Chapter 136
Ellie POV
Dominic takes me home that night without asking.
I told him not to over and over, but he just rolled me around. Even picked me up princess style on the bus, held me the hold time, my wheelchair on the rack. Which was embarrassing, but this old lady praised him.
“What a sweet boyfriend.” Her smile wrinkled.
I’m not sure why, but neither,of us corrected him. Which…made everything much warmer as I squeezed for dear life. His hand tights on my shoulder, eyes locked out the window.
Dominic never looks flustered.
When we reach my house, I thought he would leave me on the steps but he just picks up my whole chair to my yelp, walks up the stoop steps and…he steps inside with me, my parents freeze.
“Ellie?” My mother says.
Their eyes flicking from me to him to the wheelchair like they’re trying to piece together a story. Clearly expecting Lucas again, but he never came inside. My mother rushes forward immediately, concern etched into her face.
“Oh-Ellie, sweetheart,” she says. “We can help you upstairs.”
“I’ve got her,” Dominic replies before I can, moving to my side.
I open my mouth to protest, but he’s already crouching in front of me, one arm sliding beneath my knees.
“Hold onto my neck.”
He hoist me up, one arm, as I sit on it, arms clutching his neck and head.
“Oh!” My mother yelps. “Let me get the chair-”
“I got it, miss” Dominic says cooly, his other arm plucking my chair from the ground, making our way to the stairs.
My mother’s wide eyes meet mine as he makes his way up with me, past my stepfather’s unreadable stare, and up into my room like this is something he’s done a hundred times before.
The scent of him–clean, faintly like soap and night air-fills my senses, and I hate how… safe it makes me feel. Without meaning to, I clutch his head closer to my chest. He stiffens, but keeps pace.
Eventually, he sets me down on my bed carefully, like I’m made of glass.
For a second, he doesn’t move away.
Neither do I.
“Thank you,” I say softly, breaking the moment before it can turn into something I’m not ready to name. “For today. For… all of it. You totally…saved my but and…well,” I lower my gaze as I pull my blanket to my chin. “I know know you could be so kind.” 1
Maybe I was trying to tease, thank him, and keep it not serious all at the sametime. But it didn’t come out right.
He just straightens, nodding once. “Shocker. Get better, alright?” he says. “I’ll check on you at school in the morning”
I manage a small smile. “The morning? You’ll be stuck helping me all over again.”
Something shifts in his expression as he reaches the door, pauses, and turns back.
“I’d help you like that for years, Ellie,” he says quietly.
Chapter Top
+30 Bonus
My breathing stops.
I think the world did too. Just for a second.
Then he’s gone.
The door closes behind him, and I’m left staring at the woods, heart racing, cheeks burning, my mind looping on his voice, his hands, the way he said my name.
And then, the pain comes back.
Sharp, and sudden, stealing the breath from my lungs like a cruel reminder.
I curl inward, fingers clutching the blanket as my vision blurs, the echo of his words still warm in my chest while my body betrays me all over again.
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