Page 11 of Malaise
“He wasn’t exactly helping the situation.”
“Still, we need to get you to Emergency straight away, but I didn’t drive here. I’ve got no car.” Carver rests my arm in his upturned hand and guides us toward the exit of the clearing. “Do you have someone I can call who could come get you?”
Fuck’s sake, we’re back to this again. “No. I already said I don’t.” I stop walking, making him stumble with me as he comes to an abrupt halt. The distant flames highlight every dip and hollow of his built frame, casting shadows that accentuate his abs and the V of his muscles where they dip into his waistline. Any other time I might find that distracting, but strangely enough the incessant throb of my arm coupled with the spinning gyroscope of my brain has me pretty well sorted when it comes to shit to think about. “My parents don’t need any more stress tonight. I got drunk and did something stupid, so I will sort it out myself.” At least my words are clearer now—yay for me.
“You can’t even walk properly,” Carver helpfully points out. “Hold this.”
I take the ends of his T-shirt from him. “Why?” My arm pulsates, fat and hot.
“I’m calling someone.”
“No.” I drop the shirt to place my hand over his and stop him from pulling his phone from the front pocket of his jeans. The T-shirt hits the ground with a heavy thwack.
He stoops down and collects it, dusts the debris off, and rewraps my wound with a heavy sigh. “Yes, Meg.”
I look up the dirt road and frown. The fence-lined access route stretches on almost as far as the eye can see, running along the top of the stopbank. It took us almost fifteen minutes to get here by car. It’ll take me over an hour to walk back to town.
“Who do you have in mind?” I cede.
“Does it matter?” Carver asks, lifting my free hand to place it over the tucked ends of his T-shirt.
He has a point. If they have transportation and a way to get me to the hospital to have this burn treated, then what does it matter? The creepy gym teacher from school could ride in on a donkey and it’s still a better option than walking.
“I guess not.” I glance back at the bonfire to find the crowd dispersed now that the entertainment’s over, and Jasper and Amelia nowhere to be seen. “Ring ’em up. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”