by Sam Elswit
Phil managed to duck in the nick of time, tackling Andy into the wall. A picture frame came crashing onto the floor, the glass shattering.
I stood there, frozen in place, watching as the two men fought over me.
Andy was all offensive, throwing punch after punch, but landing very few of them. Phil, on the other hand, was trying to get Andy in a hold.
They rolled around on the ground until Andy managed to get back onto his feet, aiming a powerful kick to Phil’s rib cage.
He cried out, curling into a ball, protecting himself as another kick came his way, this time landing on the small of his back.
I cringed as if the blows had been dealt directly to me. But, try as I might, I just couldn’t get my body to move. I was stunned.
Phil eventually managed to get to his feet, holding his chest in pain but circling around the coffee table, his eyes locked on Andy.
This was not good. This was not good at all.
Chapter 20
Phil
I was going to kill this man. I could tell just by the look on his face that this was the rat that had betrayed Ben.
We circled around the coffee table, gauging each other’s next move. My ribs were burning. I feared he had fractured one of them. My back was on fire.
I lunged at him, trying to take him by surprise. We fell onto the coffee table, the cheap wood splintered beneath us. Enraged, I started to throw down punch after punch.
“Stop!” Ben ran up to us, getting in the middle of our tussle.
Still too mad to stop, I made another grapple at him as he started to get up, clipping him in the jaw, sending him flying into the nearby couch. He didn’t get up.
Good.
“Phil!” Ben looked at me wide-eyed. “What did you do?” His hands lingered just above my chest like he was afraid to touch me.
I huffed, sitting down on the love seat, trying to catch my breath and clear my mind. What had just happened? Had I really just gotten into a fist fight with someone over a guy?
Then again, I had never been one to share.
Carefully, Ben helped Andy off the couch. He had his hand to his head like he was suffering from a major headache. When his face caught the light, I noticed that his front tooth was chipped.
I smirked to myself. I guess I don’t know my own strength.
Ben waited for Andy’s ride to arrive before escorting him to the door. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Andy mumbled under his breath before sulking out of the house and into the rain.
The front door closed with a muted thud and we were alone.
Silently, Ben sat down on the couch next to me. We didn’t say anything for a long, long time like we were both just so shocked by what had happened.
In my lap, I clenched and unclenched my fist, feeling it throb. Maybe I had hit him a little too hard, but deep down, I knew he deserved it. Cowards and traitors were the worst kinds of people in my book.
“Phil…” Ben finally broke the silence. “Are you okay?”
I didn’t answer him. All I could do was stare into those eyes of his, feeling like I was being cast into his web, stuck there forever. Not that I minded. It was one hell of a view.
His fingers pressed into my abdomen.
“Ow!” I pulled away from him, placing an arm over my bruised ribs for protection. “That hurts, you know.”
“Maybe we should get you to a doctor…”
“Are you kidding? That guy threw punches like a pansy.” I said, trying to act tough, but realistically, the pain was getting rather intense.
Ben sighed before he helped me to my feet, slinging my arm over his shoulder. Carefully, he eased me into the passenger seat of my car, buckling me in. Before he could pull away, I grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him.
The kiss was exactly what I needed. A reaffirmation of my feelings for him. A mark on my territory.
When we pulled away, I smiled at him. “I feel a thousand times better.”
He didn’t say a word as he closed the door and hopped in the driver’s seat. His body was tense, his fingers so tight on the wheel that his knuckles were turning white.
“Ben…”
“What?”
“Are you mad at me?”
He sighed. “No… I’m not mad. I just don’t know why you did that. You could have been seriously hurt.”
I looked at him before taking one of his hands into mine. “When I saw the two of you so close, my first thought jumped to the worst-case scenario. When you told me that he was there to make a move on you, well something inside me just snapped… or rather more like an instinct kicked in. I had to protect you, at any cost necessary.”
Ben looked at the road, his gaze steady before his expression finally softened. “You really care that much about me?”
“Yes, of course I do. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. The last thing I want is for some creep to barge into your house and force himself onto you.”
The corners of his lips twitched. “Thanks. No one has ever stood up for me like that.”
“Well, now you know that I will.” I smiled.
“But… I’m worried.”
“Why?”
“Your ribs. If they hurt that bad, are you going to be able to sing properly?”
I took a deep breath, about to start singing, but a sharp pain ripped through my abdomen. I groaned, doubling over. “Ugh.”
