ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

35

Mom was less than pleased.

Hector made a hasty retreat.

i laid back on the sofa and groaned.

"Juno! what have you done?" Mom shrieked. "no! don't touch the cushions!"

"i threw up, Mother. get over it." i tried to stand.

my head was light and the room spun, and i grabbed onto the arm of the sofa to steady myself.

i made my way past Mom and began up the stairs.

"whoa, you look like a ghost." Hector's voice echoed around my brain.

i made him out, coming out of the airing cupboard with something in his hands.

"Juno?" he came towards me.

i was falling.

down, down, down.

i couldn't see, but i could hear and feel.

Hector rushed down the stairs and grabbed me, but he couldn't steady himself.

we tumbled down the stairs, Hector cursing loudly and yelling for Mom.

her high heels clip clopped frantically towards us.

"oh my god! is she okay? Hector, your wrist! and Juno's face! fuck!"

it was rare that Mom swore.

"uh, try not to move, i guess! i'll go call an ambulance!"

she clip clopped away and i heard her speaking frantically on the phone.

"Juno?" Hector said quietly.

"Hector," i managed to croak, even though it felt like i'd been shot in the head.

"you're bleeding pretty bad." he whispered.

"your... wrist?"

"it's broken,"

"how'd you... know?"

"the bones aren't completely healed from last time, and it feels the same."

"shit," i breathed.

"the ambulance will be here in a minute." he told me.

i didn't reply.

i knew i'd landed on top of him, and i could still feel him beneath me.

"you should move." i muttered.

"no, if either of us move we risk making each other's injuries worse." he explained.

"fucking nerd," i half laughed, but my chest hurt.

Hector didn't say anything.

"hey, you still there?" i grabbed his hand.

"you're bleeding... in two places."

"i haven't started my period have i?" i joked.

"no, ew... ew. your head is bleeding-"

"i know that."

"you didn't let me finish. your stomach is bleeding too, where you got shot."

"fuck," i sighed.

the ambulance arrived a minute later.

the paramedics swarmed in with a stretcher and lifted me onto it.

"hi darling, what's your name?" a kind looking lady said to me.

"Juno." my throat was dry.

"Juno what?"