Page 213 of Scrimmage

“Right.” He pats my leg.

I’m too tired to care that Koda is coordinating my life. Honestly, since the moment I woke up he has let me be fucking tired. He has taken care of everything. I’m not used to it, and it puts my stomach in knots, but I just keep telling myself I’ll deal with it all later, mostly because Penny and Sinclair are supporting him. Leaning on others isn’t my strong suit, and recently I’ve had no choice.

After his touching confession over the pudding, I decided that I should get to feel like this at least once in my life. When I’m better I can start over and lock Koda away somewhere if I can find some space inside of me. He said he loved me and that he would take care of me, but those promises only go so far when you’re a difficult cunt like me. Just because I died doesn’t mean I woke up magically knowing what I want when it comes to my future.

“Alright.” Koda comes into the room in a frenzy with Alexi on his heels. I never knew he was so fucking picky, but I should have. “The doctor said we can go, but we have appointments with a few specialists just to make sure you’re recovering normally.”

“Is this going to last forever,” I groan.

“You were fucking shot,” he says seriously.

“People are shot every single day.”

“And a lot of them don’t live,” Sinclair says cheerily.

“For your birthday I’m getting you a shirt that says ‘I’m with Stupid’,” I glare. “I’m fine. Just tell them I’ll go, and then I can not do that.”

“You’re going, and I’ll take you,” Koda tells me.

“I’d rather you not,” I mumble. I scoot my legs off the side of the bed and start to push myself off. Koda hovers over me like I’m a toddler walking for the first time.

“I can fucking do it,” I growl, my ass right on the edge.

He holds his hands up and backs away. “Go for it.”

“Wait,” Alexi tries to intervene.

“No, let her. She’s all ‘I’m a bad bitch’ so let her.”

Sinclair’s eyes glitter with amusement. I stare at the ground. I’m not a baby deer, but I have my moments. This might be one of those moments because I didn’t stretch today. Koda has always managed to be close by, pretending that he isn’t helping me that way I’ll let him when I need it. This is intimidating, but now I’ve been such a bitch about it that I’m gonna have to do it on my own.

“Having second thoughts?” Koda smirks.

Fuck him. I push off and feel the wounds in my abdomen stretch. Pain shoots through my thigh. Before I know it I’m wobbling, about to go down. I just need to walk it out then I’ll be fine. Koda’s arm slips around me in record time, taking the pressure off of my leg. He doesn’t say one word. It’s like he’s finally figured out when to keep his mouth shut. He sits me back on the bed. I look up into sage green eyes, and I can see concern. It’s been there for weeks, but it still surprises me. I hold my hand over my middle, waiting for the uncomfortable spasms to subside.

“You’re fast,” Alexi laughs, pretending he wasn’t lunging at me like a father with their newborn five seconds ago.

Sinclair chuckles. “What did you think he would do? Let her fall and break a hip?”

“I’m not…a..fu-fucking…old lady.” I suck in breaths through my gritted teeth. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“How about you two pull my car around and then go grab us some food,” Koda suggests.

“Right. Come on, Sinclair. I’m picking the music.” Alexi tosses the keys in the air, leaving the room. He figured out immediately that Sinclair did not find his new nickname funny. He also realized that I’m the nice one and not as erratic as everyone thinks. Not compared to my little brother. Still, they’ve become what Alexi would consider friends. Alexi has that way about him.

“Want some of that piss poor barbecue?” Sinclair asks, backing away.

“Fuck no,” I balk. “Can you just get that thingy I had at that place where they painted that dollar store version of Jesus with the blood orphans?”

Sinclair squints his eyes for a second before they widen in understanding. “Got it.”

Koda quirks his eyebrow.

“Just fucking get me out of here.”

He nods, holding his arms back out.

“Stop treating me like a charity case,” I growl, digging my fingers into his arm as he slides the other under my shoulders. I limp over to the wheel chair, and he helps me into it. I hate this shit.

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