Paparazzi Girl

23. Accident

The impact felt like a nine ton car had tackled her, but with a twist. She went upward before landing on the ground. Her body ached, her leg was burning with a scrape that scratched off her skin. Looking down, she could see how her skin had scraped off and how her skin was turning red, almost to the point of bleeding. A groan left Stella's lips. One minute was all it took for everything to change.

Okay, now that hurt. A lot.

She could hear her name, even from the honks of the cars who were irritated with the unsupportable traffic. She knew it was Xavier. The way her name tasted inside his lips was desperate and frantic.

Rest felt so good right now. She felt her head throbbing.

"Stella? Stella! Stella, are you okay?" Xavier asked through her blurry vision. His face was wrinkled with worriment. "Oh my God, Stella, I'm so sorry. I'm so so so sorry-"

She nodded, not finding the breath to speak. He made everything seem okay. Everything was okay.

"I think she's hurt." Logan voice wasn't anywhere near the state of calm.

"No kidding, you dumbass," Alex said, obviously noticing her pain, thumping him in the back of the head. "Isn't that obvious?"

"How are you feeling?" Xavier's smooth voice brought succor, as he pulled her up, gingerly smooching her forehead. "Stella, please be okay."

"Okay. I feel okay." Her voice was hoarse and breathless, finding strength to open her eyes, "just not the best."

Fuck, her leg hurt.

"Yeah, I can definitely tell. Can you stand up? God, that car hit you pretty hard. I should take you to the hospital. God, I'm so stupid."

"Xavier, calm down. It's okay. I'm not that bad, just a scrape and some sore spots. It happened so fast. I can try to stand." He assisted her, doing most of the work as he grabbed her legs, holding them underneath her. She tried to stand and find her ground.

I'm going to cry.

Xavier rolled up her grey jeans as high as possible, taking in a sharp breath as he looked at the injury. "That doesn't look too good."

She looked down herself. The bruise was huge, and more painful to look at than experience. It was a huge purple blotch now, blood raining down since her skin wasn't there to cover up the bruise. "It doesn't feel as bad as it looks."

"I sure hope so." His eyes met hers while he kneeled down while she stood. "Come on, I'll take you to the nearest hospital-"

"I'll be fine. I don't think I need to go."

"What, you just got hit by a car, Stella, come on-"

"Xavier, I said I'm fine... Do you have something I could wrap my leg in? Maybe stop it from moving around so much? And mostly to stop it from bleeding."

Alex took out a white bandanna from his front pocket, handing it over to her. She took it from him and wrapped it around her leg, hoping the bleeding would stop. She gritted her teeth as she tightened it.

"Let's start heading home," Xavier said, grabbing her hand.

After they had walked around half the city, since all the taxi's they had hollered at were occupied, they dropped off Alex and Logan, and Stella and Xavier made their way to her hotel in silence, his arm around her, helping her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Stella asked him, concerned about her body weight constantly on him.

"Yeah, don't worry. Your weightless." He laughed, walking just another block before they were in front of her hotel.

She hopped off his foot, awkwardly standing there, before giving him a hug. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She wanted to go make a doctor's appointment as soon as he was gone.

She turned around and was about to walk away before he grabbed her wrist, stopping her. If she had a dime for every time he made her heart speed like that...

"Yeah?"

"I was just wondering, since it was clearly my fault this happened to you," his face read of guilt, "if I could buy you an ice cream or something."

"So you almost break my leg, and your way of payment is an ice cream?"

His face dropped the smile he held, breathing in hollow, "Sorry. You're right-"

"I was kidding," she said, shoving him on the shoulder. "I'd love to get an ice cream with you but how about tomorrow if you're not too busy?"

"That sounds like a deal to me," he said, holding out his hand.

She smiled and nodded, "Deal."