CHAPTER FIVE

hurt, cared for, but a love triangle? What?

I woke up the next morning in my bed, the pain on my leg had slightly subsided and Nathan wasn’t beside me. I didn’t expect him to be, it’s just that I suddenly missed his presence. We had enjoyed each other’s company the previous night. Besides being a sweet gentleman, who knew he was a joker, cracking up such good jokes and keeping the conversation going.

Nathan had prepared breakfast placing it by my bedside with a note written on a legal pad: I’ll be back at the afternoon, don’t hesitate to give me a call. P.S. don’t kill yourself ;)

I broke into a smile not only was he sweet, but he had a good sense of wit too. I once more grimaced as I leaned forward to search my drawers for painkillers. However, I was disappointed to find out I didn’t have any. It would be bothersome to call Nathan who should be in the office by now, I didn’t want to bother him since he had done this much already, and limped my way to the local pharmacy a few blocks away.

On my way there, I had stumbled, (how pitiful of me) on the sidewalk. A familiar voice crept behind me, looking up I had identified him as the reason behind my misery �" Christian.

“Well, well, look who do we have here… it’s the clumsy little Prosecutor.”

I scowled, I wasn’t clumsy, nor was I little. “Hey you jerk, I’m older than you!”

“You’re older, but you injured yourself pity, pity.” I didn’t really like his tone of voice, still big headed and disrespectful as always.

I smirked, pulling the collar of his shirt down as I pulled myself up, “I’ll see you in court Mr. Reynolds.” I growled shoving him as I limped once more towards the pharmacy a few feet away.

So this is how it felt to be crippled, I wasn’t really, but not having a better leg was all the same. I once more stumbled, and I could tell the jerk was humoring me. This time he had pulled me up from behind and cradled me into his arms. What am I 4? I seriously felt useless, always depending on others and yet again bridal showered at my destination.

Stacey, Nathan’s younger sister, had glared at me the moment she had seen me in another man’s arms from behind the glass see-through doors. “Big sis what happened, and why are you with him?” she eyed him as if he was some kind of pervert.

“You know her?” Christian said, looking down to meet my graze.

I nodded and turned to Stacey, “Forget it Stace, painkillers.”

“Oh right, Nathan said you sprained your leg, did you act so recklessly just to get here? You know big bro would be worried.”

“Save the scolding for later Stace, Nate had done a lot I can’t possibly bother him right now,” I extend my hand towards her, “now the painkillers please?”

Stacey nodded, mounting towards the medicine cabinet and placed the pink tablet in my palms. She had ushered to my side with a glass of water on hand, as I downed the bitter tablet. The pain didn’t fully go away you couldn’t expect it to take effect the moment you drink it right.

“You’re swollen foot is an eyesore.” Christian mumbled still cradling me in his arms (I totally forgot he was still carrying me)

“And whose fault was it?”

“I don’t know… who was clumsy enough to hurt herself?”

“You idiot,” I growled extending my hand to grab a handful those sharp golden threads of his, “you did this to me!”

He grimaced in pain, “The hell you talking about, blaming someone else for your stupidity.”

Stacey snickered I could tell she was humoring us. “What?” I said scowling at little miss goldilocks.

She shook her head, “Nothing, it’s just that if I was a complete stranger, I’d think you two were a cute bickering couple.”

“There is no way in hell I’d date this b*****d!”

“Same here,”

 “Anyway sis, he’s right. You won’t be able to join a beauty pageant with a leg like that. Did you get it checked at the clinic?”

“It’ll heal in no time.”

“Even so, you have to get it checked,” her tone made me feel like an elementary student getting scolded by my mother, this time, with the same bossy tone of voice she turned to face Christian, “sorry to bother you kind sir, she can be a little careless, could you bring her to the nearest clinic?”

Christian grunted, without saying a word he started to towards the exit. I leaned back at Stacey who had a devious look written all over her face, “You can’t possibly leave me with him!” I panicked, this time looking up to see his reaction, his grin widened, but he didn’t meet my graze.

“What’s the matter afraid I’d do something to you?”

“No, not at all.” I snorted frowning hard to the point that my two eyebrows met.

Awkward silence fell upon us I didn’t know why I didn’t resisted. To make it worst my palms were resting on the firm build of his chest. I can’t believe he was serious in bringing me to the clinic. We were a few blocks away when he had broken the silence between us.

“I was drunk so I don’t really remember.”

“So you admit that you did this to me.”

“I guess. That’s why I’m doing this right?”

We arrived at the clinic, it was packed, but luckily seeing how Christian was the son of the governor, he managed to have them prioritize me. There they told me that I had a dislocation of a joint on my ankle. If I just left it that way and didn’t seek medical attention, it would swell and end up as big as a pineapple, maybe even manifest into a tumor by the torn tissue. The only option was to operate it as soon as possible. Christian insisted on paying my bill despite my arrogant plea… maybe this was his way of calling it even for the multiple times he had almost endangered my life… maybe he wasn’t like his father after all.