“Phil!” Ben slowed the car against the side of the road. “Are you okay?”
“It hurts pretty bad…” I whimpered.
“Just… um… sit back and relax… I’m bringing you to the hospital.” Ben helped me ease my seat back before he sped off.
“You don’t have to get a speeding ticket for my sake. I’m not pregnant, you know.” I said, trying to make a light-hearted joke, but at this point, just talking was becoming excruciatingly painful.
“Shh, don’t strain yourself.” Ben took my hand in his. “Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.” I couldn’t tell if he was reassuring me or himself.
***
Once we got to the hospital, I was nearly delirious with the pain. It throbbed with its own heartbeat and every time I tried to breathe it felt like my ribs were stabbing into my lungs.
Ben supported me through the doors of the ER before putting me down on a nearby sectional. “Just stay here. I’ll speak with the nurse.”
I nodded.
He quickly jogged up to the circular desk. In his nervous state, he spoke mostly with his hands, gesturing wildly in my direction. The worry on his face was clear.
I smiled to myself. I never thought I’d have a boyfriend who would care about me so much. Heck, at some point, I didn’t think I’d ever have a boyfriend. I was setting myself up to be the crazy cat man.
When Ben was handed some paperwork to fill out, I lost interest in what he was doing. Instead, I surveyed the ER. It was mostly empty. There was a mother with her daughter, rocking her and smoothing her hair ever so gently. There was a gentleman with a bandaged hand. A teenager with a busted-up lip. No one looked like they were in any serious trouble.
My attention moved to the TV. They were showing a rerun of Full House. It was strange to see the Olsen twins bouncing around in their overalls without any volume. I had never been very good at reading lips. As I watched the show, my eyes started to get very heavy. My eyelids felt like they were made of lead, making it difficult for me to keep them open.
A part of me just wanted to surrender to sleep, but at the same time, I was worried what would happen if I did. What if there was something else wrong with me than just a few bruised ribs and this was the way of my body shutting down?
“Hey…” Ben wrapped his fingers around my bicep, shaking me slightly. “Phil…”
I looked up, my head wobbling on my neck. “Hmm?”
“The doctor will see you in a second. Get you on some meds so the pain isn’t as bad.”
I smiled. “Good.” Feeling wea
k, I rested my head on his shoulder.
Ben wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. “It’s going to be okay…”
***
And, for the most part, everything was. I had two cracked ribs and a few bruises but nothing too major. The doctor sent me home with a sort of brace that would prevent me from bending over and irritating my ribcage. It also made it incredibly hard to take in large diaphragm expanding breaths. Singing would definitely be a challenge.
“You’re staying with me tonight,” Ben told me as he helped me to his bedroom.
I giggled, slightly loopy from the medication. “Okay, sexy.” I pulled his shirt, attempting to kiss him but all I managed was a sloppy make out session with his jawline.
Ben laughed, pushing me down by the shoulders and tucking me in. “I just want you to get some rest.”
“Won’t you join me?” I asked, giving him puppy dog eyes.
He smiled. “Of course, just let me get undressed.”
I smirked, sitting up slightly with intrigue.
“No. No. You have to lay down.”
“But, if I do that, then how am I going to watch the show?”
“What show?”
“You, silly.” I giggled.
“Oh. So, that’s what you want, huh?” He grinned with delight before he slowly took off his shirt, spinning it over his head before letting it fly across the room.
I watched his every move like a hawk. My eyes roaming his chiseled chest. His hard nipples. The darker skin surrounding them. I just wanted to sink my teeth right into him.
Ben did a little Michael Jackson number before he playfully thrust his hips in my face.
I reached out to grab him, but the pain medicine was making me move like a sloth. “Hey!”
His grin just deepened as he unbuttoned his pants, yanking them down in one fluid motion. Expertly, he kicked them off. They flew across the air, pant legs dancing before they finally landed on the corner of his dresser.
Now, wearing nothing more than boxer briefs, Ben was singlehandedly the most attractive man I had ever laid eyes on. His hip bones jutted out just a little, framed by a deep, oh-so-sexy V that disappeared into his low hanging underwear. And… that wasn’t the only thing that was low hanging. Hehe…
To my dismay, however, he then tossed on some sweat pants and joined me in bed. “Why did you put on pants?”
“It’s cold.”
