Chapter 37: Eunice

Damn it.

That Gerstruck member hit me hard on the arm and neck tonight. I needed to get some medical supplies at a nearby pharmacy and had to sprout numerous lies just to answer and assure the cashier who had given me a curious look.

“You sure you want to go home with that?” Mona asked me when I was about to leave the hideout.

I looked at my right arm which had a long abrasion, not to mention how my neck stings because of a cut. “Yes, I can manage.”

I decided to leave the hideout and hail a cab ten blocks away from our headquarters.

I can’t help but curse out that gang member who gave me all these bruises. That was illegal because she used a knife. Now, I wish for her to rot in jail because the police came when they were all down on the floor.

I arrived home wincing in pain whenever I move my head. I am still thinking about the excuses I would tell Nela and Josiah if they ask about the wounds I got.

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath before going inside.

Luckily, it is eerily quiet. Nela is probably already sleeping. It’s 11 o’clock in the evening. Josiah must be sleeping too. It’s already late.

I walked straight to the kitchen to drink a glass of water. That fight was draining. I already drank a liter of water in the headquarters but I still feel so thirsty.

“Where have you been?”

I almost dropped the glass on the floor when I suddenly heard a voice ask me a question in the midst of the quiet atmosphere.

I took a deep breath in relief and placed the glass on the kitchen counter before slowly turning towards Josiah. My heart is already beating erratically because I hadn’t thought of any excuse if he sees the huge bandage on my neck.

Josiah’s eyes bore into me without any readable expression. But I can see, even in the dark, that his jaw is, once again, hardly clenched. “It’s already late,” he said in a stern tone.

I gulped and nodded. “I know,” I replied before turning my back at him.

I need to get out of here before he noticed my wounds. I can’t handle him asking me about these.

I poured water on the glass and drank it down. I am secretly hoping that Josiah has left but I can still feel his presence behind me.

I heard his heavy breathing. He is still standing there.

I tried my hardest to ignore it as I washed the glass and placed the pitcher back in the fridge.

“Is it true?”

There’s something in his voice that made me face him.

“What?” I asked back.

He pursed his lips in a grim line while his stare intensified. “Kyle Kim said you’re his girlfriend. Is that true?”

Anger and irritation are so evident in his voice that it makes me want to run away.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You talked to him?”

He took another deep breath before looking at me with eyes almost void of any emotion.

I wanted to kill Kyle Kim in my head. What went in his crazy head that he told Josiah I am dating him? I am not. I am not his girlfriend. I will never be because I don’t like him.

I like Josiah. But I will never admit that to Kyle Kim.

“I asked you a question. Is that true?” he asked inclemently.

I wanted to lie. Maybe if I tell him that it is true, he’s going to stop trying with me and stop hurting me. But then, I can’t do it.

“No,” I replied.

I don’t know who I am doing this for. Is it for myself or for Josiah?

His expression seemed to relax. And that’s the only time that I saw a bruise on his left cheek and a cut on the left side of his lip.

My eyes widened in horror. I tried to touch his face but he took a step back. I pursed my lips. “What happened?” I asked him.

He looked away. “This is nothing,” he replied, still looking angry.

I sighed. “Did you fight with Kyle Kim?” I asked him so softly that he slowly turned his face to me.

His gaze now is different. Sure, he still looks mad but he seemed to have softened.

I stared back at him, concerned. I have a hunch on where he got the bruise and the cut but why would he do that?

“It doesn’t matter.”

I frowned at him before immediately getting some ice and towel to put on his bruised face. He followed me in the living room and we both sat on the couch.

I wrapped the towel around the ice and slowly patted his bruise. He seemed to have stiffened at my actions. I seemed to have forgotten our situation too but the mere fact that I am seeing a bruise on his face right now is already breaking my heart.

I am going to talk to Kyle Kim tomorrow and ask what happened. Or maybe I could punch him back.

“You don’t need to do this,” Josiah said in a whisper.

I looked at him and caught me staring intently at me. “You need this,” I said and continued on what I am doing.

I heard him sigh once again. But then he held my hand and lifted up my arm.

My eyes widened. Fuck. I totally forgot about my cuts too!

I looked at Josiah as he was angrily looking at my wounded arm. I could he hi gritting his teeth. “What happened here?” he asked sounding really enraged.

I bit my lip and yanked my hand from his grip. “It’s nothing,” I said in a small days.

He let out a harsh breath. “That doesn’t look like nothing,” he said with each word in emphasis.

I looked away. “I fell down.” A lame excuse I always used.

Josiah took my arm again. “You know I don’t believe you, right?” he said before I could feel something cold on my arm. Now he’s applying cold compress on my wound.

My jaw dropped as I saw him solely focused on my bruise. He was delicately patting the cold compress on my skin and I can’t even understand how I was able to survive my erratically beating heart.

He raised his head and looked at me when his eyes stayed on my neck.

Holy shit!

His hand flew on my neck and caressed the bandage on it. “What’s this?” he asked. “How did you get this?”

I mentally cursed myself. Damn it.

“I…I fell…” I don’t care how lame that sounds. I will stand by this excuse.

Josiah clenched his jaw. “Really?” he asked sarcastically.

I bit my lip. I know he wouldn’t buy that. Who would fall and get a cut on the neck anyway?

He took a deep breath. He shut his eyes like he’s trying to calm himself. I watched him looking strained and frustrated.

It’s been two long weeks since we had a moment like this. It’s been that long since we talked and acted like this. It’s been that long since we were this close.

And I won’t deny how much I missed him.

He opened his eyes that immediately found mine. He looked at me with a very emotional stare. “I broke up with Hannah,” he said, almost breathless.

My world stopped as I looked at him.

“Fuck, I miss you.” He said before leaning in and kissing me.