Page 17 of Stuck with my Frenemy
Chapter Eight
Cherry
The minute the creak of the front door opening echoed through the foyer, I jumped from the couch I was perched on and rushed forward, stopping in my tracks when I got a good look at Ebony’s face.
“Oh, dear Cupid. What happened?” Without thinking, I scooped her in my arms. Well, I tried, but Ebony hopped away like a bunny in the middle of the street with two glowing lights coming its way.
“Cherry, I’m not in the mood. Please, just go to bed.” Ebony’s distressed tone only justified the fact that I needed to help her. And it made this strange feeling almost choke me. Sadness. I’d only felt that a few times in my life, but it didn’t change the fact that I hated it so much.
Reaching my hand toward her face where a nasty-looking blue bruise was forming only made her flinch away, and when I moved toward her split lip with dried blood around it, she sighed.
A deep sigh that told me exactly how tired and hurt she was.
Poor girl. She just needed me to take care of her, but all she ever did was fight me on everything. And I meant everything.
Pushing past me with her shoulders sagging, Ebony all but fell into a recliner in the spacious living room, pulling the lever so she could stretch her legs out.
I rushed in, kneeling beside her and placing my hand on her forearm, which she stared at like it was a grenade about to explode on her. “What can I do? Do you need soup?” Eyeing her this close in the brighter lighting, the bruises that marred her body and her face stood out like dark patches all over her skin.
She blew out a loaded breath and glared at me. “What part of ‘go to bed’ don’t you understand? I will heal soon enough.”
Climbing to my feet, I leaned in closer, draping my arm over the back of the chair and letting my hand fall into her hair. And then I proceeded to pet her. “I’m so sorry you’re hurt. Let me care for you, and I’ll fix you right up.” My eyes widened. “Wait, stay right there and don’t move.”
In a rush, I took the stairs two at a time until I stood in the upstairs bathroom with no idea what I was looking for. Plucking my phone from the pocket of the pajama pants I wore, I instantly hit the search engine and combed the internet for answers. My eyes fell to the mirror above the sink after finding something that would help, and I tore it open to hunt. “Eureka! I’ve found it.” Laughing at my antics, I gripped the little yellow and white tube between my index finger and thumb before dashing downstairs again, only stopping when I hovered over Ebony like a worried Mother Hen. To be honest, I was a bit surprised she even still sat there since I’d told her not to move. She wasn’t one to listen, especially to me.
It took me a minute with my long nails, but I finally unscrewed the top and had some of the clear gel-like substance on the tip of my finger before Ebony could object, though her open mouth told me said objection was on its way. Hurriedly, I smashed my finger against her lip and rubbed the medicine in thoroughly.
“Now, don’t lick your lips for a bit, but this will help with the pain.”
“What the hell did you just put on me, Cherry?” Irritation swarmed the words she spoke, but I only grinned at her in return.
Rolling the tube in my palms and planting one hand on my hip, I spoke slowly since she was hurt. “Neosporin.” I puffed my chest out, proud of myself that I knew how to handle helping someone feel better. With human medicine of all things.
Googlereally was a person’s best friend, or in this case, a demigoddess’s.
Her eyes turned to slits for a moment before she dropped her forehead in her hands. When she glanced my way again, annoyance shone from her features. “In that bouncy little brain of yours, did it ever occur to you that I’m a demigoddess and do not need human medicine to heal small wounds like a split fucking lip?”
Oh. She was mad. Still fighting the love.
Persistence would be my best friend in this.
My hand moved like it had a brain of its own then—because I certainly didn’t give it permission—and landed on Ebony’s hair again, stroking the long strands. “Wow. Your hair is so soft. What kind of shampoo do you use?”
I almost fell over when she leaped out of the chair like a ballerina, landing in the middle of the room with a thud. “I am going to bed. Do not”—If eyes could frown, hers did, but they also looked mighty angry— “under any circumstances follow me.”
Pouting my bottom lip and crossing my arms over my middle, I stared at her for a long moment before I asked, “But what if—”
One finger pointed at me menacingly. “No. Not under any circumstances. Not even if you hear me screaming. I don’t need you around me right now.”
That was funny. She actually believed her words when she’d said them, too. It made my heart laugh because even if she didn’t know it, I did. She was lying to herself.
Little Miss Darkness Personified was starting to love me. I could tell by the way her glare had changed. It wasn’t so evil now.
After several more seconds passed, I let her walk past me without saying a word. She could think she won this one.
“Goodnight Ebs.”
“Goodnight Rainbow Brite,” she growled, but even her growl came out kinda nicer ... I think.
