The Mistake

The Leather Jacket

Nick reached me, and I sat on the ground, dusting myself off. He seemed on the verge of laughing. "Sammi, Sammi. See what happens when you try to brag?" He said with a smirk as he shook his head.

"Ah, don't laugh you jerk."

He held out a hand to help me stand and I took it. I winced as soon as my right foot touched the grass. Nick's hand reached out to steady me before I hit the ground again. I shifted my weight, dangling the other one inches above the ground.

"Can you walk?" Nick asked as he still held on to me. I looked up at him and released my hand from his.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I brushed any dirt that wound up on my shorts off and tried taking a step. This time, I placed my foot slowly on the grass, but as soon as it moved a little, the pain shot through me. I was standing on one leg. Nick waited impatiently for me to take a step forward, and when I realized I wasn't going to be able to run, or even walk back, I just stood there.

Nick sighed and rolled his eyes. He walked up to me and slid a firm hand around my waist, taking me by surprise and sending tingles through my body. He held me as I looked up at him. He was so close. The wind blew strands of messy golden brown hair into his face, and hints of the rising sun hit his eyes, making honey specks reflect.

I didn't know what to say to fill in the silence, but what came out was, "I think I sprained my ankle."

"Yeah," he smirked down at me. "I'm sure you did."

After I made it halfway down, limping and biting my lip every now and then from the pain, we realized we weren't going to make it back to my house in time for class. His place was closer to the top of the mountain than mine, and the throbbing in my ankle nearly made it impossible for me to take a step without wincing, so with a steady, warm hand around me, he guided me to his house.

"But-" I stopped in my tracks when we finally reached the entrance of his large house, a sudden realization taking over.

"What?"

"What about your parents?"

"Afraid they'll think I'm sneaking you in?" He chuckled sarcastically.

"No, I just think your parents won't be too happy about a limping girl walking around their house at six in the morning." Nick barely payed attention, instead releasing his hold on me to open the door. "Nick!" I hissed at him as he swung it open.

"Relax, they're not here. Left for a business trip last night." He half-grinned when he walked past the entrance and held out his hands for me to take.

Reluctantly, I placed my hands in his and let him guide me through the door.

"How bad is it?" I bit down hard on my lower lip as I sat on top of the bathroom sink.

Nick hissed through his teeth as he took a look at my ankle. "Well, aside from your ankle being swollen twice the size of a normal one, looks fine."

"Shit." I cursed under my breath. Nick reached over to the medicine cabinet which was behind the mirror. He shoved aside some bottles and got his hands on some gauze.

I heard footsteps shuffling toward us. I expected Alex, but instead found his little sister walk up to the entrance, teddy bear in hand as she rubbed her eyes tiredly.