturday morning cartoons. My favorite family photo still hung over the entertainment center.

The wall behind it dull yellow from the years of mom smoking in the house. Dad always hated her smoking in the house, but once he was gone she didn't care. The
carpet use to be a light brown now had stains and cigarette butts lying around. The kitchen was piled with dishes, trash and empty beer bottles littered the cabinets and floor.

             
"This is where you lived?" Alex asked appalled.

             
"Yeah, it might not seem like much but...it was home," I smiled remembering how it once looked. I headed down the hall to my room. I wasn't sure what I'd see when I opened the door. Maybe she had thrown everything out? She didn't use her bedroom anymore. Not since dad died. Neither one of us had set foot in there.