Paper Hearts

40

Luke had to carry me upstairs that night. I couldn't even see straight, much less think straight. He opened the door and set me down on the bed as gently as he could, and I let out a soft moan as he did so, pain shooting up and down my stomach.

"What?" he asked, and his voice was panicked. "What is it?"

"My ribs." I told him, wincing in pain.

I didn't dare to move, petrified by the fear that I would feel the pain again if I did, and I could feel Luke's gaze on me.

"Get changed, and then I'll make sure you're okay," he told me finally, his voice final and decisive. "I'll be right outside the door."

I nodded, slowly working myself up into a sitting position, the pain ringing in my chest causing me to bite my lip so hard it bled.

Luke exited with a final, nervous glance, and I slowly changed out of the dress and into sweats and a T-shirt, too tired to do anything else, carefully sitting back down on the bed.

"Can I come in?" he called from outside, and I replied with a weak,

"Yeah."

He entered, leaving the door open for good measure. My hand shot out to clasp his, and he gripped onto it as he asked,

"You said your ribs hurt?"

"Yes." I replied, slightly breathless. It was as if every lungful of air I took triggered a new wave of pain.

"Do you mind if I-?" his voice trailed off, and I noticed that he was just barely lifting the bottom of my shirt upwards.

"Go ahead."

"I won't lift it any higher than your stomach, I swear," he said, and I held back a laugh at the tight, embarrassed look on his face. Even in his crisp suit and tie, he looked flustered and awkward.

Slowly, carefully, he inched up the fabric, and I looked down to see the angry, purple-red skin that stretched over my midriff, letting out an audible gasp.

"The doctor never said it would get this bad," I whispered to myself, and he lowered my shirt, a shocked look in his gaze.

"You mean-this-this is from the car crash?"

I shook my head, unwilling to believe it.

"No, he said it would be fine, he said it would be okay."

"Victoria," Luke pressed, "Tell me what's going on."

My vision was growing hazier by the second, and I inhaled sharply, saying,

"We have to go. Oh, my God, we have to leave. I have to go see the doctor in Grayson; I have to go-"

"Wait, wait a second and calm down," Luke said, "I'm going to go get your mom, and we're going to sort this all out-"

"Luke," I said, my voice growing hysterical, "Dad tried to warn me; he told me I wasn't ready. They could be fractured, or infected, or worse-"

"Hemmings, if you don't calm the hell down, we'll never know. So just stay here, and let me get your mom-"

"No," I said immediately, stopping him. "No, you're right, it's nothing. Don't tell Mom; it's her wedding night. I'm fine. This is fine."

He paused, looking skeptical.

"Victoria-"

I shook my head, trying to get the ringing out of my ears.

"It's fine. I had too much to drink; I-I just need to sleep."