Quilts, Tacos & Tattoos

Can't Walk, Can't Run

I woke up hot and disoriented. I could not tell if it was early morning or late at night. I forgot where I was and I needed to pee. Then I remembered I had a broken ankle. I scooted to the end of my bed and lifted myself up with my crutches. I opened the door and squinted at the bright living room light.

"Here, let me help you." It was Tyler's voice. Instantly, I thought about my hair. I had slept in a ponytail and half my hair was up and half was down. I was suddenly confused.

"No, I'm okay," I managed to squeak out, and I tried to make my way to the bathroom

"Oh, yeah, sure you're okay. You have a broken ankle and crutches and you're okay." Seeing that I was embarrassed, he stepped in front of me and opened the bathroom door. "At least let me get the door for you." He bowed. "My lady."

I hobbled into the bathroom and closed the door. I thought, "Am I dreaming? What is Tyler doing here in my house?"

I looked in the mirror. My hair wasn't as bad as I thought. I hopped to the toilet and balanced on one leg, sat the crutches down, and tried to extend my leg. The throbbing got worse. When I was done, I balanced myself at the sink and washed my hands and face. I brushed my hair and teeth and then grabbed the crutches to get out of the bathroom. I thought, Where am I going to go? I opened the door and hobbled out. Tyler was in the kitchen standing at the sink filling the ice trays.

"Do you need help getting to the sofa?" He placed a glass of water and a pain pill on the sofa end table. "Your Aunt said if you woke up after six you could have one of these."

"You met Aunt Julia?" I stumbled to the sofa. He grabbed me by the waist, set my crutches against a chair and helped me sit down.

"Yeah. She is super cool. I came over to your house to return the beach bag you left at the dance."

I thought to myself, He found my bag? He knows where I live?

"Your Aunt asked me a lot of questions. She is very protective of you."

"Yeah. She loves me. What day is it?"

"July 4th."

"This is all still the same day."

"Yep. How did you do it by the way?"

"I fell down chasing my little cousins because they were throwing snapdragons at me."

"Want me to go chase them for you?"

I smiled. "No. That's all right. Don't you have other plans tonight with your friends?"

"You're my friend."

"But we don't really know each other outside of school. Isn't it a little odd that you are here at my house?"

"Can't a guy help a friend out who broke her ankle today? Here. You should take this," he picked up the pain pill and glass of water and handed them to me.

My skin tingled all over when he touched my hand, and my stomach turned upside down.

"I broke my leg in fifth grade. I know how much it hurts. You should elevate your ankle. I'll get you a pillow."

He headed to my room before I could stop him. He got two pillows and a blanket from my bed and returned to prop my ankle up. He scooped up my leg just below my knee. Then he pulled up a dining chair beside the sofa and propped his feet up on the coffee table.

"You can go if you want. I am sure you have other plans."

"Is that how you talk to all your company?"

"No, it's just that. Don't you need to go get . . . I mean won't . . . you be with someone . . . I mean somewhere else?"

"Nope. Do you have a newspaper? We can do the word find."