Second Chances (Brett Talbot)

Stronger Than You Think

We get into the animal hospital and I immediately rush to grab towels for Lori, Brett, and Kira. I then grab gauze and rubbing alcohol from one of the cabinets and set them on the metal table.

"Let me take a look at the arrow head," I tell Brett as he dries his hair with the towel.

"I'm fine," Brett tells me. "I can do it myself." He strips off his wet jacket and I see the tear in his t-shirt with blood staining the surrounding area. His shirt is plastered to his skin  showing every curve of his torso, chest, and upper body. I feel my heartbeat speed up, and I hope Brett isn't paying attention. He then pulls his shirt off, completely showing off his lean and muscular body.

May the Lord have mercy on my soul.

I grimace when I see the arrow head lodged into his shoulder, the shaft snapped off so it's not even sticking out of the skin. Blood is still dripping from it as he touches it gingerly, wincing

"How are you going to get that out yourself?" I ask. "You can't get a grip on it to pull it out. Plus it will hurt a lot when you try, probably."

"Lils, I can handle a little pain," he tells me. "I've been stabbed and poisoned before."

I purse my lips and and think. He won't be able to get the arrow head even with his strength. We need something to pull it out. Like pliers.

I walk towards the drawers, opening them and searching for something that resembles pliers. I find what I'm looking for in a drawer full of surgical equipment. It looks like a cross between needle nose pliers and the instrument dentists use to pull teeth. Let's just say I don't want to know what it's actually used for.

I look over a Brett gritting his teeth as he digs around in his shoulder for the arrow head. I internally cringe just looking at him doing that.

"Brett stop," I tell him, standing in front of the beta once again. "Here." I push his hand, lightly, away from the wound on his shoulder and use the pliers to grip around the arrow head. "Get ready; this will hurt," I add.

Brett looks at me with a confused and almost shocked expression. "Are you sure you're strong enough?" he responds. "I could easily do it."

Without warning him, I quickly yank the arrow head out with the pliers, my new, supernatural strength making the job much easier. Brett swears with quite colorful language as I see his shoulder starting to heal. "I'm stronger than you think," I state, bluntly as I drop the bloody arrow head on the table along with the pliers.

"No kidding," he gasps, gripping onto the edge of the metal table. "Why didn't you warn me?"

"Mind tricks," I tell him. "Nurses don't tell a kid when exactly they're giving them a shot so they don't freak out, and it hurts less. Also I guess I don't need this stuff." I pick up the rubbing alcohol and gauze since his shoulder is completely healed

"I wouldn't have freaked out," he defends himself, running a hand through his damp hair. I bite my lip to keep from gaping at him.

Stop looking at him that way. This is Brett Talbot. Remember what he's done. Liam would hate if he saw you gawking at him. He would flip, and I'd have to side with Liam because I always do.

"I know that, but it probably helped with the pain," I reply, looking back up at the boy in front of me.

I remember all the times he bullied and hurt Liam. I remember all the comments and crude remarks he said to me.

"I don't trust him, and neither should you."

Liam's words float in the back of my mind.

Is Liam right? Is Brett not to be trusted? He's changed so much since Liam and I left Devonford. He still makes a comment here and there, but they're not bad now. They're just playful jokes that are laughed at.