Saving Neba

𝐗𝐈𝐕: Amazing Species

Somehow, I'd lost track of time at the Valimenati family. The half-moon was shining through my window by the time I got back home. Tevessa and Tujan were such great company, too great.

I opened the door of my room, took off my pair of purple sneakers, and headed to the bathroom. Our bathroom was on the other side of the corridor. There were two doors before the bathroom, dad's room and mum's room. Rowan's was before mine.

I washed my hands and face hurriedly because I was too tired to get showered. I took off my trousers and pink blouse and stepped out of the bathroom.

Striding to my door and placing more weight on my left leg, I was just about to open it when someone cleared his throat.

"Ah!" Rowan leaned on the wall beside mum's room. His arms were crossed and if looks could kill, I would have been six feet under. I held my door handle defiantly. "What's your problem, Rowan? You scared me."

He huffed. "Where are you coming from?"

"Can you, like, turn around though? Or, at least let me get dressed or something."

He rolled his eyes, taking off his blue sleeved top. "Nothing I haven't seen before." He threw the top in my direction. "Where are you coming from?"

"Um... the coffee shop. I am not wearing your sweat-clad pyjama top!" I threw it back to him.

His eyes scanned my right leg. "What happened to your leg, Emery?"

"I got hurt."

"I can see that." He walked toward me as he put his top back on. "Emery, I went to your coffee shop and figured that you don't work on Sundays."

"Uh..."

"Emery, don't think about lying to me. Where are you coming from?"

I sighed, hoping it would make him think I was giving in. "Look, I went to go see my... er... Boyfriend?"

He hissed. "I'm not stupid, Em."

"But I'm serious. Stop looking at me like that. I need to go change into something." I opened the door of my room, turned around and limped inside.

I groaned with each step. This injury hurt like hell.

I tried to shut the door, but Rowan held it with his leg. He pushed it open, walked in and shut the door.

"Emery, the only person you love is King and you're not even dating him because you think he's got eyes for Sandra... or whatever."

"Well, I made a move. Listen, Rowan just get out of here and-"

"How did you get hurt? Who treated you?"

"Do I need a reason to get hurt!? Come on, it could be King's mother or anything, what's your deal, Rowan?" My leg was beginning to hurt from the standing so I got out a pink sweater and a pair of shorts. I turned my back to him, took off my bra, put the clean clothes on and lay on my four-poster bed, my head to the bed. "Do you mind? I have school tomorrow and you're seeping into my bedtime."

"You're not going to school tomorrow with a mysterious bandage around your leg. Do you realize how worried I and mum were?" I snapped my eyes open. "Are you crazy?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" I muffled in my bed. "Just leave me alone, Rowan, I don't want to talk about it. Please!"

I heard the door open and a few soft steps. The door shut again, my drawers slid open and there was the soft sound of cloth dropping on cloth. "Don't leave your clothes in the bathroom," Rowan said. "If you ever want to talk about... Whatever it is, I'm here, okay?"