She mutters under her breath as she walks off and Derek sighs. “Finally…”
“Derek, you can put me down.” I motion to the other side of the room. “There’s a sitting area over there.”
Without replying, he carries me toward that way…just as the serial-killer-receptionist reappears with a blond woman wearing scrubs (who’s probably in her forties).
I know, I know…but I can’t help guessing.
“Gertrude tells me you’ve twisted your ankle,” the scrubs lady says, looking at me, “is that true?”
I look at Derek then back at her. “We think I twisted it.”
“Well, I’ll have a look-see at it.” She smiles. “Follow me.”
So we do, but not without getting a dirty look from Gertrude.
“Set her down on that bed please,” the nurse/doctor says, motioning to a bed in the room. “I’m Diane by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” I reply as Derek awkwardly sets me on the bed.
“Okay.” Diane sits on the stool across from me. “Let’s see what we have here. Does this—”
“YES!”
Chapter 28: Just a Concerned Boyfriend
——————————————————
My ankle is indeed twisted, sprained—whatever.
Everyone’s just thankful that it’s not broken.
Mom and Dad have been babying me like crazy and I feel bad because it was really my own fault.
And not only do I have to be constantly putting ice on my ankle, I’m not allowed to put pressure on it…so I’ve been sitting most of the time. And if I’m not sitting—well, then I’m hobbling around on my crutches.
Yeah, crutches.
I’m surprised I haven’t been kicked off the cheerleading team yet.
“You should’ve taken your parents offer to stay at home from school,” Delanie comments as I struggle to put my books away. “I mean, if my parents said, ‘Del. Forget about school. Stay home.’ You can be sure that I would.”
“That’s great, Del,” I wheeze out while still trying to put my books away. “I’ll remember that next time.”
“Here, Britt.” Derek suddenly appears, taking my books from me. “I’ll do it.”
I childishly pout as he puts them away. “I almost had it.”
“Yeah right, Brittany.” Delanie snorts. “You were like a poor, helpless T-Rex who—”
Her eyebrows crease. “What? Why are you guys looking at me like that?”
I roll my eyes and try to close my locker door which Derek just ends up doing. “I was going to do that!”
He shrugs. “I was helping you.”
“I could’ve done it,” I grumble, trying to lock my locker. “Stupid—”
“Want me to do it?” Derek offers.
I sigh and back up some. “Go ahead.”
“There.” He easily locks it and turns to me. “Done.”
“Thanks,” I mutter in a bitter tone, “you’re my hero.”
The sarcasm is heavy in my reply, but I really don’t care as I start making my way toward the cafeteria.
“Hey.” Derek comes jogging beside me. “I didn’t mean to make you mad.”
“I’m not mad.” I stop and look at him. “I’m frustrated, Derek.”
“Okay.” He nods. “I didn’t mean to frustrate you then.”
“It’s not you, Derek…it’s me.” I motion to my crutches with my head.” It’s my own stupid fault that I’m stuck with these.”
“The doctor said you only have to use them for five days or so.”
“Yeah,” I agree, “or so…what if it’s longer?”
“Then you’ll be the trooper that I know you are and push through it,” Derek replies in an encouraging tone. “No biggie.”
“Easy for you to say.” I sigh. “You don’t have to get other people’s help and have your mom drive you to school.”
She insisted on walking me to my locker this morning when I tried to assure that I’d be fine, and then she commented on how the school should have elevators for the students that need it.
So I tried to explain that they do have elevators, but they’re for handicapped students and school staff…after that, I had to assure her that I was not handicapped.
She still wanted to use the elevator anyway.
“I can drive you to school,” Derek offers as if it’s no big deal. “You just didn’t ask, so I—”
“No!” I exclaim. “That’s the point! I don’t want to be driven everywhere…I want to drive myself everywhere!”
“You will,” he assures me, “you said so yourself. This isn’t permanent.”
“I know…” I trail off. “I know.”
“So,” he drawls, “why don’t we get some lunch?”
“Okay.”
So Derek walks while I hobble to the cafeteria.
He then holds open one of the doors. “After you.”
“Thanks,” I say, going into the room.
“Go ahead and sit down.” He offers me a sympathetic smile. “I’ll get your lunch.”
Before I can protest, he practically runs off to the cafeteria line and I make my way to an empty table with a sigh.
I carefully sit down and lean my crutches against the table. “Never in my life have I been so glad to sit down…”
After Diane checked my ankle, Derek called my parents and the next day I was at the doctor’s office where we were given instructions and the crutches…my unwanted companion.
Delanie was upset that it happened—but more upset that I missed her birthday speech.
When I apologized though, she just said not to worry about it because she’s having DVDs made.
Only Del.
Liv was incredibly shocked, and kept asking if I was okay.
Honestly, I just twisted it.
It’s not like I lost my leg or something.
Okay, so I’ve been having many mixed feelings about the whole situation…
Zach called me and asked how I was and wanted to know if he should come or not—it took me almost a half hour to convince him that I’m fine.
