Withfiveminutesleft,we are scrambling to find the code to the door. All the clues lead to this moment where we will find the treasure and win. As Sydney puts in the code, we cheer as the lock clicks and the door swings open. Yes! We did it! The lights flash in celebration and we cheer as we go to leave the room.
Arden is behind me again but he’s keeping his distance, has been for the whole second half of the game, but I know what he’s thinking. Because I’m thinking the same thing.How fast can we get home?
The flashing lights blind me momentarily as we head toward the door and I don’t notice a container that we had moved while in our hunt to find the answer to the clues.
“Dani, watch out—” I hear Arden’s voice but it’s too late. Tripping over the box, I go flying, my head hitting the wall in front of me and my wrist turning at an unnatural angle as I try to catch myself. I go spiraling toward the ground and pull my hands up to protect my head from the floor, even though I’ve already hit it once. No one needs a double brain injury.
“Ouch,” I say, laying on the floor and mentally assessing the damage. My head hurts, my wrist is twisted, my ego is bruised. I should get up but I can’t shake the feeling of embarrassment.Had to go and eat shit in front of Arden, huh?
Speaking of which, he’s kneeling at my side, a look of absolute horror on his face. From his expression, you’d think I’d died, instead of just gotten a bit banged up.
“Dani, are you okay?”
I go to nod my head but the motion sends a pound of pressure around my skull. Maybe I’m not as good as I think I am. “I hit my head.”
“Yeah, pretty good too.” He goes to put his hand on my head to help support it but hesitates. “Am I allowed to move you?”
I breath out a chuckle, using my good wrist to prop myself up, much to Arden’s horror. “I banged my head. I don’t have a spinal injury.”
“Are you sure though? How can you be sure? You should just stay down—”
I cut him off by using his shoulder to heave myself off the ground. Arden grabs my waist to help me stand steadily.
“Did you hurt anything else? Ankles, knees?”
“My wrist,” I gesture toward my, luckily, left wrist as it hangs limply at my side. I know enough about the human body at this point to know that it’s most likely a small sprain that would need to be wrapped up for a few days. No doctor necessary. “And my pride. That’s a little bruised.”
Arden rolls his eyes. “Oh please, I’ve seen you do way worse.”
“Excuse me?”
Arden shuffles us gently toward the door to the lobby where Margot and Sydney are definitely wondering what the hell happened to us.
“Remember when in high school and you were jumping on our trampoline—”
“Stop.”
“And your leg gave out so you—”
“Please, I’m begging.”
“Your whole body just folded like a beach chair. Oh man, that was hilarious.” Arden is laughing so much right now and all I want to do is shove my elbow into his stomach. So, I do. But not hard enough to make impact. Just hard enough for him to lean down from the assault and place a very gentle kiss to my cheek.
We come into the lobby and Arden releases his grip on my waist but moves his arm to around my shoulder instead, keeping a hand on to make sure I don’t keel over from a concussion, I’m sure.
“What happened?” Margot asks, noticing I’m cradling my wrist against my chest and holding a hand to my head.
“I fell down.”
Sydney gasps. “What? Just now?
I nod and the motion increases my headache. “Yep.”
Arden tightens his grip on me. “We should get home so you can lay down and get some ice on these bruises.”
“Okay,” I don’t argue because an excuse to lay down is always welcome. “You guys hanging for a while?”
Margot looks at her watch and then at Sydney. “I have that meeting soon. Should probably get going.” Sydney nods too.