By four, I had awakened from the narcotic they had given me. I felt a little hazy, but immediately identified Christian who had dozed off by my bedside. He had immediately jerked up by my sudden movement.

“The doctor said you’ll feel a little hazy, you shouldn’t be moving.”

“I’m fine.” I muttered balancing on my feet but failed to do so, as I fell into his arms.

“Sorry Prosecutor but you’ll be staying here until you’re fully healed.”

Like that’s going to happen. I can’t even stand a day staying home. Nathan burst inside the dull room unwelcomed, immediately dashing towards me and pulling my body into a hug. “Are you alright?” he whispered stroking my hair from behind, his body was tense as he held me. I could tell he was worried.

I nodded, “just a little dizzy.”

Nathan motions me aside, this time gripping Christian by the collar of his shirt. “Not only did you almost killed her a day ago and the day before that you have the guts to come here?”

“Nate, calm down. It isn’t entirely his fault,” I tugged on his shirttail, grimacing in pain as I pinched the bridge of my nose, “I just tripped on my way to the pharmacy.”

“I told you to call me when you need anything!”

“Nate, I can’t always depend on you all the time, you’re busy at work, I don’t need to waste your time just to get me some painkillers.”

“It’s not a waste of time Isa!”

The quarrel continued, I’ve never been this stressed before, in fact I’ve never seen this side of Nathan at all. We sounded like an old married couple, this not only irritated me but the younger Reynolds who had now stepped in. “Well someone is jealous,”

“What did you say punk?” Nathan gritted his teeth, if I didn’t know any better I’d think he’d be a werewolf in the verge of murdering his current prey.

Christian scoffed, flashing Nathan an insidious grin. “You heard me… women don’t like possessive guys, remember that.”

His words infuriated Nathan who had now slammed Christian against the wall, choking him with an arm over his throat. Before it could get bloody, I had managed to wobble and hug Nathan from behind. Believe me or not, this had made his tense body ease and he had finally released his grip over Christian, who had coughed as he clutched his throat, giving Nathan the same nasty glare.

“Nathan this is so not like you, please stop … I just want to go home.” I alleged sobbing silently as I continued to cling onto his waist. Nathan nodded turning around and scooped me in his arms. Without looking back, we had disappeared from Christian’s sight, and drove off silently back at my place.

Nathan had settled me back at my room, lying beside me as I still clung onto his warm chest. The tense atmosphere had broken off when Nathan trailed a kiss from my forehead down to my neck. “Nate…” I whispered resisting the temptation he was giving me, this however didn’t stop him as he sneakily slipped his hand under my blouse and traced my spine up to the hook of my bra, this time locking our lips. He pulled back, staring deeply in my eyes with his soft cerulean eyes, “Isa,” he paused taking in some air, “I know you only think of me as a really good friend, but I want to be more than that, I want you to be my girlfriend.”

“Is that a confession Prosecutor Hayes?” I giggled, this time moving myself up into a sitting position.

“You’re not taking me seriously Isa!” he pouted acting like a little child, although we were the same age he was childish as always. He sat up blushing this time I patted his head as I planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Then, Prosecutor Hayes, are you going to put me in jail for holding your heart captive?” I joked, pulling him down. I grimaced in pain, I forgot that I had just gone through an operation and my foot wasn’t even healed yet.

Nathan got off, taking my foot and placing it onto his lap. “Looks like we’ll have to reschedule on that one Prosecutor White.” He grinned with a dissatisfied look written all over his face as he worked his magic through his hands as he massaged the troublesome leg. His hold felt good, it brings me back to the time when we were young. Whenever I had growth pains or headache’s he’d use those pink fleshy soft hands of his as he personally gently kneaded on them.

Mr. and Mrs. Hayes were usually busy and so I was stuck with Nathan and the infant version of Stacey as they stay at my place with Josephine until late at night (maybe even spending the whole night there). I didn’t mind since we were almost like siblings (which makes it kind of awkward now) and we were tagged as inseparable because not only were we neighbors and best friends for twenty four years, we were partners in crime taking the same profession.

The truth is, being a prosecutor wasn’t Nathan’s first choice. He wanted to join the marines, but I was rather sickly when I was young, (another reason why we were always together) and so in order to stay by my side, he had become a prosecutor as well.

I always wondered how our relationship be if I wasn’t pulling onto his leg all the time and depending on him. If we hadn’t met, would he be the same Nathan I knew? Would he join the marines and fall for someone else? Serving the country was in his blood, if he didn’t fulfill his dream to join the marines, he had worked hard to become a better prosecutor and worked with the police force in the process.

I watched Nathan admire the smooth flesh of my leg gently holding them as if it were a treasure, and doing what he had been doing for twenty-four years: showering me with his love and care.

Author's Note

not really sure about the audience.