The Elites

Chapter 13

She got that right. It was an old habit I've had for a long time, and I had no idea why. But I had zero tolerance for clingy and touchy people, especially those that always wanted to feel my face, hair or my chest.

"I'm only trying to help you. I'm only trying to clean that cut. If you leave it open and unattended to for a long time, it might get contaminated. It's only going to take a minute."

I looked at her for a while. It didn't sound like it was going to be a bad idea. It didn't sound like it was going to hurt either. I hesitated for a while and then slowly found my hand finding its way away from hers. The smile on her face grew wider. She scoffed softly and then pushed the wool close to my nose.

I winced softly in pain the moment it made contact.
God, it stung a lot.

She let out a tiny chuckle that made me turn to her. Was she laughing at me?

"You're just like him." She said, cleaning my wound gently. "He has zero tolerance for pain too."

She had to be referring to my brother.

"I guess we'd have to sue him for doing this to your precious face." She continued. "I'm really sorry for what he did to you. I don't know what came over him."

She turned back to the box.

"He's never hit someone without good enough reasons before."

She got out another ball of cotton wool and repeated the same process, but this time she was aiming for the bruise on my lip.

"But no matter what, he should not have hit you the way he did. It was wrong."

I winced in pain again the moment it made contact.

"Can you be more gentle?" I cut her off, trying not to sound too rude, ungrateful or raise my voice. She stared at me. "Please." I added. I had to sound polite enough at least. She smiled.

"I'm sorry." She turned back to the box and then reached for a bandaid from the pack of small bandaids and then turned to me.

"I'm just saying, you can get upset for what he did, but don't hate him for it." She placed it over the wound on my nose. "He just wants the best for you."

She placed her hand on her thighs and then exhaled, pursing her lips as she looked at me. I looked away slowly just as I heard a loud thud from the door as it swung open immediately.

"Jer!"

I let out a weak scoff the moment I recognized who owned the really loud voice. It had to be one of the very few voices I had stuck in my memory. A tiny smile appeared on my face just as I heard loud footsteps running into the room.

"Jer!"

A girl, about five feet tall, dark skinned and sixteen years of age yelled my name as she hurried to the bed, her oversized pajamas swaying from side to side as she found her way towards the bed. I turned in her direction just so I could look into her bright eyes. The smile on her face brightened the moment she saw me.

"Jer !" She yelled my name and then ran to the bed to embrace me, forcing her way into the middle of Natalie and I, pushing Natalie out of the way completely and intentionally. She wrapped her tiny arms around me, hugging me tightly.

"You're back! You're home." She said loud enough for me to hear. I reached for her arms so I could gently push her off me. She was squeezing too hard. I pulled her gently away, still holding on to her hand. She stared at me for a second. The smile on her face slowly turning to a frown as she examined my face carefully.

"I heard you and Big brother got into an argument today and he punched you." She kept her eyes focused on me. I guess it had to be obvious with the bruises on my face now. I had almost forgotten how fast news spread around this house. "Did he do that to you?" She asked me, pushing herself closer to me. She pointed a finger towards my nose. She was reaching for the bandaid right before I grabbed her finger. She looked into my eyes, pouting while I looked right back into hers.