As Long As You're Mine

Chapter Thirty-Three

      There was blood dripping from her forehead and a bruise beginning to form on her left eye. She most definitely was not “Fine”. I didn’t like seeing Elle like this. It wasn’t her. She was strong, independent, and didn’t take crap from anyone… or, at least, was one hell of a good actress.

      “I’ll be right back, don’t move,” I said, inching my way to the back of the apartment. She nodded her head like a lost puppy, the intentions of moving not even a thought in her mind.

      I got to the guestroom we were supposed to be sharing, and opened up her suitcase. After searching through it, I found the items I wanted, and took them back to the front room where Elle was still standing motionlessly.

      “Here,” I said, handing her the three articles I had picked out.

      Without hesitation, she accepted the sweatshirt, sweatpants, and T-shirt that I gave her. She began to lift her top up, the adrenalin probably clouding her mind as to my presence in the room. Though I had seen Elle change before, I turned around, facing a wall as to not make the situation any more awkward than it already was.

      “Done,” she whimpered after a few minutes of me gazing at the wall Kara had for some unexplainable reason decided to paint pink.

      I turned back around, and saw her nestled in the oversized sweatshirt, her arms crossed around her frame.

      “You need ice,” I stated.

      “No, I don’t,” she said stubbornly.

      “Yes, you do,” I argued back.

      “No, I-” she began, but I picked her up, throwing her over my shoulder before she had a chance to fight back. I walked into the small kitchen, and opened the freezer, in search of an icepack.

      “Here,” I said, dropping her limp body, and giving her a bag of peas Kara had for some unknown reason. Growing up, Kara refused to eat green vegetables, because, apparently, green was an ugly color. I guess she had grown out of that unique philosophy.

      Elle stared at the bag for what felt like an eternity, and then gently lifted it up to her face, positioning it on her eye. “Thanks,” she whispered.

      I heard a knock on the door, and assumed that it was the police. “I’ll be right back,” I told her, beginning to walk away.

      “Don’t leave me alone,” she whimpered, clinging to my arm.

      I sighed, walking with her to go answer the door. My hand gripped the brass doorknob, and turned it, opening the door. A tall man stood on the other side in a black cop uniform. I was beginning to feel like I was in an episode of NCIS.

      “Hi,” I greeted. The man glanced down at the crying girl on my arm, and I nodded, stepping aside to let him in.

      “I’m Officer McCrery,” he introduced himself, “I got a call about a hit and run?”

      “She got mugged,” I spoke for Elle.

      “This your place?” the officer asked, as we went over to Kara’s small, pink seating area, and I sat down on the couch. Elle surprisingly sat down on my lap, still clinging to my arm.

      “No,” I shook my head, “we’re staying with a friend for the week.”

      He nodded, pulling out a pad of paper and scribbling something down. “Where ya from?”

      “We’re going to school in Boston now,” I said.

      “Harvard,” Elle supplied, probably hoping it would give her more credibility.