How to Destroy a Rich Boy

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Shit, Sophie, are you alright?"

 A heavy thud sounded as someone threw themselves down beside me. My eyes were still closed, and my head felt like it was throbbing. My entire body felt like one giant bruise, and all the muscles of my back, arms, and legs ached considerably. 

When I summoned enough energy to flicker my eyes open, I found Nathan's frame bent over mine. Those two luminous eyes of his burned brightly and scanned all over my face in concern. Suddenly, Nathan ripped his jacket off, and before I could say anything, he lifted my head slightly and tucked his jacket underneath my head. 

"Thanks," I croaked out weakly.

"I..er...I don't move. I-I'll call an ambulance. Let me get out my phone," he said, sounding slightly breathless as he frantically patted his front pockets for his phone.

"Wait, no," I said quickly, "I'm fine, Nathan, I just need to walk it off," I mumbled.

 Hesitantly and slowly, I lifted myself up into a seating position - the effort of such causing me to let out a stressed breath. Nathan's hand dashed to my back to help provide support.

As soon as I sat up, all the blood felt like it was rushing to my head. Closing my eyes briefly, I ignored it and stood up on shaky feeble legs. Nathan moved a hand to support me underneath my elbow. 

"Hey, you sure you're alright," he said softly, as his eyes darted back and forth between mine.

 I shrugged his arm off and felt my cheeks warm up slightly in embarrassment. I didn't like people coddling me; it made me feel weak.

 "Yes, yes, I'm fine. I'm just a fucking idiot, that's all," I laughed before taking my first step. 

My balance was wobblier than I anticipated, and I was forced to lean my body weight to one side due to the throbbing sensation burning throughout my knee.

Without even a goodbye, I limped quickly towards the direction of the exit, desperate to get home so I could cry about my pain in peace. I refused to be a wincing mess in front of Nathan - that wasn't cute or attractive.

 Annoyingly, Nathan quickly caught up with me in two long strides. "You...er.. forgot your drink," he said giving the white cup in his hand, a little wave. 

I glanced his way and gave him a barely-there smile. "Thanks," I said stiffly as I reached for it.

 Nathan quickly pulled it away before I could. "Nope, I'll hold it for you," he said sternly.

 I rolled my eyes. "You can stop treating me like a baby Nathan. I told you, I'm fine," I insisted.

"No, you're not; you fell out of a fucking tree," he said, his voice coming out somewhere between a disbelieving cry and laugh. 

"Yeah and?" I retaliated as I pushed angrily through the park gates.

 I heard him let out a frustrated sigh before catching up with me once again. "And you're clearly hurt! You're limping, for goodness sake, and who knows how many bruises you've got under your clothes," he lectured.

That caught my attention, and I managed a smirk through my pain. "Trust you, to be wondering what's underneath my clothes."

 "Gosh, would you stop with the jokes. I'm serious," he said, his voice slightly shaking. 

This time I looked at him properly and stopped walking. Oddly, he looked visibly stressed out, his eyes slightly crazed with hands that were clutching onto his drink a little too tightly. The weaker part of myself softened, finding the way he was looking at me similar to that of a frightened puppy.