My ankle still hurts some, but nothing like it did Saturday night and that’s mostly because the doctor gave me some pain medicine.
Plus a lot of people have been nice enough to open doors for me and pull chairs out to make my life easier—people I don’t even know!
Of course, there are people like Savannah though, who just totally ignore you…
“There you are,” Liv says, sitting across from me. “Did you have to walk here by yourself?”
“I hobble, Liv,” I correct her, “and no…Derek came with me.”
“Oh good.” She rips the plastic off her utensils. “Want me to get you some lunch?”
I shake my head. “Derek’s getting it for me.”
It suddenly occurs to me that I never did get to ask her where she was for the majority of Del’s party or why exactly she was dancing with Derek…
“I saw you and Derek dancing together at Del’s party,” I comment casually as she begins to eat.
“Was that okay with you?” Her head shoots up. “I thought it would be…I wasn’t trying—”
“Liv,” I interrupt her, “it’s fine—I was just trying to make conversation.”
Her eyes go to her tray. “Oh.”
My eyebrows crease. “Are you okay?”
She nods, looking up slightly. “I’m fine.”
“You sure?” I press. “Is it Liam?”
“No, it’s—”
“Here you go,” Derek says, setting a tray down in front of me, “your lunch.”
As grateful as I want to be…I can’t.
Liv was just about to tell me what was wrong.
Derek ruined it.
I force a smile. “Thanks.”
He sits down next to me. “No prob.”
“Hello, gorgeous-people-except-Connors,” Delanie greets us, sitting beside Liv. “I bear gifts!”
She pulls three DVD
cases out of the birthday bag she’s holding and hands one to each of us. “You’re welcome.”
I stare blankly at the DVD’s purple and zebra-ish printed cover that has a picture of Del winking on the front of it, with the title: “Del’s Day!”
Derek raises an eyebrow. “Your party was at night, Moore.”
“It covers my whole birthday, Connors.” Delanie shoots him a dirty look. “Duh.”
He rolls his eyes. “Whatever…”
“It looks great, Del,” Liv says with a smile, and I nod in agreement.
Delanie flips her hair over her shoulder. “I know.”
Liv unscrews the cap off her water bottle. “You aren’t going to eat, Delanie?”
Del examines her nails. “Darren’s getting it for me.”
I blink. “You guys are still together?”
She sighs, obviously aggravated. “Don’t sound so surprised, Britt.”
“I’m surprised,” Derek puts his two cents in. “I figured he would’ve broken up with you already.”
Delanie narrows her eyes at him. “You’re such a—”
“Your lunch, babe,” Darren says, setting a tray in front of Delanie.
“I was talking, Darren,” she snaps, instead of thanking him, “so rude.”
He sits beside her, setting his own tray down. “You’re welcome.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She waves him off. “Whatever.”
Derek motions to my tray. “You’ve hardly touched your food.”
Before I can reply, Del beats me to it. “What are you, her dad?”
“Just a concerned boyfriend,” Derek responds in an even tone. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
I sigh. “Guys—”
“She happens to be my best friend,” Delanie retorts. “So it actually is my business.”
“Do you think that maybe for once you can just—”
“I LOVE SWIMMING!” I blurt out before Derek can finish.
Swimming? Really?
Where did that come from?
Everyone at the table looks at me with confused/“what-the-heck?” expressions and Delanie raises an eyebrow. “You what?”
Brilliant, Brittany…you’ve once again made yourself look like a crazy person.
“I love swimming,” I reluctantly repeat my words.
“And?” she coaxes with an impatient look.
“And,” I echo, “I can’t wait…till I can…swim again.”
Wow. Just wow.
“Well then,” Derek says in a light-hearted tone. “We’ll have to go swimming when your crutches-time is up.”
Did he—he did not…tell me he didn’t.
Go swimming with Derek?
That is a horrible idea. Things are awkward enough as it is without us going swimming together too.
“No, that’s okay.” I force a slight laugh. “We don’t have to go swimming…I don’t love it that much.”
Way to go, Britt. You’re an idiot.
Chapter 29: You Can If You Really Want To
——————————————————
Once my last class is over, I gather my stuff and carefully get up with the crutches.
“I’ll be so glad when I’m done with these,” I mutter under my breath.
“How’s it going?”
My head shoots up and I almost choke at the sight of Blake. “Blake, hi…I’m—it’s going.”
“That’s good.” He motions to my right leg. “So how’s the leg?”
“My ankle,” I correct him. “And it’s okay…I guess.”
“Right.” He nods. “Your ankle—sorry.”
“Yeah…” I trail off. “Well, I’m going to go now.”
“Wait,” he suddenly says, “let me carry your stuff.”
“No, that’s okay.” I shake my head. “You don’t ha—”
He smiles. “I want to.”
Oh, that smile…and those eyes, and that hair.
Snap out of it, Britt! Quit drooling!
Drool?
I quickly swipe a hand over my mouth and thankfully there’s no slobber.
But of course Blake is looking at me with a mixture of confusion and—to be honest?
I don’t know what else.
There’s definitely something else there though.
