Some Adventures and Backgrounds

Evangeline

Content Warning: Implications of domestic abuse, death

~ ~ ~

Eva took a shaky breath, inhaling sharply as she held a bag of ice against the stinging bruise on her eye.

A curtain was pulled back and Eva lowered the ice, doing her best to focus on the police officer in front of her. His lips moved and as much as Eva tried to focus on what he was saying, it was all muffled by the ringing in her ears. She opened her mouth to apologize for not being able to hear him but his expression became that of concern before he left the curtained-off part of the emergency room.

Eva glanced around frantically. Seeing her face in the reflection of an unused monitor put her into further confusion. She slowly raised her hand to her mouth, fingers brushing against a busted lip.

Knuckles had hit that spot.

She shakily moved her hand towards the gash on her cheek, wincing.

Eva vaguely remembered being slammed into a wall.

She turned away from the reflection and tried to focus on the ceiling. If she focused on something else, it wouldn't hurt so much. Eva would just sit back and relax--

The curtain in front of her came flying forward as a boy crashed into her bed from outside. He looked up at Eva with wide eyes, gripping onto the foot of the bed.

"I am so sorry-- Woah. What happened to your face?"

Eva winced. "That's none of your business."

"Shit. Right. Sorry." The other teen stood. "Introductions. I'm Lewis. And you're gonna have some sick scars. What happened?"

"I...got into a fight." Eva mumbled.

"Gnarly. Did you win?" Lewis grinned and sat himself on the edge of her bed.

"Did you just say gnarly?" Eva gave him a strange look. "And no. I obviously didn't win."

Lewish nodded slowly. "That's disappointing. You look like you could snap a man in half. With those lady muscles-- I mean that in a totally non-creepy way."

"It's still creepy."

"I'm sorry."

Eva frowned. "Why are you still here?"

"I-- Well... Honestly? You look lonely." Lewis looked around. "Plus it's going to be embarrassing to walk out into the ER after that fall."

"Tripped over your own feet?" Eva raised an eyebrow.

Lewis grinned, dimples forming in his cheeks. "I obviously fell for you."

"I have a boyfriend." Eva shook her head.

She wondered why.

Lewis tilted his head. "And he's not here? Not to be rude, but if my girl was hurt, I'd be at her bedside."

Eva looked away. "It's complicated."

"...Oh." Lewis looked down at his hands and slowly stood up. "Right. Uh.. Well, I won't keep bothering you. You seem like...a nice girl, Miss..."