Chapter 44 Everyone survived (barely)

Chapter 44 Everyone survived (barely)
Kael’s POV
By the time them doctors finally let me outta there, it was already 5 p.m.
The nurse been runnin' her mouth for what felt like a whole damn season of some trash medical show; don’t lift this, don’t strain that, don’t get stabbed again, and I just nodded like I was listenin'.
I ain’t hear half that shit.

I was packin' my stuff when it hit me. No spare clothes.
So I shoved my ass back into that bloodied uniform, didn’t bother tuckin' it in, didn’t bother buttonin' shit neither. If anybody got a problem with it, they can fight the stitches in my side.
I tucked my skateboard under my arm. Somethin' slipped off it and hit the floor with a soft thud.
A red handkerchief.
I groaned low as I bent down, the wound in my side screamin' like it was personally offended. I picked it up slow, starin' at the dried blood on the fabric.
Ginger.
Her crouched in front of me. Her fingers clumsy but careful. Her mouth still runnin' even while her hands shook. Actin' like she wasn’t scared.

I squeezed the cloth once, then shoved it deep in my trouser pocket. I’ma give it back. Just… not today. Or tomorrow. I also found the chocolate Ilyas shoved at me earlier and pocketed that too. Imma give it to Mina.
The nurse finally finished her lil' sermon and sighed. “Unfortunately, we don’t have anything to give you that can help you walk. Will you be okay?”
I snorted. “Course.”

Right on cue, Evie barged in, dropped my shovel in my hands, muttered a quick “sorry I’m late,” and dipped like she was never there. I lifted Thrasher and grinned at the nurse. “I got Thrasher. She gon' help me walk.”
The nurse blinked. “…Huh.”
I was already limpin' out.

Outside, Hollowbridge smelled like dust, oil, and old food carts. Skateboard under my arm. Every step hurt. Not sharp-- deep. Like somethin' inside me was pissed off and refused to shut up. I leaned more weight on the shovel, metal scrapin' against the pavement. My mind drifted against my will. Mina prolly home by now.
Fuck.
She gon' see me like this. Bandages. Blood. She gon' get that look on her face. The quiet one. I clenched my jaw. I stopped in front of our door, raised my hand… then froze.

What the hell was I supposed to tell her?
Hey, Mini. Almost died today. No big deal.

I sighed, glanced at the windows. Light was on. She was awake.
A’ight. New plan. Go in. Act normal. Don’t limp too much. Don’t freak her out. Hopefully she ain’t notice the bandages.
I twisted the knob and shoved--
“Owww!” Mina’s voice.

“Mina?!” I jerked back. “Yo ass was sleepin' on the damn floor again?!”
The door swung open. She was grinnin', hair messy, socks mismatched.
“Welcome home, Kaelie--” She stopped.

Her eyes traveled over the bandages. The open shirt. The blood. Her smile vanished. “Kael…” Her voice cracked.
I sighed and forced a grin, eye twitchin'. “Sup, Mini--”
She lunged at me. Tiny fists poundin' into my leg, not hard but angry. “You lied! You liar! You lied to me!”
“Ow--ow--hey! troll, hold up--”

She suddenly stopped. Looked up at me. Big brown eyes full of tears.
“You said you wouldn’t,” she sobbed. “You said you wouldn’t die. But--you almost did.”
Fuck. This was exactly what I was tryna avoid. I stepped inside, closed the door, and dropped to one knee in front of her, groanin' as my side protested. She crashed into me, arms tight around my neck. It hurt. I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms around her anyway and whispered, “Almost. But almost don’t count. Look--I’m still breathin', ain’t I?”

She nodded hard, her tears soakin' my shirt. “You won’t leave me?”
“Never,” I said instantly. “I’d haunt yo' ass if I did.”
She pulled back. “Really?”
I grinned. “Cross my heart.”
She sniffled, wiped her face, and raised her pinky.
“Pinky promise.”
I stared at it a second longer than I needed to, then hooked mine with hers. “Pinky promise.”

She smiled, then stepped back and squinted at me. “Okay. Enough cryin'. Go clean up. You stink like death.”
She scurried off. I limped after her.
The bath was hell. She insisted on “helpin',” which mostly meant splashin' water everywhere and narratin' my sufferin'.
“Ooo that looks painful.”
“No shit.”
“Does it hurt here?”
“Everywhere.”

At some point she dumped too much water over my head and laughed like a lil' villain. I sighed, “Mina you gon' get my bandages wet.”
After what felt like a torture session, I collapsed shirtless onto my bed, barely alive. Mina ran in and jumped up beside me, suddenly all cheerful again like she didn’t just emotionally wreck me five minutes ago.

“I got somethin' for you,” I said.
Her eyes lit up. “Really? Is it a--” She gasped. “A unicorn?”
I smirked and pulled out the chocolate. “Better.”

She stared at it like I handed her gold. “Wow… it is better than a unicorn.”
“Told ya. It’s yours.”
I turned away, dryin' my hair with a towel.
“Kael.”
“What.”
She was holdin' the chocolate out to me. “First bite.”
I sighed. “Don’t start this shit.”

I nudged it toward her mouth. “It’s yours.”
She shook her head and pushed it back. “Share.”
We pushed it back and forth like idiots.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Yes you are.”
“Just eat it already, Mina.”
“Just take the first bite already.”

She raised the chocolate again. Puppy-dog eyes deployed. Voice soft.
“Please… Kaelie-bear.”
“You evil.” I dragged a hand through my hair. “Just one bite.”
She nodded eagerly. I took a bite. She took a tiny bite. Then--
She held it up again. “Third bite.”

I groaned. “MINA WHY YOU LIKE THIS, FUCK”
She giggled like a menace.
By the end, she made me eat three bites and still tried for a fourth. I refused. I ain’t even sure what she ate for dinner, there was barely anything in this house.
We brushed our teeth together. She spat everywhere except the sink.

“Look! I’m a bubble monster!”
“Shut up.”
“Nope.”

When we finished, I tucked her into bed. She yawned. “Goodnight, Kael.”
“Night, lil' gremlin,” I whispered back before gently closin' the door behind me.
I limped back to my room and collapsed onto my bed, starin' at the ceiling. I pulled the red handkerchief from my pocket and studied it. I wondered if Ginger found help. She looked like she was in a lot of pain.

I tossed the cloth onto the nightstand. “Why the fuck am I thinkin' about her?”
She insulted me. Laughed at my name.
…Still.

Her smile flashed in my head.
“Fuck,” I muttered, turnin' onto my good side.

Zerran. Painkillers. I wondered if they friends or somethin'. I fell asleep thinkin' about her. Didn’t ask to. Didn’t want to.
Did anyway.