Filed to story: Crushing on My Enemy Stepbrother
‘Caleb?’ Her wobbly voice wraps around my heart, squeezing it painfully. I can hear that she’s struggling and I can’t help but think the worst.
‘Tessa? Baby? Are you OK?’ I whisper hoarsely, ‘are you hurt? Talk to me.’
‘My head hurts’ she mumbles, ‘the airbag hit me in the face, it’s not like you think it will be, it really really hurts.’
I swallow the lump in my throat, ‘your seatbelt?’ I manage to ask around it.
‘It did what it was supposed to do’ Tessa mutters confusedly, ‘it went tight . . . Caleb?’ she adds.
‘Yeah baby?’ I reply, pressing the phone into my ear, ‘what is it.’
‘My chest hurts, I think the seatbelt dug into me.’
I nod to myself, choking on my own relief, ‘yeah love, that’s what they are supposed to do, they hold you in the seat, that pain is a good thing.’
‘Yeah’ she sighs, ‘OK’
‘Miss?’ a female voice beside her calls out before becoming muffled from what I assume is Tessa covering the mouthpiece with her hand.
Seconds later she’s back, ‘Caleb, the EMT is here, he wants to look over my injuries.’
‘OK baby, where are you, I’m on my way right now’ I reply, pushing back my chair and reaching for my keys as she quietly repeats my question to whoever is with her before relaying it to me. She’s fifteen minutes away if I stick to the speed limit, I already know that I’ll be there in five.
‘OK, I’m leaving right now’ I promise, ‘let the EMT look you over and if they decide to take you to the hospital before I get there, just let me know.’
‘OK’ she murmurs tiredly, ‘Caleb?’ she calls again, my chest tightening at the sound of my name coming from her lips. ‘Thank you for coming to get me, I knew you would, I told them you’d come.’
I gulp loudly, ‘always’ I reply, ‘I’ll always come.’
Hanging up the call, I barely acknowledge my brother or our friend, instead grabbing my coat, and waving distractedly over my shoulder as they both shout after me to keep them informed about what’s happening before I slam out of the office and race down the stairs to my SUV.
Tessa’s POV
I’m fed up, with being poked, prodded, with lights shining in my eyes and cuffs beign wrapped around my arm.
‘Just sit still Tessa’ the EMT murmurs as he dabs at the cut on my forehead.
‘I’m so tired’ I mutter, ‘I want to go home.’
‘I know, but I need to deal with your head’ the man replies, ‘and I think it would be a good idea to take you to the ER, just for precaution.’
‘Where is she? Where is Tessa?’ I suddenly hear a familiar and demanding voice growl out.
I shift on the gurney in the back of the ambulance, trying to see Caleb, waving away the EMT when he tries to get me to hold still.
Seconds later, my step brother appears around the corner of the rear door, his face lined with worry as he climbs in the back without waiting for an invitation.
‘Sir, you can’t just . .’ the EMT huffs in annoyance.
‘She’s mine’ he snaps back with authority, ‘you can either accept that or try to have me removed. I can promise you, trying to remove me is not going to go well for anyone who tries.’
I turn to the EMT and tap his arm, ‘he’s with me’ I murmur, ‘he’s . . . Caleb.’
My stepbrother relaxes as the EMT hesitates before giving a curt nod and returning to the cut on my forehead.
‘Baby, what happened?’ Caleb asks, taking my small hand in his large calloused one and I find it hard not to look at our conjoined hands, at how well my palm fits against his.
‘This car came up behind me’ I mutter, eyes still on our hands as his thumb runs over the back of my hand soothingly. ‘I couldn’t see the driver but they hit me . . . ‘
The EMT stands up, saying he’s done and needs to speak to the officer before leaving us alone, closing the doors behind him.
‘They hit you and drove off?’ he prompts and I shake my head confusedly, ‘yeah, but that was after’ I mumble.
‘After? After what?’ Caleb probes gently.