The Edge Of Us

Chapter 3: Nosebleed

"Didn't you graduate from SpringRidge two years ago?"

He doesn't stop walking but finally looks me in the eye. His eyes are hypnotic, with flecks of blue and green swimming together. They look at me, searching, like they hold all the Universe's secrets in them. I can't stop myself from the staring. I can't imagine myself not coming off as invasive as I recite his high school graduation to him. I was still waiting for the, 'sorry who are you?' And drop me immediately on this sidewalk.

"Yeah." His smile is an old detail, but one I remember.

"Congratulations. I didn't get a chance to tell you..." no stop. "you know.." don't say it. "two years ago."

"Didn't you just graduate today?"

"Yep."

"And your telling me?"

"Yep."

For once the guy laughs. "Sorry. You we're kind of out of it back there. I meant to buckle you in or something."

"Where is our driver?"

His grip tightens on my shoulder. "He sped off a bit ago."

"Oh."

"Your nose is bleeding. Should I take you to the ER?"

I laughed. He blinks.

"Over a bloody nose?"

"Mhm," he lightly inspects the back of my neck, bringing back memories of earlier. I bite my lip, tasting the blood that must've dropped down and try hard not to gag.

"Maybe you have a concussion, Julian."

"This happens before, trust me it's normal—wait, you know my name?"

He arches his brow.

"Oh right, of course, you lived a street over...I'm fine. Im just a little...out of it."

"Okay."

"I just need to go—"

He turned on his foot, dragging me by the my shoulder.

"Wait—where are you going?"

"CVS. It should be close by."

"Why?"

"I know someone who works there. She studies medicine. She can help."

I pull back immediately. Shaking my head. "You don't have—"

"You can't go home with blood coming out of every hole in you."

"I'm fine, just drunk—" another migraine takes me by surprise which causes me to step awkwardly on my foot.

Shit shit

I was going to land in the most ungraceful position on the curb, but he was there. Holding me up by my elbows, which put us in a tricky situation that made me wish I'd just taken the fall. Wether it was my fault for having shit coordination, or him for being the closest thing to me, I was on my knees and with his crotch the closest thing to my face.

You've got to be kidding me.

To make it better, there was no possible way for me to get up without having to pull him down closer. So I just froze, staring up at him with horrified eyes.

It still hurts me to know how even after these few years, he's still so unimpressed about my ordeal. It's like torture to watch him be okay with this. He should be blushing and panicking and internally screaming like me.

"You're drunker than I thought."

No, what I was, was up on my feet like Godspeed.

"Jesus."