“Uh,” I say, letting my hand drop, “you can if you really want to.”
He doesn’t say anything, but just continues to stare at my face.
Okay, I already checked for drool. What else is he looking at?
Crap. What if I have a zit?
A huge, fat zit smack in the middle of my forehead!
No. That can’t happen.
I have to get to my locker—fast.
Without saying anything, I go around him as quickly as possible and begin to make my way to the classroom door.
“Britt, wait!”
Sorry, Blake, but I need to—
“Hey.” He stands in front of me. “I’m sorry. I zoned out I guess.”
At least he doesn’t deny it like someone I know…
“It’s okay.” I laugh, feeling somewhat awkward. “I’m just—” I stop when he carefully takes my bag from me. “What are you doing?”
“I told you…” He slips the backpack strap over his shoulder and then takes my books. “I want to carry your stuff.”
I blink and he cocks an eyebrow. “Are we going?”
“Okay,” I agree in defeat, “let’s go.”
Zit or no zit, I can’t turn him down…not when he’s being so, perfect.
We leave the classroom, collecting (once again) curious looks as we go down the hallway.
“So how’d you—”
“Twist my ankle?” I cut in. “It was my own fault, honestly…I turned the wrong way.”
“Well, most injuries happen when people aren’t paying attention.” he states in a matter-of-fact way. “You’re obviously one of those people.”
Obviously—way to rub it in, Blake…
Once we make it to my locker, I reach to unlock it when he does it for me.
Wait, he knows my combination?
He must notice my shocked expression because he asks, “What?”
I mutely shake my head.
Nothing, except…who the heck else knows my locker combination?
Blake gives me a weird look as he opens my locker door and I am so glad that I took down those pictures when I did.
I watch as he puts my stuff into the locker and then remember my zit, so I quickly glance at my door’s mini mirror and examine my face.
No zit…good.
“All right,” he says before closing and locking my locker door. “There you go.”
“Thanks, Blake.” I smile. “I appreciate it.”
“No prob.” He shrugs. “How ‘bout—”
“Blake!” Savannah exclaims, suddenly coming beside him and wrapping an arm around his. “I was looking for you!”
I liked her better when she was at home with a cold…just saying.
“Sav, hey,” he greets her, “I was—”
“We have to go,” she cuts him off. “Remember? Outfits for my birthday dinner?”
“I know.” Blake nods. “And—”
“Baby,” she huffs, “if—”
Her eyes drop to my bag that he’s still holding and then she looks back at him. “What are you doing with that?”
He motions to me. “I was helping Brittany.”
She raises an eyebrow. “You were carrying her stuff?”
“Yeah,” he drawls, “I—”
“She has a boyfriend for that,” she snaps at him, “not you.”
He sighs. “Sav…”
Savannah snatches my backpack from him and practically shoves it at me. “Here.”
Somewhat startled, I manage to slip the strap over my left shoulder and Blake’s lips form a straight line. “Savann—”
“We need to talk.” Her head snaps in his direction. “Now.”
Blake mouth
s “sorry” to me before he follows her to who-knows-where, leaving me to stand in the hallway by myself.
Ugh, why is he with her?
My eyes are suddenly covered and someone asks, “Guess who?”
Derek.
Isn’t it always Derek?
“It’s you,” I reply, unable to hide my disinterest.
“You, who?”
I sigh. “Derek.”
His hands move and he steps in front of me. “You okay?”
“Yes…no, I guess.” I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
His eyebrows crease. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I lie with a shrug. “My ankle’s just really got me feeling bummed.”
Smart, Britt.
Blame the ankle.
“Okay.” He nods. “Well, let’s get you home.”
I stare at him in confusion. “What?”
“I’m your ride home,” he informs me, “I called your mom and told her I’d take you home.”
“Why would you—”
“To be nice,” he interrupts me, “and besides…you are my girlfriend after all.”
Right, how could I forget?
“Fine.” I sigh. “Let’s go then.”
“Are you sure it’s only your ankle that’s bothering you?” he asks, not budging. “Did something happen?”
“No, I’m just—” I stop and bite my lip. “Confused…I guess.”
His eyes shift as they study me. “About what?”
I laugh some. “I don’t know if I even know.”
And now he looks confused. “What do you mean?”
“Never mind,” I say, shaking my head, “just forget I—”
“No,” he cuts in, his tone stern, “explain…talk to me.”
“All right,” I agree in defeat. “Just not here.”
He takes my backpack from me. “We’ll take the long way to your house.”
Yay…
“You wait here,” he says once we’re outside, “I’ll bring my truck around.”
He jogs off toward the parking lot as I hear one of the school’s doors open then slam and Savannah rushes past me before stopping and turning around.
“You!” She points an accusing finger at me with narrowed eyes.
I raise an eyebrow. “Me?”
“Listen. To. Me.” She walks closer to me. “Blake is my boyfriend…whatever you and he had is over, ‘kay?”
“I know—”
“You don’t know anything,” she sneers, “otherwise you’d be smart and back off already.”
My Boyfriend's Best Friend Page 17
