Page 72 of Rain Delay

Wyatt

THANK GOD FOR LIAM. I could’ve continued to fight him on getting me home, but I eventually caved. My head hurt way too damn much to even focus on what was going on in front of me; let alone try and drive all the way back home.

My shoulder and knee were still sore as shit, but it didn’t even compare to the pain I was feeling in my head. That felt like a constant pounding. Like someone was just stomping on my head over and over again.

Every time it throbbed, it sent a sharp, boiling pain through my temple.

I make it up to my room, tossing my keys on the dresser and don’t even bother to turn the lights on before practically collapsing on my bed.

My phone must’ve had twenty missed calls from my mother, and a handful of texts from Eliana, seeing if I was okay. If I would’ve talked to my mother while trying to drive home, I guarantee I wouldn’t have made it back.

As my phone rings for what felt like the fiftieth time, I look to see it’s my mom. “I’m home safe, mom,” I say as I answer.

“Wyatt Jacob, are you okay? You had me worried sick! You need to answer your phone when I call.”

I groan, the sound of her nagging voice already making my head hurt more than it already was. “I was getting a ride home from Liam, and I wasn’t really in the mood to talk to anyone.”

She lets out an annoyed sigh. “When no one reaches out to me after I have to see my son get hurt on national television, I have every right to worry!” She exclaims, and I move the phone away from my ear.

I put her on speaker, setting my phone next to me as I laid back on the pillows. “Looking at a phone isn’t the best thing to do when you have a severe concussion, Mom.”

I was glad no one was home to see me like this. I put a warm compress over my eyes, lying back against my pillows.

“Do you need me to drive down and help you? You know your father and I will –”

“Mom, I’m fine.” I cut her off. “I have help. Don’t worry. I’ll call you later, okay? I need to rest for a little bit.”

We say our goodbyes before I put my phone on the other side of the bed. I was going to be dead to the world until further notice.

That’s when I heard the front door shut and footsteps ascend the stairs. The last person I wanted to see me like this was Eliana. I know she’s been freaking out her entire drive home. I looked weak. I looked like a man who couldn’t take a fucking hit. I didn’t want to be the guy she had to pity and drop everything for.

Here I was, a man lying in the dark because his eyes were still super fucking sensitive to any sort of light. Pathetic.

“Wy?” Her voice is laced with anxiousness and fear.

“In here.” I managed to get out, even though it sounded like a muffled groan.

She moved across the room in a flash, dropping her bag on the floor before she came and sat on the edge of the bed. Her hand ran through my hair and it was shaking like crazy.

“Wyatt…Oh my god…” she cups the other side of my face. “Are you okay?”

I finally moved the compress from my face and got a look at her. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she’d been crying.

“I’m fine, El,” I lied. “Just…took a bad run, that’s all.”

“A bad run? Wyatt, you crashed into the guy like a damn car against a brick wall. You can’t even be the tiniest bit fine right now,” she ran her hand along my jaw. “It’s okay not to feel good, Wy. You don’t have to be Mister Tough Guy all the time.”

“Eliana, really, I’m fine –”

“I don’t care what you think you feel like,” she interrupted, pointing a finger at me. “I’m not leaving this room, and I’m certainly not letting you stumble around the house trying to be some tough superhero.”

She grabs me a shirt to change into and then runs downstairs to get me an ice-cold glass of water. When she gets back upstairs, she helps me get my hoodie off, carefully lifting it over my head.

“I’m staying in this room tonight,” she tells me. “Tonight, and tomorrow, and until you can go without getting a headache.”

I let out a sigh, lying back down as she takes her shoes off, getting in bed next to me, draping an arm over my chest. Once she’s lying with me, I didn’t even care how bad my head was throbbing; having her next to me numbed the pain.

I gotta say, I was liking this defensive and protective side of Eliana. Watching her emotions flip like a switch, and her instantly going into protecting and caring mode, made me realize how lucky I had it with her.