“Nick?” dad’s voice called.
“Dad!” I called back, relieved. My ankle was really starting to hurt.
Dad carefully made his way down to me and Phil. He shone a flashlight on us and I winced at the sudden bright light.
“Shaw said you hurt your ankle?” he asked. I could hear the concern in his voice.
I nodded and dad frowned. “Well, I can carry you out of here and we can check it out at home,” he offered.
“I can carry him,” Phil said quickly.
Dad hesitated and nodded slowly. “Okay. But go very, very slow up that hill there. You don’t want to fall down and hurt yourselves. Let me know if you need me to carry Nick. I don’t mind carrying him, Phil.”
Phil stood up with me in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he slowly and carefully carried me bridal style up the hill. Dad stayed close by, steadying Phil if he slipped.
We made it to the top and I blushed as Shaw and Chandler watched me in concern. Shaw bounced over to me and Phil with a deep frown.
“Nick are you okay? Do you need Shaw to kiss it better?” he asked. Phil snarled at him.
“Whoa. Nick, your boyfriend just growled at me. That kind of turned me on, but it kind of freaked me out,” Shaw said, raising his hands innocently.
“Shaw, I’m fine. Phil, please don’t growl at my friends,” I said, rolling my eyes. Oh my lanta. I’m telling you. Crazy freaking people.
Phil carried me out of the trail and got in my dad’s car with me in his lap. Shaw and Chandler climbed in the car as well.
“You’re lucky Nick. Your mom’s at your grandmother’s house, otherwise she’d be freaking out over you,” dad said as he pulled into the driveway.
We got out of the car and Phil carried me inside. He set me down on the couch gently and dad carefully took my shoe off and inspected my ankle.
“Looks like it’s just twisted badly. We can take you to the hospital to get it checked out in the morning if the swelling doesn’t go down. Just stay off of it,” dad said, ruffling my hair.
“So…since I ruined the date, do you guys want to stay the night?” I offered.
“You didn’t ruin the date,” Shaw said, rolling his eyes. “And sure! We would love to stay over!”
“Uh…I have to ask my mom and dad fir-”
Shaw slapped a hand over Chandler’s mouth and glared at him. “We. Would. Love. To. Stay. Over,” he growled.
“Phil, please stay over. Don’t leave me with Shaw,” I begged.
Phil sat next to me and wrapped an arm around me, kissing me deeply. “Sure I’ll stay over,” he said, glaring at Shaw. Oh my lanta. Jealous boyfriend. Kind of hot, kind of scary.
“Easy lover boy. I have a boyfriend. I don’t want your sloppy seconds. I have my own sloppy seconds!” Shaw said, wrapping an arm around Chandler.
“Hey!” Chandler whined.
“Oh hush. Your best friend has had sex with you more than I have. This is something I plan to change soon, by the way,” Shaw said, waggling his eyebrows at Chandler.
“TMI,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Shut up Nick. God only knows who you’ve slept with. Let’s see…Phil, Nolan, Kenneth, Wes, Pierce, Felix,” he said, looking thoughtful.
“Hey! Felix doesn’t count. I was white girl wasted,” I argued.
“Jeez and I thought I got around,” Chandler said, raising an eyebrow at me.
“No wonder your mom always yells at you,” Phil said.
“Hey! Shut up,” I said and pouted. “You guys are mean. DON’T JUDGE ME JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS MY DICK!”
“I…uh, brought you an icepack.”
“Dad!” I cried and felt my face heat up.
He handed me an icepack, staring at me in confusion. “Maybe you should keep the door open tonight Nick,” he said before leaving the room.
I groaned and face palmed myself. “Oh my lanta I hate my life,” I moaned.
“Hush,” Phil said and kissed my cheek. He placed the icepack on my ankle for me and I fought back a hiss. It was so cold. WHY DID ICE HAVE TO BE SO GOD DAMN COLD?
“I’m tired. Let’s go to sleep!” Shaw whined.
I nodded in agreement, feeling exhausted. Man, falling down a fucking hill and twisting/possibly spraining your ankle really drained you, ya know?
Phil carefully picked me up and carried me to my bedroom. Shaw set up an air mattress and glanced at Phil.
