I Have an Invisible Stalker (Guardians #1)

Chapter 11

Olivia's POV

I close my eyes and prepare myself for the impact that I'm sure will end with something in my body broken. Instead of the hard asphalt, however, I feel a strong hand wrap around my upper arm and pull me back up. The same arm then moves around my waist and helps me step off the bus without as much as a single misstep.

The moment my feet touch the hard ground I look to my side to find Samuel standing beside me. Without as much as a glance, he removes his hand and takes a step away from me.

"Why did you help me?" I ask once the bus drives off. "Didn't you say that you aren't allowed to interfere with my life?"

"Don't take this as more than it is." He turns his back to me and heads in the direction of my house. "I helped you so I wouldn't need to deal with you going to the hospital again."

I'm about to follow him, but before I can take a single hop forward, my muscles scream in protest. I have obviously overestimated the amount of hopping I am able to endure in one morning. With a loud sigh, I lower myself onto the sidewalk and rest the crutches on the ground beside me.

"What are you doing?" Samuel returns to my side.

"You go right ahead." I wave in the direction of my house. "I need a short break and then I'll be right behind you."

He stares at me for a moment and then crouches down beside me. Without asking for my permission, he grasps my right arm and slings it over his shoulders. Then he wraps his left arm around my back and orders, "Grab the crutches."

I have just enough time to wrap my fingers around the crutches before he hauls us to our feet. While supporting most of my weight, he begins to lead us in the direction of my house.

"Don't misunderstand," he repeats. "I don't feel like standing in the middle of the street. That's all."

I stare at his profile for a second and then open my mouth to question the truth of his words. Right at that moment, however, we round the corner onto the street my house is on and my eyes land on a couple standing thirty feet away from us. I immediately recognize Brooke's ash blonde hair and bright red lips, but I don't recognize the back of the tall guy standing in front of her. From his position, all I can see is the back of his chocolate brown hair and the wide arch of his shoulders.

"Brooke!" I call out.

The moment her name leaves my lips Samuel removes his arm off my back and throws my right arm off his shoulders. The unexpected action causes me to lose my balance and I go tumbling to the ground. I'm barely quick enough to brace the fall with my hands, so I don't fall flat onto my face.

"What are you doing?" I prop my body onto my lower arms and glare up at Samuel.

"If you wanted me to keep helping you, you shouldn't have called the other human."

"Liv." Brooke rushes to a stop in front of me. "Are you okay?"

"No." I continue to glare at Samuel, while Brooke helps me back onto my feet.

"Where have you been?" Brooke asks once she makes sure I have both crutches back underneath my armpits.

"I went to the intersection from the accident to see if I could remember anything."

Brooke freezes with her hand in the middle of flicking her hair behind her shoulder. "Did you remember anything?"

"No." My shoulders slump in defeat, but then I remember something that immediately causes them to rise back up. "Who was the guy you were talking to?" I glance behind Brook's back, but there's no one there anymore.