Accidentally a Criminal

Chapter 6

11:24 pm, Xavier, Vermont, 10/7/23

Instinctively I slapped Harvey. He scared me half to death! I mean, I just woke up a couple hours ago to find him gone! Naturally I was pissed at him.

"So now you come back!" I snapped at him. " Do you realize how worried I've been?! It's a good thing you're alive! I've-" I started to ramble on. I kinda sounded like his mom or something.

Then it came to my attention that Harvey wasn't listening at all. He was clinging to the glass slide door for balance, looking sickly. He had a red mark on his right cheek (my bad...) that contrasted with his starch white face. He was quivering like crazy. Not to mention he was soaking wet. Harvey probably had hypothermia, among other things.

"I'm so sorry Harvey, I-i didn't mean to slap you that hard, I was just a-angry, honest..."

"N-no, it's okay- it's just my leg, it's-" Harvey said weakly.

"Omigosh!" I stared in horror, " Your leg!" His entire left calf was soaked in blood. I panicked and started to run for the bathroom to get towels and bandages. "Just stay right there!" I told him. It's not like he would try to move anyways.

Moments later, he was sitting on the couch, a bit embarrassed. " Here Harvey, take off your shirt, you might get hypothermia if you keep it on too long." I tried to make it sound professional and not incredibly awkward. He handed me his soggy, black t-shirt. "Um- p-pants too." I said uncomfortably, " I gotta bandage up your leg..."

Harvey scowled and his face had a pink tint to it. "I hate you." Jeez, he's said this a lot today. Maybe I should keep score. He gave me his jeans very hesitantly. In return, I handed him the pink butterfly robe, just so he would be in something but his blue boxers.

His whole face was red as though steam were coming out of his ears the entire time I wrapped the bandages around his leg.

"You okay?" I laughed a little. He nodded slowly. " Alrighty then. Can you tell me what exactly happened when you decided to leave?"

"Um..." He tried to start, " I had an encounter with a bear, fell into a river, and then cut my leg on a rock that was in the river... and that's it." I feel like he wasn't telling me everything.

Wait... A bear?! "Did the bear harm you in any way?!"

"No, it just spooked me and then I tripped and fell into the river."

I sighed in relief with my hand on my chest. I looked at Harvey. He seemed lightheaded. "Harvey, do you have a fever or something? I'll go check your temperature." I began to lift myself up from the couch. I wanted to seem busy so we wouldn't sit in awkward silence like this.

"No- no- I'm okay, really... honest..." He waved his hands in protest. Five seconds later he had a thermometer jammed underneath his tongue. "I hate you." Harvey said. Although, with the thermometer in, it sounded like: " I labe boo."

"You were the one who came back to me for help, so you have no reason to say that."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "I hate you." Harvey repeated. Just to tease me or if he meant it I cannot say. Presently the thermometer beeped and Harvey took it out of his mouth and read the results out loud. 102 degrees Fahrenheit. "$&%@!" he struck the thermometer down on the couch, making it spring upwards and go flying. I caught it thankfully.

"Hey! Watch your language- and your attitude!" I snapped at him. He started to tense up, "Uh- s-sorry..." Am I really that scary? On another note, why does he hate getting help from me? I'm helping him, aren't I?