“I take it the growling guy is sleeping in your bed?” he guessed.
“I really don’t like you,” Phil snapped.
“Phil,” I said, rolling my eyes and patting the spot next to me on my bed. “Hush up and sleep with me. OH MY LANTA NO. Not like that. Not with Shaw and Chandler here.”
Chandler pulled out his vibrating cell phone. “Hello? Oh, yea. I’m staying the night at Nick’s house. Okay. Yea. Love you too mom. Goodnight,” he said and hung up. He glared at Shaw. “Thanks to you, my mom just had a freaking panic attack!” he said in annoyance.
Shaw smiled innocently. “Oh you love me,” he said, flinging himself into Chandler’s arms and kissing him.
“Still don’t like him,” Phil grumbled.
I laughed and wrapped my arms around Phil, pulling him down next to me and kissing him deeply. I rested my head on his chest.
“Oh stop it,” I whispered, turning and kissing his neck.
“I don’t. He should’ve been the one to fall,” Phil said, pouting.
“I can hear you!” Shaw whined.
“Shut up,” Phil said flatly.
“Hey, Phil. Ease up. He’s not after Nick,” Chandler said, lying down on the air mattress and pulling Shaw into his arms.
“Stop,” I said quietly, taking Phil’s hand in mine. “I’ll take my shirt off if you stop being mean to Shaw.”
Phil hesitated before sighing. “Take it off,” he grumbled.
I grinned and pulled my shirt off. Phil pulled his off and wrapped his arms around me, kissing me. I rested my head on the pillow next to Phil’s head and smiled softly.
“How’s your ankle?” Phil asked in concern.
“It’s okay,” I lied. It was throbbing again.
“Don’t like to me Nick,” Phil growled angrily. Oh my lanta. This boy and his mood swings.
His face fell. “You promised,” he mumbled.
“I’m sorry,” I said instantly, feeling awful. I had promised him I wouldn’t lie to him.
“My ankle is throbbing. But it’ll be okay Phil. Really. I just don’t want you to worry about me. It’ll be sore for a few days and then it’ll be fine,” I said sincerely.
“I wish I could make you feel better,” Phil said with a sad sigh.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, gently stroking his cheek.
He smiled softly at me. “I love you Nick,” he said, kissing me.
“I love you too Phil,” I said when I had pulled away from his lips.
Phil wrapped his arms around me and I curled up against him comfortably. We fell asleep together.
***
“I FUCKING LOVE PANCAKES!” Shaw cried happily.
“Shaw Courtney! Did you just use the naughty f-word?!” mom cried.
“Psh, of course not Morgan. I said I ducking love pancakes,” Shaw said nervously as mom rolled up the newspaper she was reading.
“One more bad word around my Nicky and I’ll tell your mother!” mom threatened.
“OH GOD NO!” Shaw cried, his face paling. “SHE’LL RIP MY THROAT OUT!”
I rolled my eyes and took another bite of the pancakes my mom had made us for breakfast. My mom had freaked out over my ankle, but my dad had managed to calm her down.
We ate and hung out for a little before Chandler’s mom came and picked him and Shaw up. Phil and I watched movies together for a little before he sighed and got up.
“I better head home. I’ll see you tomorrow Nick. I love you,” he said, kissing me.
He left the house and I put an icepack on my ankle, deciding to watch Elfen Lied until it was time for dinner. I put it on and leaned back against the couch.
After I had watched about three episodes, the phone rang and mom grabbed it. I stretched and cracked my back, hating that I couldn’t walk around on my ankle. The swelling had gone done though, so that was good.
“Nick!” mom said, rushing out to me.
“What?” I asked in confusion.
“Dad,” she said urgently.
“What? Was dad hurt?” I asked, my blood turning to ice water. My biggest fear was that my dad would get hurt, or worse, doing his job. There were some fucked up people in the world.
“No! He was just at Phil’s house!” she said.
My eyes widened and I sat up. “What? What happened? His mom?” I demanded.
Mom shook her head wildly. “I don’t know Nicky! I don’t know what happened! All I know is that someone got arrested over there, and Phil was taken away in an ambulance.”