Her Only Hero

Chapter 34

The brilliant golden light fills the room. The trees blowing in the breeze outside the window create dancing shadows on the bed.

I squint and turn away from the blinding window to find the bed empty on the other side. Untangling the blankets off me and throwing them to the side, I sit up, groaning, tense with an aching pain.

My beanie sit on the edge of Misty's side of the bed, and I reach over and pull it on to hide my wild, tangled hair.

It takes me a moment to gather the strength and motivation I need to get of out the bed. My muscles protest the entire way up and I let out an extended groan.

Purple bruises cover my abdomen and chest. The cut on my hip, under a bandage, burns, and I wonder how I could have slept with the agony of it. I touch my fingers to my split lip, and feel the swollen area with my tongue.

Standing, my ankle protests with pain but I can manage to put weight on it without suffering too much.

Finding the red shirt Jonah had gotten for me on the floor, I throw it on while I walk out of the room and towards the kitchen, making a quick pit stop to the bathroom.

In the mirror, I check out my face. My lip feels worse than it looks. A little purple, a healing split, and noticeably swollen. I have a bruise below my eye and a dark bruise around my neck, and I notice a slight difficulty with breathing.

I hear the chatter and laughter before I step into the kitchen. A delicious smell wafts through the house, drawing me towards the room faster and causing my stomach to rumble.

Misty sits at the small rectangular table with
Wyatt next to her at the end of the table and Axel and Jonah sitting opposite her. Plates, forks, knives, syrup, and a tall stack of pancakes fill the table.

I glance at the clock on the kitchen wall to discover the time. One pm. I expected to have slept longer. Maybe that's why I'm still not feeling one hundred percent. Although, I doubt sleep will solve that problem.

The blue shirt I put on Misty last night has been replaced with a purple and blue tie die shirt that I can imagine Misty picking from Jonah's cupboard herself. Her messy hair has been brushed, and the absence of the dirt that covered her skin last night lets me know she's had a shower.

I can see the scratches on Axel's arms. Bright red. But the bruise along his jaw stands out the most. Purple and blue. It looks sore, but he doesn't show it as he talks, laughs, and eats.

Wyatt's busted lip looks worse than mine. Cracked in two places. More swollen. Bruises cover his lips, nose, and cheeks. He holds onto his ribs.

Jonah's arm in a sling has a purple bruise peeking out from under the material. He has two small bruises on his face, but nothing like the rest of us. The way he sits and holds himself tells me he's suffering more in the abdomen and chest.

Misty bursts into another fit of laughter. I used to hate her laugh. I found it irritating, obnoxious, and too loud. But now, as it bounces off every wall, echoing throughout the house, I can't help but be grateful that I get to hear it again.

I'm sure I'll never hate it ever again after last night. Last night has changed so much. Myself included.

I have been closed off and withdrawn for years; hiding behind the towering, strong walls I built up when I was young. The frightful night has begun to break down my walls and open up my heart. It took one night to make me a new person.

I watch Misty throw her body back in laughter so much that I worry she may fall off the chair that she kneels on. Axel keeps talking to her, smiling, but over her laughter, I can't make out a word he says.