Raven

Chapter 11

"Mama?" I groggily mumble as I slowly open my heavy eyelids.

My entire body hurts, especially my right ankle, my head is pounding, and my mouth feels like I ate cotton.

"I'm right here, baby," mama's voice quietly and gently as I feel her fingers gently brush through my hair. "You're gonna be just fine, I promise. Heath got you here in time, and he gave you the antivenom. You'll start feeling better in a couple of days, and be completely fine in about three weeks."

Swallowing thickly, I give her a tiny nod because of the headache, murmuring; "Okay. Can I have some water, please?"

"Of course, baby," mama agrees, grabbing a plastic glass that's filled with cold water, and has a bendy straw that she helps me carefully drink from after I have struggled to sit upright.

Pulling away from the straw, I thank mama softly with a groan while laying my head back against the pillows on the bed. There's a soft knock on the closed bedroom door, and mama tells whoever it is that they can come inside. Much to my surprise, Kyle, Kyler, Jace, Heath, Morgan and Abby enter the room, and stand around the bed, facing me and mama. I feel odd, yet weirdly warm and fuzzy with all of them in here, and looking toward me. Blushing at their intense gazes, they all softly chuckle at this, and I don't take it badly.

"How are you feeling, Raven?" Kyle inquires as he intently stares at me as if he's gauging my physical reaction to my verbal response.

Smiling widely at him with a nod; "I'm tired, sore, and my leg and ankle still feel like they're on fire, but I'm fine. I promise."

He nods, seemingly satisfied with my answer, and Kyler and Jace sit on the edge of the bed on both sides of my feet. They both rub my legs gently, Kyler on my left and Jace on my right side, and Jace's touch is so gentle that it feels barely there. Weakly smiling at them both for their sweet gesture, I lie the side of my face on mama's shoulder with a soft sigh of frustration at the situation. My eyes slam shut in sleepiness against my will, and I soon don't hear their soft murmurs as I slip into a deep sleep.

When I wake again sometime later, the room is dark and the light outside the house is dark as well. Carefully stretching my body before slowly sitting up, and swinging my legs off the side of the bed. Sitting like this for a minute to make sure I'm not dizzy, or anything weird, I slowly stand on my feet, testing out how stable I am.

Shrugging my shoulders at the dull ache in my right leg, I slowly make my way to the closed bedroom door, and make my way into the hallway once I've opened the door. Carefully and slowly walking down the hallway, and taking the steps one at a time to the bottom, and enter the living room where I find mama, Kyle, Jace and Kyler watching a movie.

"Good evening, sleepyhead," mama greets with a warm smile, and a soft laugh. "How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Robert left you some dinner in case you're hungry?"

Shrugging my shoulders as I stand with my weight mainly on my left leg as I solely look at mama, murmuring; "I'm kinda hungry, so I guess I'll eat. I'm feeling okay."

Quickly turning on my heel, I head into the kitchen to find the food Robert left for me because I'm sure he's already left for home. Robert's usually gone by eight at night at the latest, and Willa is usually gone by six. Opening the fridge door, I find a plate wrapped in aluminum foil, and I grab it out, shut the door, and lift an edge to find a yummy sight. Robert made biscuits and gravy, and even if the food isn't warm, it still smells wonderful.

Sitting at the snack bar, hot food and a class filled with milk, I dig into my dinner with a small amount of enthusiasm. I'm lost in deep thought when someone lightly drops their hand onto my right shoulder, and I flinch from the unexpected touch.

Bringing my head up slightly while chewing my bite, I find myself looking back at Jace who is smiling sheepishly at me; "My apologies, Raven. I didn't mean to startle you. I came out to give you some company while you eat, and see if you're really alright?"

Swallowing my bite with a dark crimson blush coating across my nose and cheeks; "I promise, I'm really fine. Yes, I'm sore and achy, but I'm fine thanks to Heath who I need to thank tomorrow for his quick actions. I appreciate you offering to come out here with me while I eat, but it's not needed if you want to finish the movie with them."

His smile brightens, making my insides turn into mush, and butterflies erupting in my belly; "But I want to spend time with you. You're really awesome, and I'd really like to know you better, and no time better than now."

I swear if he keeps being sweet like this, my entire body is going to combust from the inside out. I don't think I've ever had anyone ever be so kind to me other than mama, and Kyle and Kyler, recently of course.

"You're too kind, Jace," I whisper, quickly stuffing another bite of food into my mouth.

I'm trying to avoid saying anything that might embarrass myself in front of this handsome man. Jace is silent for a minute or two, so I dare to peek at him through my eyelashes, and I find him staring at me with a grin on his plump, pink lips.

"I'm not just being kind, Raven, I'm being absolutely serious," Jace quietly answers, and he winks when he notices my gaze. "I really like you, and I want to know you better."