The Geek Revolution ✓

52 | eighteenth

Drew tries to turn me so I don't fall, which only means me landing on the boniest part of my body. The pain throbbing in my hip makes me think I've cracked it in half, especially since I dragged Drew's weight down with me.

The pain is blinding, and my eyes go fuzzy instantly. A strangled cry wants to declare how much I'm hurting to the world, only to be sucked in with several gasping breaths. I should be crying and screaming, but the only thought that pops up is how, from here, I have the best view of Luke's untied shoelaces.

His voice rains down on me. "I am so embarrassed to be your brother."

Drew removes his arms from around my shoulders, peering at the blood on his elbow. The scrape is nothing major; just some topical bleeding, and peeling skin. He looks at me, blinks once, and says, "That did not go how I planned. I'm so sorry!"

I'm still clutching my hip, pressing and rubbing in hopes of dispelling some pain. I wheeze out, "No kidding. What the fuck did you plan?"

Drew is picking at some skin on his elbow, and looks down at me with sincere guilt in his eyes. "I was going for a hug from behind, but then I tripped."

"On what?" I hiss.

Slowly, so as not to disturb the pool of agony I writhe in, Drew retracts his legs from mine, giving me a great sight of his untied shoelaces. I'm going to cut a bitch. One day, just one day for some me-time, and I fall and hurt my hip. That is not supposed to happen until I'm eighty, not eighteen!

"Oops," he says. "Are you alright?" I grumble an affirmative. After rolling up his shirt sleeve high enough that it won't be stained with blood, Drew slips his hands around my waist to pull me up. Even the movement has me recoiling in pain. I pull up my shirt and see the ugly purple colour already eating away at my hip.

"Hey, Luke," I say.

He looks up, trying to stifle the laughs by biting his lip. "Yeah?"

"I don't think Aunt Kate's cracked heel cream is the worst birthday gift I've ever gotten now."

"I'm really sorry," Drew tells me. I know he is. He's clumsy, forgetful, and a complete goof. But I know he meant well, so in the spirit of a happy birthday, I smile regardless of the pain shooting bullets at my side.

"It's okay," I murmur, just as our school bus comes roaring around the corner, like a vicious whale. Drew keeps an arm around me for support, which still doesn't stop me from hurting at every twitch of my left hip.

Walking up three steps has never been so torturous. When we do finally sink into our usual seat, on the end of many amused looks from our fellow students, Drew looks to me guiltily. "Really, I'm sorry."

"Do you have money on you?"

"Yeah... "

"Buy me something actually edible lunch, and we're all good."

Finally, I get a hug that doesn't debilitate me, as Drew says, "You're the best."

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I'm usually the one to internally hate on the slowcoaches who block up the halls at school, but today, it's a new experience to be the slowest one in sight. Seriously, it's like breaking down in the middle of the highway, watching everyone else speed by while you sit there waiting for help, dysfunctional.

"You know, if you at least had a wheelchair, I could push you," Reece mocks, at first from behind me, but taking one stride to end up beside me.

"Don't push it, Dormer."