I gave Ellie a reassuring squeeze, smiled down at her and then turned my attention onto Jeff.

“Jeff, take it easy man. Calm the hell down dude; he’s not worth going to jail for!” I said to Jeff in a calm voice. I knew he was upset and I needed to bring him down.

“I’m going to kill that fucker if he hurt her in anyway Gunner, I.Will.kill.him!” Jeff shouted as he looked over at the douche bag.

Just then I heard another girl shout out; “OH FUCK….. ELLS! Jeff! We need to get Ellie to the hospital like RIGHT NOW!”

I looked over and saw Ellie’s hand swelling pretty quickly. The anger that started to build up inside me once again scared the shit out of me. I had not had this much anger since my senior year of high school where I took it out on a few guys by way of fighting. This fucker did something to hurt Ellie and all I wanted to do was smash his head on the floor.

“Dude listen to me, your sister is hurt. We need to get her to the doctor right now. Don’t worry about this fuck wad Jeff. We can take care of him later” I said to Jeff as I looked over at the mother fucker who hurt Ellie somehow. I wanted to kill him right there.

“I will be back for you bastard.” Jeff hissed through gritted teeth. I pulled on Jeff’s arm to get him moving, “Let’s go Jeff.”

Jeff and Ellie and the other girl started to make their way out of the school and to Jeff’s truck. I had seen that we passed the cafeteria on the way in so I ran in and quickly bought a bottle of water and asked the lady for a small bag of ice for Ellie. By the time I got back outside I was jogging back to Jeff’s truck. I heard Jeff and the other girl bickering about something. I thought I heard Jeff call her Arianna at one point.

Once Ellie was in the back seat I reached in and gave her the ice.

“Thank you ah, um, Gunner.” Ellie barely got out her words. Damn it she must be in a lot of pain. Poor girl can barely talk.

“No problem Ellie. Try to keep it up above your heart sweetheart and here take these Advil.” I said as I handed her the water and a few Advil from my pocket stash and tried to give her a reassuring smile. My god she was beautiful. Her friend leaned over and told her to breathe.

“Hey, I’m Ari by the way. Ellie’s best friend” I gave Ari a smile and looked back to Ellie.

“Thank you” Ellie said as she took the Advil. As soon as her fingers brushed against my hand I felt jumpage in my pants. Holy Fuck this girl was affecting me in ways I had never known was possible.

“Let’s get you to the doctor what do you say?” I said as I leaned in close to her ear. I know I should not have done that but dammit I had to know how she smelled.

Daisies….She smelled like the daisies Grams grows in her garden. It was a pure sweet innocent smell. She shivered with the feel of my hot breath against her face.

I. Am. So. Fucked.

“Ahh, yep okay, doctor sounds good, yep let’s go, let’s roll, let’s do this thing” Ellie said in the sweetest voice I had ever heard. God, she was cute as a button when she stammered on her words.

I shut the door, quickly adjusted my problem in my pants and jumped into the front seat. Jeff started his truck and yep…sure enough…it was still on Truck Yeah. I swear I’m going to delete that song on his iPod the first chance I get.

“Ari is dead wrong on what Ellie?” Jeff asked while pulling out of the parking lot. I just couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. I was still worried they would call the cops. The sooner we got out of there the better.

“Nothing Jefferson, she is just delusional that is all. She is seeing things that are clearly NOT there.”

“Well, whatever crazy shit Ari is going on about I don’t care. I want to know right now what the fuck happened between you and Ryan!”

I was pretty sure I had heard Ari just call Jeff a dick wad. What was up with Jeff? He never would be so rude to someone. In the last five minutes I have heard him to tell this poor girl to shut up, bicker with her like a married couple and he pretty much just called her crazy. Huh? Wonder what was up with that. I am going to have to ask him about this Ari chick later.

“Well, it all started when I got a text from Ryan to meet him in the auditorium……..”

Chapter T hree

Ellie …..

Two and half hours later…….

I was getting tired of waiting for the doctor to come back into my room with my pain medicine prescription. By the time I finished telling Jefferson and Gunner what happened, I just wanted someone to shoot me. They both looked like they were ready to leave and go kick Ryan’s ass. A small part of me wanted them to. My hand hurt so bad I just wanted to cry. Thank God it was not broken. The urgent care doctor said it was a Grade 2 sprain. No torn ligaments but I needed to do something called R.I.C.E. Ari of course wrote down what RICE stood for. I couldn’t think let alone try to remember some acronym.

Gunner had been leaning up against the wall just opposite of me the whole time. I tried to keep my eyes either on Jefferson, Ari, the doctor or the floor. Every time I looked up at him he smiled and I felt butterflies in my stomach. I would smile back politely and then look away.

No one has ever had this kind of effect on me before, not even Ryan. It always bothered me that I never got those butterfly moments with Ryan that all my friends talked about. I knew deep down inside Ryan and I were never meant to be. I mean, I am not even feeling upset anymore about what happened.

Of course it could be the incredible hot guy standing across the room who was burning holes into me with his eyes. His beautiful sky blue eyes that just melted my heart and for the first time in my life, made my body tighten with anticipation…down there.

Oh holy hell….what is going on with me?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts again. I could not let this guy get under my skin. No matter how freaking hot he was. I looked up at him again and this time I felt the heat rise up my face. Gunner let out a small laugh that made his whole body tighten. I licked my lips as I watched his body respond to his laughter. My god this guy had a nice body. All I wanted to do was inspect every square inch of it.

Wait…..That fucking bastard just laughed at me! This is why I am never going to have anything to do with men again. I will die a virgin and be proud of it.

“Sooo, what are the plans for Saturday night?” Ari asked while looking at Jefferson I’m sure the same way I had been looking at Gunner.

“I know what my plans are, not sure about yours squirt.” Jefferson responded back to Ari.

“Oh.My.God! Can you please not call me that?! I am eighteen years old and not a child you asshole.” Ari hissed.

“Well you sure as hell act like a child squirt.” Jefferson stated matter of fact.

“I thought we were having a party at the house to celebrate Ellie’s graduation.” Gunner said as he looked back and forth between Ari and Jefferson. He seemed just as confused about what was going on between them as I was. I would swear they were in a staring contest with the way they were looking at each other.

“Wait…..wait just one damn minute! You’re having a party…..at your house? For us?! Oh. My. God…this is awesome!” Ari jumped up and nearly knocked over the sharps container that was to her right!

“Um, no squirt, I’m having a party at my house for Ellie. Not you.” Jefferson said as he turned to look up at me. I smiled my biggest ‘I love the shit out of you’ smile as I looked at him.

“Are you for real?! I mean I finally get to meet all of your friends and go to a college party!” I was about to act like a total fool myself and jump up and down. If Gunner had not been in the room I so would have done it.

“You bet I am Ells. You only graduate from high school once. It’s one of my presents to you!” Jefferson said as he got up to come and hug me!