A Hidden Picture

Forty four

~ Reed

I purse my lips as I try to stand up off my bed without help.

When I get halfway I groan and flinch in pain before sitting back down on the bed in defeat.

No. I will get up so I can put on some clothes. My ninety percent bruised body will not stop this guy. Nope nope nope.

I scooch over on the edge of the bed closer to my nightstand to see if that will help me stand.

Sucking in a breath, I try to push myself up.

C'mon arms, just push up dammit.

I grit my teeth.

Fuck fuck fuck fuckkk. My stomach area is badly bruised. Stupid fucks hit me with a bat.

Internally I'm fine. But on the outside I look like I somehow got myself into a really bad street fight.

I squeeze my eyes shut as I fully push myself up.

Ow ow ow ow ow ow-

My eyes lift to the door and I freeze when I see it swing open. Annalise walks in, beginning to speak as she drops her bag to the floor and sorts through it, "Hey so I brought my math notes just in case you wanted to go over some stuff before the quiz tomorrow. Alina let me in by the way-" When her eyes finally lift to meet mine her eyes widen and she quickly gets up, walking over to me.

I stand there stiffly, my body hurting still too much to move.

A worried expression paints her face as she holds on my arm. "What are you doing? You're gonna end up hurting yourself," she murmurs while pulling my arm around her shoulder and guiding me to sit back on the end.

"Anise, I'm fine," I moan and fall back against my bed with a defeated sigh. My whole body hurts.

She doesn't say anything as she walks over to my dresser and goes through the drawers, pulling out clothes. Her shoulders and body stiff.

"No. You're not fine. Your body hurts too much to walk more than 5 steps," she says while opening a t-shirt and waiting for me to lift my arms so she can slide it over my head. I sigh and do it, my shoulders aching. "You have bruises and cuts everywhere," she continues while kneeling down with a pair of sweatpants to help me guide my feet through so I can pull them up. "And you had a spot to play for football at NYU but now who knows about that because of the obvious and so now who knows what's gonna happen and-" I stop her when I can see the tears forming in her eyes and the shakiness in her voice.

"Annalise?," I ask quietly.

Still kneeling on the floor, she lets out a shaky breath and closes her eyes, letting her face fall in her hands. She mumbles to herself and rubs her face, her hands shaking slightly.

My heart is sent a stab of pain and I ignore the pain I get in my stomach when I lean down to gently place my hands around her wrists to try to pull them away from her face. "No no no," I murmur softly. "Why are you crying?"

When I gently guide her hands off her face my heart sinks. Her face is red and a few tears have rolled down her cheeks.

I use both hands to softly wipe the tears. "You're okay you're okay," I tell her before leaning down and pressing a kiss on each red cheek and her red nose.

Her eyes are still closed and she looks like she's trying to control her breathing, but seemingly just making it more difficult for herself to not cry.

I let my hands fall from her face. "C'mere," I tell her.