"So, you're telling me you went outside to check the mail, slipped on the morning dew, and ended up like that?" Nyra stared sceptically at Natalie's bandaged ankle, her eyes trailing up to her scraped palms.
She'd woken up extra early this morning, before either of her parents were awake, to make her excuse believable. They seemed convinced enough.
When she'd taken off the band-aids, she saw that her palms and knees had scabbed overnight. She'd slept with an ice pack on her ankle to try and reduce her swelling, but it was the pain killers that were really helping her get through the day.
"Would you believe me if I told you that?" Natalie asked.
"Natalie, look into my eyes," her closest friend said. "How long have I known you for, again?"
She laughed, rolling her eyes before sobering again. "Honestly, Nyra, I just don't know if you would believe the truth."
"Try me."
"Okay." She hesitated. "Well. Basically, last night, I got bored studying so I jumped out of my bedroom window and landed wrong."
Nyra blinked. Her blank stare turned resigned and she sighed, beginning to walk towards the front of the school. "Fine, don't tell me."
"Nyra! I'm being honest this time. That's what happened!"
"Okay, Natalie. Let's just say that's the truth," Nyra said as the pair continued walking. "Why exactly would you jump out of your bedroom window? Was your house on fire?"
Natalie's face turned hot. She glanced around, noting the few students that scattered the hall. She dropped her voice to a whisper.
"I wanted to see... you know..."
Nyra halted, turning to stare at Natalie as she processed her words.
"You..." her words seemed to die in her throat. She let out an incredulous laugh. "You jumped out of a window to see—" her voice lowered to a whisper— "Leon Hughes?"
"You make it sound like I'm crazy," Natalie remarked.
"Well, that's because it is absolutely batshit crazy!"
Natalie giggled. "It is, isn't it!"
The pair exploded into laughter and Nyra squeezed Natalie in a short hug.
"I can't believe it. If you told me a year ago that you'd be spending your senior year jumping out of windows to see you know who in the middle of the night—How did we even get to this point?"
"I have no idea," Natalie replied. "It was like, one minute, I was telling him my name, and the next, he's taking me to his secret work location and I'm learning more about him than anyone in this whole school."
"I bet Veronica would be seething," Nyra said, her eyes suddenly far-off, her smile wide on her lips. She turned, squeezing Natalie's arm. "Oh, Nat, I wish you'd just tell her. Rub it in her face, you know?"
Natalie rolled her eyes but smiled at the idea. Veronica would probably have a meltdown in the middle of the carpark if she knew, kicking and screaming and all.
She imagined not being in second place for once. Being the likeable one for once. Take that School Captain. She'd happily take Vice if it meant Veronica accepting defeat.
But... she wouldn't use Leon like that.
Her feelings for him—whatever they might be—were worth more than showing off to Veronica and her little gaggle of friends. She would never betray him for, what? A few minutes of satisfaction?
YOU ARE READING
Bruised
Teen Fiction"Natalie," he repeated, her name like velvet on his tongue. He seemed to like the sound of it because he repeated it again, his voice turning low. "Natalie." Leon Hughes was a mystery masked by bruised cheeks and bleeding knuckles. He was a wraith...
