“I'm sorry,” I told her, realizing she wasn't about to start talking to me anytime soon. She looked just as happy to remain silent about everything, and I desperately wanted to talk about it.
“Why are you sorry?” she asked, but her expression gave nothing to her going soft, or being compassionate.
Not that she needed to be. I had hurt her. I didn't need compassion. I needed redemption.
“For hurting you. I didn't hit you too hard, did I? I did-”
“Hit me?” she said quickly, stopping to stare at my face. Her bottle green eyes looked confused. “You didn't touch me, Falon.”
I sank farther into my chair, but everything seemed blurry when I tried to remember it. I couldn't bring anything to the surface, except looking down and seeing the guys on the floor, and that frightened expression on Julie's face.
“You don't remember what happened?” she asked, folding her hands in her lap.
I shook my head. “Everything seems like it just moved in fast forward. I remember hitting one of them, and then staring at you, and the bruise on your cheek,” I told her.
Julie sighed, closing her eyes as she leaned her head down. “You didn't hit me, Falon. That jerk hit me, and you came to my side. You. . .” she stopped, and I noticed her voice sounded choked.
Obviously, she wasn't talking to me because of how I had handled the situation. I had scared her, and that made me feel just as bad as I had when I thought I had hit her.
“I proved how much of a monster I really am,” I muttered.
Julie's head snapped up, and her hands quickly enveloped mine. Her eyes were wide with refusal. “No, you didn't. You protected me, and Liam. You kept us safe, and that's all that matters,” she told me.
“Then why are so angry at me?”
She laughed slightly, shaking her head. “I'm not angry with you. I'm angry at the situation,” she told me, releasing my hands to pick up the rag again. She finished cleaning my wound as she talked. “You shouldn't have been put in a position to fight. We should have been able to go to the arcade and have a great day, and not be talked about when our backs are turned,” she replied.
“Comes with the face, Julie,” I told her with a smile.
She wasn't amused. “Those guys talking about you didn't have anything to do with the way you looked. They were talking about me too, and Liam, and anyone else that is damaged goods. The normal talk about us so they can make themselves feel better because really they're more damaged than we are,” she said.
I smiled. The determination in her words was hard to miss. She was convinced of what she was saying, and she held that fire in her voice and eyes that I was growing to love.
“I hate to tell you, but you are far from damaged goods,” I told her.
Julie gave me a sad smile. “Thanks, but I'm just as damaged as you or Liam, or any of those kids at the hospital. My damage is just harder to see,” she replied.
A part of me knew it was true. She carried her damages inside, and you had to look hard to see them, but they were there, just below the surface of her beautiful face.
She moved to my mouth, and I looked at the ceiling. The touch of her fingers against my lips was enough to bring back that earlier memory. Thinking of how close I had been to kissing her, or how close her body had been next to mine.
“You're not a freak,” Julie said, making one last caress with the rag against my jaw. She laid it against the table and picked up the ointment.
“How did you know I was thinking of that?” I asked her with a smile.
“Because you're Falon. Your mind always takes the positive and finds a negative in it,” she told me with a small grin.
I smiled, and shook my head briefly. “I'm not letting anything they said affect me. I'm fine,” I told her, but I could see the doubt in her eyes as she stared at me.
“For some reason, I don't believe you at all,” she replied.
She was right in thinking so, but I wouldn't tell her that.
Liam came around the corner, and smiled at us. “All doctored up. My nurse was hot,” he told us.
I glared at him. “Once again, that's my sister you're talking about, douche-bag,” I warned him.
Liam held his hands up in defense, “Sorry, but she is. I don't know how someone so beautiful could have such an ugly brother,” he said with a shake of his head.
“I could ask the same question about you.”
“He is adopted,” Julie piped in, and we both laughed.
Liam came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He rubbed his knuckles across the top of her head, and Julie fought herself from his grasp and punched him.
I watched the spectacle with a smile, until they finished. Liam looked at her. “We better get home. Mom will have a fit if we don't soon,” he told her.
Julie nodded, standing up. She looked at me. “Do you think Dr. Marstens can be your doctor?” she asked me, and I nodded.
“Yeah. Go on home. I'll see you tomorrow,” I told her.
She smiled, and within the next moment, she was leaning down and hugging me. I could smell the peach smell against her neck and into her hair as she held me close.
“Thank you, Falon,” she whispered, and moved away.
“I'll be out in a minute,” Liam said to
