Boys Will Be Boys

Chapter Twenty

I jump in before my mother can respond. “He’s fine. Let him be.”

The doctor eyes Emery, skeptically, but then shrugs it off and turns to me and my mother, who is standing by my side.

“Well, Luke, this was a nasty scare. Your friend here was right to call the ambulance.”

“Is it bad?” my mom chokes out, her hands pinching painfully into my shoulders.

“Not as bad as it could’ve been.” The doctor reasons. Ugh, just get to the point already. “However, he does have three broken ribs and a fractured bone in his jaw.”

I can hear Emery’s breath catch in his throat.

“We can easily take care of it, you’re just going to have to spend a few days here and there should be no strenuous exercise until your ribs heal.” He says to me with his doctor smile.

I sigh. “Alright, how long am I stuck in here?”

The doctor lets out a fake little laugh.

“Shouldn’t be more than five days.” He’s about to say more, but his pager beeps and he pulls it out, looking at it, before saying, “I’ll be back in later to tell you more about what we’re doing for your treatment.”

And he walks out.

“Luke.” My mom turns to me with a stern expression on her tear-stained face. “You tell me right now what’s going on.”

I feel a nervousness creeping into my stomach. I don’t know what I’m supposed to tell her. I don’t know what she wants me to say.

“Mom, please, I don’t—”

Emery cuts me off. “It’s my fault.”

Both me and my mom both stare at Emery.

“What?” I say, surprised.

Emery glances at me with his sad, silver eyes. “It is.”

“How so?” my mom asks, crossing her arms.

“It’s my fault everyone knows about Luke.” Emery says, vaguely.

My mom’s eyebrows raise and she looks at me with wide eyes. “People know?” she asks, quietly.

I nod, slowly, not meeting her eyes. “Mom, it’s fine, really.”

“Luke, you have broken ribs.” She snaps.

I stay silent, and keep my eyes on my hands, resting in my lap. My mother sighs and rubs her temples.

“I’m going to go get some coffee.” She sighs. “Don’t tell your dad anything before talking to me, okay?”

I nod, and she leaves the room. As soon as the door closes, I look over at Emery.

“You didn’t have to do that.” I say.

“Yeah. I did.” He mutters, not looking at me. I admit, it does feel better hearing him say it; at least he’s not lying anymore.

And when I look at him, I realize I can’t be mad at him. I might not be able to trust him the same way I did, but I can’t keep myself away from him.

“Emery…” I say, and he looks up at me. His silver eyes are like a knife in my heart and it hurts me to say the next words. “Can we be friends again?”

There’s a little pause, as something catches in Emery’s throat. He sniffs, looks down for a moment, and then looks back up at me.

“Yeah.” He says, with a small smile. “That’d be nice.”