#Chapter5
Unexpected sleepover
Mack
I woke up the next day with my head throbbing. I’ll hurt Aaron when I get my damn hands on him. Pansy.
I noticed Paige curled up, asleep in a chair. How the hell did I get here? I got up. Damn, my ribs were killing me. I made my way to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Yeah, I had better days. Today was not it. I’ll break his damn hands, then his legs. Asshole.
I took a shower because I needed one. After turning on the shower, I stripped and got in. I washed up, hissing as I cleaned my cuts and bruises. I finished, then turned off the water. I flung open the shower curtain and met Paige’s shocked expression. /"Ever hear of knocking? It’s a lovely concept./"
/"You’re naked!/" She gestured at me.
/"Well, considering I took a shower, yes, I’m naked. Do you mind?/"
She hurried out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. Well, she got a free show, good for her. This will save me time later.
I dried off, wrapped a towel around my waist, and left the bathroom. Paige had her back to me.
/"I take it you never seen a man naked?/"
/"No./"
/"You realize that people get naked. Like when they’re born and when they die./" I smirked.
/"Well, you’re not a baby, and you’re not dead./"
/"Touché./"
/"Now, can you please get dressed?/"
/"How about if you get naked, and then it won’t be as awkward?/"
/"Mack!/"
/"Lighten up. Geez, you would think this is all new to you./" I rolled my eyes.
/"Well, it sort of is./" She shrugged.
Wait. Did I hear her, right? Well, I’ll be damned. Paige was as pure as the driven snow. Hmm, we’ll fix that.
I got dressed and returned looking decent. /"You can look since I covered little Mack./" I smirked.
She turned around. /"Well, you seem not to have lost your sense of humor./"
/"Humor? No. Anger? Well, I have an abundance of that./"
/"What happened? You need to go to the hospital./"
/"Aaron Slade and his minions happened. As for hospitals, I’ll pass./" I walked into the kitchen to make coffee.
She followed me. /"Mack, you could have broken ribs./"
/"Leave it alone, Paige./" I pulled out all the things to make coffee.
/"Mack, you need to see a doctor./"
/"I said no./"
/"Mack./"
I snapped my face in her direction. /"I said no!/"
She stood there, shocked.
/"All they do is kill you! They don’t help! You go there, and you die!/"
/"Not always./" She furrowed her brows.
/"Then explained to me how my mother went in and ten days later was dead./"
She stood there, stunned.
/"Exactly, the same thing when my dad went in, and boom, he doesn’t come out. So, tell me why hospitals are so great?/"
/"I’m going to go./" She gathered her stuff and left.
I returned to making my coffee. I never understood why people couldn’t leave well enough alone. My parents died in a hospital, leaving me without a family.
Later, I sat on the couch, catching up with episodes of Charmed. Andy Pandy needs to get it together. How Prue ever dated him is beyond me.
There was a knock at the door.
/"I’m lazy, and it’s opened!/"
The door opened, and in strolled Bob and Ian. My day keeps getting better and better.
/"Ooh, Charmed./" Bob bounded to a chair and sat down.
Ian rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch. /"How are you feeling, Grumpy?/"
/"With my fingers./" I wiggled my fingers at him and took a sip of coffee.
/"Good to know they didn’t beat you senseless./"
/"Good to know that I’ll beat Aaron senseless when I see him./" I smirked.
/"Where’s Paige?/" Ian glanced around the living room.
/"Oh, the one that stayed here last night, saw little Mack, then preceded to harp on me about the hospital? She left. Thanks for leaving her with me,/" I said.
/"Mack, she’s the one that found you and called us./" Bob turned his attention to me from the tv.
/"What do you mean?/" I asked.
/"She found you first,/" Ian told me. /"Let me guess. You gave her the Mack special, you dink./" Ian sighed.
/"Shit./" I ran my hand through my hair.
/"Mack, you have weird-ass issues, but not everyone is out to hurt you,/" Bob said.
/"Well, you have clothing issues, but that’s beside the point,/" I retorted.
He rolled his eyes.
/"Damn it. Now, what will I do?/" I asked them.
I’m sure whatever was starting between Paige and me became squashed like a bug.
/"Eat many crows. That reminds me, never do that. Crow is bad luck./" Ian grinned.
I rolled my eyes at him and shook my head.
/"Listen, Valvoline, the oil change place called, they want their oil back,/" I said.
Ian shook his head.
/"Don’t worry about Paige. Let us handle her,/" Bob said.
Great, I’m doomed now. I would have to kiss much ass. However, she had a nice one. Nice and firm. Focus, Mack. You can worry about her ass later. I needed to figure out how to get her to talk to me again.
It would take some Mack finesse.