Not so Shallow

Chapter 15

I got closer to the scene. My heart was blasting my ears. I couldn't hear anything around me. I tried to make sense of the noises and people to focus on what had happened. The guy was sitting on the ground and a lot of people were coming to surround him. His forehead was bleeding, but it seemed like it was a superficial cut. Dylan was also lying down on the ground, holding his arm.

"Are you alright?" Dylan asked and the guy nodded, holding his forehead. "Someone should call 911, he's bleeding." Dylan asked in a low and soft voice and I almost got my phone but I saw someone already on a call. I decided to go to Dylan.

"Why would you do this?" I said and kneeled down on the ground, trying to get closer to him. "Why?" He whimpered and it broke my heart. It was a faint, broken cry. He looked so vulnerable, so fragile. "It's okay, the ambulance is on the way."

The whimpers continued. I've been trying to take him down for a while now but to see him like this, it broke me. He didn't say anything about the pain but it looked bad. It seemed like breathing was a curse. For every breath he took, he'd close his eyes. "Where is the pain?"

"My arm." I looked at his arm and felt all the food I ate coming back. It was bent in a weird way, and by the sounds he was making, it didn't just look painful. It was definitely broken. I used my hand to wipe a little of the sweat on his forehead. His lips were getting pale. This can't be good.

"I like how you always seem to pay attention to everyone." I heard myself saying it and immediately froze. I didn't know where it came from. His eyes were focused on mine and I think I saw a small curve on his trembling lips. "Don't close your eyes." I tried to keep him awake. I don't know why but the thought of him closing his eyes right now was stressing me out.

"I like the sound of your voice." He said, the corner of his mouth curving a little. "Don't worry, I'm alright." His grin made me want to punch him so he'd be quiet, but it was better to have him smiling than asleep. He let go of his arm and grasped my hand. I would've released it but his grip became tighter with every whimper that escaped him.

I could be used as a pain reliever.

The ambulance arrived. Two paramedics jumped out and ran towards us with a stretcher and a first aid kit. One of them went to the guy and the other to Dylan. He asked him some questions and checked his vital signs. A few minutes later, they lifted him onto the stretcher and secured him with straps. They gave him some pain medication and loaded him into the ambulance. I asked to go with him.

At the hospital, he was taken to the emergency room. A doctor examined his arm and confirmed that it was fractured. He said he would need to realign the bones and put a cast on it.

"It's going to hurt a bit, but it's necessary to prevent any complications." The doctor said. "Are you ready?"

Dylan nodded while biting his lower lip. I squeezed his hand, trying to comfort him. The doctor pushed and pulled it back into place. He screamed and gripped my hand as if the poor thing had killed someone he loved. I might need to check if he didn't break any of my bones, after this. I looked at him and his eyes were glistening. It was so sad to see him like this. I tried to smile in support but he wasn't looking at me.

"It's okay, you're doing great." The doctor said smiling. "It's almost over."

He wrapped Dylan's arm in a white plaster cast and wrote his name on it with a marker. He told him to keep it elevated and avoid any strenuous activities for six weeks.

"Is he alright?" Dylan asked and I almost slapped his head for still thinking about that guy. He could've died. He could be dead right now.

"Who?" The doctor asked.

"The guy he saved." I answered for him. The doctor chuckled.

"Yes, hero." He patted Dylan on the shoulder. "And he wants to talk to you."

Dylan and I walked to where the guy was. His name is Ethan. He thanked Dylan and they talked for a while. I didn't know why I was waiting. It's not like Dylan needed me here. It's not like I care enough to be here.

Except, I've just found out that I care a little.

I sighed. Dylan and I stood at the front door of the hospital. He had a cast on his arm, I had my gift in my hand. It seems like the more time we spend together, the less I understand him.

And the more I like him.

This is dangerous. It's one thing to be attracted to him. To actually like him, I can't risk it. I can hear Uncle Hawk's voice in my mind, saying I should let people in. I won't. But Dylan is finding a way to sneak into my heart through the bottom of the door. He's not even trying to break the door. He's just getting in, like a rat, and apologizing for intruding.

Apologizing.

I don't even know what to believe anymore.

"Thank you." I looked at him, confused. "For coming with me." I shook my head, it was no big deal.

"Why did you do it?" He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He looked tired. Extremely handsome.

"I don't know." He shook his head. "I saw him and then, I was already on the ground."

"Good to know I'm not the only impulsive person in our company." He laughed.

"You're not." I let out a chuckle. "I'm sorry, I can't drive you home." I just realized he can't drive. And we didn't come here in his car. "I wanted to ask you something." I lifted my eyebrows slightly with surprise and nodded so he would keep talking. "Can you keep my car this weekend?"

"You want me to be your personal driver?" He mashed his lips, clearly evaluating what he just said.

"Yes. I'm sorry." He sighed. "Since we're going to the same place tomorrow I thought..."

"Sure." I cut him off. This would be a great opportunity to get closer to him. I did feel bad for his arm, and it wouldn't kill me to help.

"You don't have to if you don't want..."

"I said sure, drop it." He laughed and I was suddenly possessed by something because I joined him. Not fake laughing, not being social. I really laughed with him. It felt foreign. And nice. It didn't just surprise me. He stopped laughing and kept staring at me with a weird grin on his face. Actually, he was looking at me like I had a weird grin on my face. Or worse. "Where do you live?"

"It's alright, I'll go to your house."

"Why you don't want me to know where you live?" He looked at me like he lost his words and chuckled.

"I'll text you my address." He ran his fingers through his hair. "It's not an issue, I'll go to your house and we'll go together from there."

"Sure." Less work for me. But it was weird how defensive he was about his address. "Can I go to your place one day?" He blinked a lot. It was around five blinks per second. I take it that he was surprised. I have to go there, now.

"Yes." He lifted his eyebrows, still blinking like it was a competition. "I can cook for you. We can watch a movie or play some games. You like reading, we can read something together." His voice was shaky, almost like he was cold. Maybe is the night shivers. Or he's still a little weak from his injury. "What movies do you like?"

"Comedies." He smiled nodding. "Don't forget I'm allergic to fish."

"Never." He shook his head and the sudden serious expression on his face almost made me laugh. Again. Really laugh.

"Good. See you tomorrow, then." I extended my arm to shake his hand.

"Can't wait." He smiled again and held my hand. That's when I noticed the redness on his cheeks and ears. I smiled back at him. His change of color lighted up something in me. I didn't even know I missed seeing him blush.