Yours Truly, Ramona

chapter fourteen | home.

I flush the toilet as soon as I can and gulp water down from my water bottle as fast as I can. The taste in my mouth is rank and I can't wait to get it off of my taste buds.

Not only are my ribs in agonizing pain, but my face is throbbing and swelling, the start of a bruise beginning to form—yet another one to add to my growing collection.

I could force myself to go to class and deal with the pain, or I could just stay in here for the rest of the period and chill out on the bathroom floor.

I know, I know—it's gross to sit on the bathroom floor. I can't help it, though.

Every time I attempt to pull myself up, the pain in my stomach protests sharply.

I sit on the floor in defeat, letting my mind and body relax for the remainder of the period.

Putting my headphones in, I let my mind wander away from reality. My thoughts travel to Mason, who I miss more than I miss my sanity.

I'm going to Owen's house tonight for dinner, and as nervous as I am about that, I'm more excited than anything. I get to see Mason and hug him and kiss him and love on him.

Thinking about holding him makes the throbbing all over my body irrelevant, as if his presence would somehow make me feel okay. He can't fix my physical injuries, but he most certainly can fill the void growing inside of my heart each day.

Not only am I thinking about Mason, but I can't help but feel horrible about Jasper. His record is permanently tainted, and now the colleges that have been offering him baseball scholarships may not want him anymore.

It's my fault—I shouldn't have gotten in the way of the fight.

Then again, I didn't want poor Luis getting murdered in the middle of the hallway, completely unable to defend himself.

I tip my head back and stare at the ceiling, not wanting to move. This mental game of back-and-forth with my thoughts is tiring, and I just need a minute to collect myself.

Bleeeeeeeeeep

So much for that.

I use the edge of the toilet to hoist myself up, gasping at the intensifying pain all over my body and resisting the urge to vomit again.

The more I think about it, this persistent pain in my ribs may very well be something worse than just bruising.

What if Allen actually broke my fucking rib?

I shake the thought from my mind—if Allen had broken my rib, I'm pretty sure blood would've came out of my mouth or something like that when he kicked me.

I'm no medical expert, but I'm pretty sure broken ribs lead to internal bleeding, and internal bleeding makes you bleed from your mouth... right?

I'm not sure, but I'll probably be fine.

A wave of nausea hits me as I steady myself against the stall door.

Just breathe.

I take a deep breath and open the stall door.

Walking is still difficult, but I force myself to push through the pain to get to my next class.

~

I skip practicing piano in Mr. Rohan's room after school like I usually do to go home and get some sleep before going to Owen's.

I usually have issues falling asleep, but my body is so depleted of energy that I have no problem drifting to sleep.