Not that bad // Rhea Ripley

97 - Another Life

 "We were broken and bleeding but never gave up"

 Motionless In White

"What?" I asked anxiously. "What about it?"

"It is definitely not fine." She sighed. "Your right eye is fully dilated, when the other seems normal."

"I- I stopped because my vision was getting blurry. And I didn't want to risk us having an accident or something." I looked away. "I thought that taking a break would fix it."

"I told you I should have been the one driving Roxanne." She sighed. "Give me the keys."

"But you hate driving at night." I argued.

"And I also hate seeing you in pain." Her voice was stern, and it was rare for me to hear her like that. "Now give me the keys, and rest for the remaining half hour."

I perfectly understood that I had no choice but let her drive, and as much as I was tired, I didn't want to sleep and leaver her alone for the road. I heard her sigh a little every time she looked towards me, and saw that I wasn't asleep yet.

The checking in the hotel was as silent as the road had been, and I hated that. It wasn't a calm, and peaceful type of silence, it was tensed, and full of untold and lingering things.

While Demi took her shower, I changed, and used a painkiller, just so I could try and get some sleep. I usually hate taking those, and will only do in last resort. My phone buzzed with a message.

From Michael:

"Hey girl, words going around that you got injured???

U okay?"

From Roxanne:

"Hey, might have a broken nose, but I'll be fine!

I'm seeing the doc tomorrow, I'll update you.

And am I that famous yet?"

From Michael:

"My mom watches with your mom

So she asked me

you should probably reassure your mom too."

I continued talking with him for a while, while also texting my mom to reassure her that I was okay. Once Demi left the bathroom, I put my phone down, and looked at her.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked hesitantly.

"I'm not mad." She sighed, sitting on the bed, drying her hair. "I just got scared for you. And I appreciate the fact that you accept to drive when I don't want to, but you don't know where to stop, for your own good. You were clearly not fine, and I don't know if I'm sad that you lied, or sad that I couldn't see it."

"You just probably have so much on your mind already, I didn't want to add to it." I looked down. I fully acknowledged that I acted like a teenager, by trying to hide that I wasn't feeling fine. I felt like 16 years old Roxanne all over again.

"You're the one that's on my mind all the time Roxanne." She smiled a little. "We're living our dream together right now, and I don't want that to stop because of that stupid bitch hurting you, and you not taking care of you enough. I'm not mad at you baby, but I want you to be okay."

"I'm sorry love, I really am." I admitted, ashamed. "That was a dumb reaction from me."

"I know you're sorry." She moved to kiss the top of my head. "Now sleep, tomorrow I'm taking you to the doctor myself, and you're not driving until you get cleared."

"Thank you for being such an amazing human being Demi."

"Shh, you're talking too much."

She laughed as she grabbed me, and helped me lay down next to her, my head on her chest. I don't know if it's the painkiller or the love, but I started feeling better. My head was still hurting, but the throbbing pain had left. Demi's fingers were playing with my hair, at least until I fell asleep.

When we woke up, the pain wasn't unbearable anymore. I still felt a little dizzy and nauseous, but overall less shitty than yesterday. I got up from Demi's arms, and went to get a shower. I stopped to take a look at my eye. Oh, so now I understand why. It was still weirdly dilated on just one side, and an awful bruise was starting to form around my nose and eyes. I sighed, and cursed the redhead bitch under my breath. I took a really quick shower, as my head was still spinning, and the hot air filling the bathroom wasn't helping. I exited the small bathroom with just a tower wrapped around me, thinking Demi would still be asleep, and I could just sneak in, get my clothes and go back to the bathroom to change. But she was very awake, scrolling on her phone, in bed. She looked up when she heard the door open.

"O-Oh." She smiled a little, and got up, closing the distance towards me. "I'm pretty happy I slept less than usual."

"Ah, come on." I was blushing as hard as ever, and refused to look towards her.

"Hey." She grabbed my chin between her fingers, to prevent me from looking elsewhere. "You're hot, cupcake."