Afterglow

raw

"He did what?!"

I winced at Vera's high pitched question all the while trying to bite down on the cloth that Evan had given me in preparation of getting the glass completely out of my foot.

I hadn't needed to go to the hospital because there weren't tiny pieces stuck in my foot, just one long shard that was easily removed, and the cut wasn't nearly as deep as all the blood had made it seem.

I barely made a sound as Evan removed the glass as Vera had stormed through the room with Blythe missing, probably to deal with the very same family drama that had made a mess in the hotel hallway. It didn't matter to me as long as I told myself it didn't.

I was dying inside, but they didn't need to know that.

"It doesn't hurt that bad, Evan. Can you just help me bandage it up please?"

"Yeah, hold still," he said while pouring some peroxide on the gash and I gasped out as the wound festered and bubbled up, the raw flesh singeing at the antiseptic.

"Sorry," he said and I only nodded, clenching my fists and breathing through the pain while he applied a thick towel to the throbbing, stinging injury to keep the bleeding to a minimum.

Sloane and Holden had returned to this room, which I assumed belonged to the couple considering it was the same floor as the one I'd shared with Lachlan the night before and had all of Sloane's hot pink luggage scattered about the room.

"Excuse me, I'm still wondering what my girlfriend's asshole brothers did to you!"

"I don't know the whole story, I just know that I walked up on Lachlan after Kate was bleeding from her foot with an evil look on her face and then she told that bitch off. He looked like he was going to cry after she yelled at him, it was awesome," Holden said and we all turned our eyes to look at him in confusion, wondering why he thought it was hilarious that I'd just yelled at his self proclaimed best friend.

"What? The guy's been a total ass for a while now, and it was nice to see someone put him in his place. Sorry about your foot though," he finished, coughing into his fist at the awkward atmosphere created by our confusion at his outburst, considering he hardly spoke unless it was to Sloane.

I sighed and winced yet again when Evan finished wrapping my foot.

"Thank you, Evan," I whispered through the pain, angry at the treacherous tears that sprang to my eyes from the pain. At least it was physical pain this time, not mental.

"Oh my god, Kate."

"What," I asked, looking at all the concerned and pitying stared looking down at me.

"That is the saddest thing you've ever said."

Vera pushed forward and I was seriously confused as she threw her arms around my neck.

"...what?"

"No, about how at least you're crying because it's physical pain and not mental pain this time. I promise you, we're not letting Lachlan within five feet of you from now on, and we're going to help you catch your son of a bitch sperm donor."

"Yeah, and I'm done being a bitch to you. I might not show it but I kind of love you, dummy. I'm a bitch when I'm jealous, and I'm almost always jealous of you. But when I thought you were going to die...well, anyway, you're not going to do this alone. We've got your back."

I was completely taken aback by the show of support from Sloane, astonished that she actually admitted that she was jealous of me.

"But- why would you be jealous of me?"