Inferno Part 2

~161~ Clumsy

Ellie's POV

I'm at school and walking to lunch with Lance when I trip over air. I don't just stumble. I full on trip, and fall on my knees.

"Dang. You ok?" Lance asks, bending down and helping me up.

"Ouch," I say, holding my hand. I just jammed my stupid finger.

"Let me see," he says, grabbing my hand and inspecting the damage.

"It's already swelling. Come on, Nurse. I'll be your nurse for a change," he smirks as we walk back to my office. He gets an ice pack out of my freezer and hands it to me. My poor finger has a pulse. It's completely throbbing. I take a couple Tylenol, and then we continue walking to lunch.

Lance has a funny look on his face as we're about in the cafeteria. I ignore it though. I know he wants to laugh.

When we get in, Liam is at the table.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, giving him a kiss.

"Now mother, don't be thinking what you're thinking; I'm not lame. I didn't come to have lunch with my mommy. I came to have lunch with my BFF," he says, smirking at Mason.

"Ouch," Nick grumbles as I sit down.

"Oh, Nicholas. Don't you worry. You are my second BFF," he chuckles as he pops a fry into his mouth.

"Hello?" Lance asks, acting offended.

Liam sighs dramatically. "Don't worry boys. There's enough Liam to go around...In a completely platonic way, of course."

The three airheads laugh at my dimwit, and I grimace in pain as I try to open my water.

"Ouch. What happened, momma?" Liam asks, getting serious for the first time and grabbing my hand lightly.

"Nothing," I say darkly as I take a bite of my food. Liam opens my water for me, and sets it down.

"Why is she so crabby, Lance?" He asks.

Lance chuckles and shakes his head.

"You can laugh, boss," I say with an attitude. That was all the invitation he needed. He starts chuckling as he tells everyone what happened.

Liam is cackling. "Mother, you're a klutz," he snickers.

"Thanks, kid," I say as I continue to eat.

"Tell me, was the ground leaning to one side?" He asks seriously.

"Liam, enough"

"Man you're crabby," he says as he takes another bite.

He keeps making little remarks the rest of lunch, and I'm honestly getting sick of it. I'm tired of always being the brunt of all the jokes. I'm a clean freak. I fall asleep too early. I go Ellie Freeman a lot. I'm stubborn. I'm a klutz. I'm difficult.

How about focusing on my good qualities once in awhile? I'm a hard worker. I'm kind. I love helping people....I'm sure there's more, but my finger hurts too bad to think of them right now.

By the time I get home that evening, I'm grouchy. My finger hurts and Liam really pissed me off.

To my wonderful surprise, Taylor had invited Liam and Nora over for dinner tonight. Fantastic.

When I get home, Liam is over and playing video games with Luke and Taylor.

"Hey you two!" Taylor says as he stands up and kisses me and Nolan.

"What happened, baby girl?" He asks, gingerly picking up my hand.

Before I can say anything, Liam starts in. "Mom is a klutz and beefed it on the way to lunch today," he snorts.