Fucking hell, this was all my fault.
Austin told me not to get on the roof, but I’d been so fucking insistent about helping him. I wasn’t even sure why, but I reallywanted him to accept me into his life. There was no possible way for me to be in Evie’s and not his. So I’d tried, but in trying, I hadn’t listened.
“We gotta take your piercings out?—”
“Fuck no,” I groaned.
“You fell off a roof. You need a CT, okay? We’re taking them out.”
“Leave cock ones in?” Words were hard to form right now. My head was throbbing and there was a sharp stabbing pain radiating up my left side. I felt like a complete idiot.
There were a couple gasps around me from the nurses, but Matthew wasn’t fazed, given he’d seen every single one less than twelve hours ago.Dammit.This was not how I’d expected my Wednesday to go. Now all of Whynot was gonna know my dick had jewelry.
“We have to take them out in case you also need an MRI. I’ll do it. You’re going to be okay, we just need to be thorough.”
Matthew’s hand slid into mine and he gave me a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
“I have to ask. Did Austin push you?”
“What?” I started to lift my head, but someone pushed it down. Possibly Matthew. I groaned. “Of course not. He might hate me, but not like that. Jesus. Did someone say that?”
“Yeah.” Matthew exhaled in relief. “I didn’t think he would, of course. But I had to ask.”
I shook my head, then squeezed my eyes shut as the room started to spin. Austin was a lot of things, but he’d never hurt someone like that on purpose. And that was saying something, since the two of us used to go a few rounds after school.
“All right, Nick. I’m sorry. This is going to suck.”
“Do your worst. I trust you.”
* * *
By the time I was wrapped up and ready to be discharged, the sun had set. I had a fucking concussion and my ribs were severely bruised, but nothing was broken.
I was lucky.
I was also a dumbass.
Matthew walked me out into the lobby of the emergency room, and my steps froze when I spotted Evie. She and June were seated in a corner, their heads leaned against each other, and they’d both fallen asleep.
“How long has she been here?” I whispered.
“All day,” Matthew murmured. “I tried to get them to go home earlier, but Evie wouldn’t leave, and June wanted to stay with her.”
“You’ve been here all day too,” I said.
“I have.” He rubbed the back of his head. “At least we got your piercings back in.”
I fought a chuckle, then winced as pain splinted through my back. “God, don’t make me laugh right now. I feel like I’m ninety.”
“Well, thankfully you’re not. Otherwise I don’t think you’d have been so lucky.”
I wanted to kiss him. Or hug him.Something.
“When do you get off?” I asked under my breath.
Matthew glanced up at the clock behind the front desk. “Two hours ago.”
“Let’s go home,” I said. “Can you be seen walking out with me or is that a patient doctor violation or something?”