Bombshells ~ Complete

Chapter Thirty-Three: Tough, Sweet, and Overprotective

Happiness is waking up in your own bed. Happiness is opening your eyes to see sunlight streaming through your curtains. Happiness is feeling that sunlight against your face. Happiness is feeling the refreshing feeling of your lips curling up, stretching the skin that had been at rest all night. 

Unhappiness is realizing you were supposed to be in school three hours ago. 

I popped out of bed, freaking out at the thought of being late on my first day back. It had been a week and a half, plenty enough time for the pain to dissipate and the skin to somewhat heal. Sure, it would take a couple weeks more for everything to go back to normal but I was well enough so that I could get up and go to school. 

Plus, I promised Kas I would be there. 

I rushed through getting ready, sprinted downstairs, clutched my still healing ribs that were not used to my running, and jogged to the kitchen. Lila was working at the table, a paper in front of her, coffee cup in hand, and glasses perched on her nose. 

"Goodmorning, Ariel. What are you doing up so early?" She asked. I looked at the clock. It was already eight forty. How could she say it was early? Unless... Ugh. I hated myself. 

"It's Sunday, isn't it?" I asked. She nodded, looking at me curiously. I sighed and set my bookbag down. Lila glanced at it before cracking up into adorable giggles. I rolled my eyes, a smile rising to my lips. 

"You thought it was Monday, didn't you? Oh, goodness. This is the funniest thing to happen to me all week." She said, her eyes twinkling with mirth. I couldn't help but chuckle. If my pain meant she was happy and laughing, well then, it was well worth it. But my ribs were really killing me.

It wasn't like I had a whole lot of exercise before I was stuck in the hospital for weeks. That being said, I was pretty out of shape. And my ribs weren't used to so much running even when I didn't have broken ribs. 

In simpler terms, I had poked the bear with a stick. And it felt like the bear was clawing me from the inside out. 

"That's good." I whispered, putting my hand up against my rib cage. Lila noticed and her smile fell. She walked over to me hesitantly.

"Do you want some help getting back to bed?" She asked, knowing that all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. I nodded quickly, hoping she wouldn't yell that I needed help. The last time she had done that another stampede had occurred, except it was a panicked stampede making it ten times more dangerous for me. 

"Alright. Stay there while I go get Kade." Lila told me. I agreed hastily. I wasn't fixing to argue that I didn't need help. Even though I could be stubborn, I wasn't stupid. I knew very well that I needed some help getting back up those stairs. 

Why was my room upstairs? 

It took another fifteen seconds for Kade to come running into the kitchen, all distressed and asking if I had fallen or needed to go to the hospital. I suppose the whole hospital thing had freaked the boys out more than they cared to admit. But I saw it in their eyes every now and again. 

The way they looked at me for a second too long. The way their hands reached out to help me when I got up. 

They were terrified I was going to get hurt again. 

If only they knew everything I'd been through. 

Speaking of my father, he'd only slapped me once or twice since I'd gotten home, which was a relief. I was afraid he was going to obliterate me in every way once we got home, but the boys were around me too much for him to do any real damage. 

"Calm down, doofus. I just ran down the stairs a little too fast, which in turn, irritated my ribs. I need some help back up the stairs." I said. Kade waited for a split second for me to raise my arms as far as I could, before swooping down and picking me up bridal style. 

Did these boys ever get tired of carrying me around?

"I am perfectly calm. Okay, maybe I was a tiny bit worried. But if you didn't do stupid things like that then I wouldn't have to worry so freaking much." He said, looking at me from the corner of his eye. He was pretty focused on the stairs. 

He didn't want to fall and hurt the both of us.

"Stupid things like what? Trying to be on time for school?" I asked sarcastically. His eyes widened and then he shot me a dry look. 

"It's Sunday." He said. I shrunk down on myself, which he obviously felt seeing as how I was still in his arms. We had almost made it to my room. But, he chose to let out a roar of laughter. The sound shocked me and I jumped a little, thus making me grunt in pain. Kade looked at me apologetically. 

"I figured that out now. Thanks." I snapped, holding in my pants of pain. Kade's shoulders slumped a bit. He didn't like my pain. It hurt him that he hurt me. 

"Sorry." He mumbled. I sighed. It wasn't like I had meant to snap at him. It just hurt like a mother-fluffer and I couldn't handle the pain and be nice all at once. So, I chose to handle the pain. 

"It's alright." I said. Kade set me down on the bed, took my shoes off for me, and then pushed me into a lying position. He pulled the thick, comfy comforter up to my chin, kissed my cheek, and started towards the door. 

"Have sweet dreams, Ari." He whispered at the door. His hand was on the knob. I didn't know what came over me the moment I opened my mouth. I just wanted to apologize for being so ungrateful for his help over the past few weeks. 

"Kade!" I yelped quickly. He turned and hurried back over to my side, checking to make sure I was still breathing. He wanted to make sure I wasn't being hurt. It was cute, but a little much. Don't you think?

"What's wrong?" He asked. His eyebrows furrowed when he couldn't find anything wrong with me. I smiled a tiny bit up at him. He looked even more confused when I scooted over and pat the empty side of the bed next to me. 

"Stay with me?" I asked. 

Kade hesitantly looked at the bed but I pulled out my puppy eyes. He bit his lip, rolled his eyes, muttered a 'Screw it' and hopped into bed with me. 

I curled up into a ball into his side. He put his arm under my head, and I found it was a pretty good pillow. 

And to be honest, I think it was the best, deepest sleep I'd had in years. The only time I had ever found peace like this... I was dying.

The last thing that ran through my mind was that lying there, cuddling with my tough, sweet, overprotective big brother... I was almost dying of happiness.