“I could have kept you warm…” I said, scooting closer to him. “Nice and warm… hot even…”
“Not when you’re recovering.” He responded, killing the mood.
“Party pooper.” I pouted, turning around so my back was facing him. I stared at the wall for a moment before his arms slipped around me, pulling me into his body. I loved being the little spoon…
***
In the morning, I felt sore all over. I groaned, closing my eyes tight to ward off the pain.
By my side, Ben was still asleep, looking peaceful and serene. Not wanting to wake him, I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could before tiptoeing down the stairs, clinging to the banister so I wouldn’t lose my footing.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Emily was splayed on the couch, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. “You look like you just got hit by a truck.”
“I feel that way…”
She frowned before getting up and helping me. “What happened?”
“Andy.”
“What did that little piece of shit do to you?”
“He came here yesterday. Asked Ben for a second chance. I guess I just lost my cool.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “You had a fight with him? Please tell me you won.”
“He left.”
She grinned, hitting me on the back. “That’s my boy!”
I cried out in pain.
“Oh, shit, sorry.”
“It’s okay…” I said through gritted teeth. “Can you find where Ben put my pain meds? I’m going to need like half the bottle if we are going to have any chance at the talent show.”
“Oh, right, that’s today, isn’t it?” Emily looked me over with concern. “Are you going to be able to perform in your condition?”
“Yes.”
Chapter 21
Ben
I woke up to find the mattress empty. I sighed, rolling out of bed. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand. On the screen was a calendar reminder for the talent show. I frowned, knowing that we would have to forfeit our place due to Phil’s injuries.
It would have been the perfect place to get our name out there on the national level. Not to mention, the prize money would have really helped.
Oh well. Phil’s well-being comes first.
Slowly, I got dressed, hearing the mumbled voices of Phil and Emily talking downstairs. They were probably talking about the altercation last night.
I replayed the scene in my head. I still couldn’t believe that Phil had fought Andy on my behalf. Did he really care that much about me?
I shrugged on my shirt, buttoning it all the way up, except for the last two. Feeling a little sluggish, I headed downstairs, knowing I needed a good cup of coffee to wake me up.
Emily and Phil were already at the kitchen table, enjoying some breakfast sandwiches.
“Hey, sleepy head,” Phil said with a goofy grin.
I immediately glanced at Emily.
She shrugged innocently.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
“Never better!”
“Oh?” Again, I looked at Emily. She definitely had something to do with his behavior. I pulled her aside, whispering in her ear. “What the hell did you do to him?”
“I gave him his medicine. Chill.”
“How many? He looks like he’s lost his mind.”
“Look. He really wants to go on the talent show and this is the only way he can do that.”
“You drugged my boyfriend just so we can go on a TV show?”
“It was his idea.” She said, trying to defend herself. “I don’t know what the problem is. It’s not like the doctor prescribed him the hard stuff. All he is taking is a higher dosage of over the counter Acetaminophen.”
“He’s not fit to go on that show.”
“Guys… you know I’m still here, right? And that I can totally hear you.” Phil wobbled to his feet. “I’m as fit as a whistle. I can go on the show. Trust me.”
“Phil. You’re going to push yourself too hard and then you’re going to get hurt. I can’t let you do that.”
He grabbed me by the cheeks and looked deep into my eyes. “I want this. I want it more than anything else. You taught me to trust in my voice. To believe in my singing. Now, believe in me.”
I looked at him, still worried that this was a bad idea. “Are you sure you’re fine.”
He nodded. “I’ll be okay. Stop worrying about me.”
But, that’s exactly what I did.
***
The studio was packed with a variety of different people, all hoping that America would fall in love with their talent and vote them onto the next segment of the competition.
“Have you hit your daily step count?” Emily asked, looking at me.
“Huh?”
“You’ve been pacing around all day. Just figured you were aiming to complete your step goal.” She teased.
“Shut up.”
“Make me.”
“I would, but there are little kids around.”
“They’ve probably seen cartoons more violent than you.”
“Haha. Very funny.”
“Now, Phil, he’s the one I’m really worried about. I didn’t know he had it in him.” She chuckled. “I wish I could have seen it. I’ve been dying to punch Andy in the face since the first time I saw him.”
Phil was unusually quiet throughout our bickering. He was sitting on a nearby crate, his posture straight. He seemed to be focusing on his breathing.
“Hey, you alright?” I asked, resting a hand on his shoulder.
> He jumped when I touched him.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you.”