Delicate ✔

Chapter Sixteen

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  "Now what exactly happened?," the female EMT asks us as she gently finishes patching up my elbow.

I manage to make myself refrain from crying as I explain the events that had just taken place. I'll probably be crying later now that my mom knows what happened. The EMT said that she had to have a parent give her permission to patch me up. I didn't get to speak to my mother on the phone, but I know she'll be furious with me when she gets home. She listens intently. Justin seems to be in deep thought. His elbow is rested on the kitchen table and his brown eyes stay open, but they don't seem to be really focusing on anything.

After the woman leaves, I timidly peek over at Justin. He looks up after a moment and sighs.

"Your parents are going to be pissed."

"Probably," I mutter. "And, uh, thank you again for helping me out back there."

"That old man really ticked me off. How is it our fault the dog attacked you? Your Mom is going to think I started it somehow."

"And I will tell her the truth. You didn't," I say in a stern voice.

Justin shouldn't be blaming himself for this. That dog was agitated, but I don't know why.

"It is my fault though. If I didn't have to have my cigarettes, you would have been fine."

The next words rolled off my tongue before I thought them through. "You shouldn't smoke in the first place."

His head snaps up and he glares at me for a moment, making my eyes widen.

I shake my head quickly. "Sorry! I shouldn't have said that."

It's not my place to tell him what to do and what not to do. My cheeks flame in embarrassment. That was rude of me.

His shoulders slump and he sighs. "Maybe you're right."

What? Justin always thinks he's right.

"The point is, it is my fault it happened. I hope I don't get you in too much trouble."

I feel my pocket vibrate. I fish out my phone and answer, after glancing to see it is my mother calling.

"H-Hey, mom," I answer hesitantly.

Her voice is condescendingly calm. The kind of calm that you know is forced. She's trying not to go off. My best bet is to reassure her that everything will be okay.

"I'm not going to yell," She breathes. "And I'm not going to hammer you with questions. I've left work. I'm on my way home, Aubrey," she drawls.

"I'm fine, mom. You don't need to leave early. You probably have a lot of things to do," I frown over at Justin.

"I already canceled my next meetings. Bye," she says curtly, hanging up on me.

My wide eyes make their way to Justin's once more. He raises an eyebrow.

"That bad, huh?"

"She didn't yell, but I think she's secretly..."

He guesses "Pissed off?"

I nod. "Yeah."

Justin groans, shaking my head. "Ugh. This is my fault. I don't want you taking the blame for this."

"It's my fault too. I shouldn't have went with you."

"I shouldn't have provoked you to," he says moodily.