Diamonds in the Rough

“Alright lovebirds,” Gena winked in her rearview mirror, “No dirty business.”
“Yeah shut up Gee,” Jasey scoffed, opening the door and stepping out. She held out her hand for Brian and he took it, getting out of the car as well.

Jasey helped him up the steps to his house, which was only three, but for some reason they felt like seven.

“Brian, keys?” He nodded, holding the shirt to his lip. He moved the shirt, “Front pocket.”

Jasey shook her head, “Brian come on. Just get them out.”

He gave in and reached into his pocket, handing her the few keys and a couple key chains. She made a mental note to herself that he had a pig key chain as she unlocked the front door and walked in.

He moved the shirt from his lips again, “I’m sorry it’s a little …… boring?”

The walls weren’t white, but they were light shades of blues and greens. The flooring was a light stained hardwood. The house looked like something you’d see in some sort of magazine.

“Michelle picked most of the things out. They grew on me after a while,” he explained, pressing the shirt back on his lower lip.

“Just show me to your bathroom,” Jasey instructed. He took her hand in his and led her down the hall way to what she assumed to be his bedroom. The sheets on his bed were light purple with a deep purple comforter on top. The pillows also matched the comforter. The walls were a simple, but still welcoming shade of grey and the hardwood that had been in the rest of the house was now replaced by white carpeting.

He pulled her into the room attached to it. His bathroom was huge. It had a huge shower and a gigantic whirlpool tub. There were two sinks in the counter with a mirror that reached the ceiling behind it.

He let go of her hand and jumped up on the counter in between the two sinks.

“Everything should be under that one,” He said pointing to the one on the right. She nodded and crouched down to see what he had. She pulled out gauze pads, band aids, wash cloths, and a first aid kit.

“Really Brian? In your bathroom?” She asked, holding up the box. He nodded. She let out a light laugh and opened the case up, pulling a pair of rubber gloves over her hands. His eyes got wide real fast.

“What do you need those for?”
“My aunt told me to always wear gloves,” She smiled, grabbing a wash cloth and running it under some warm water.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” He asked, questioning her abilities.
“My aunt was an ER nurse, remember?”

He nodded uneasily. She rung the extra water out of the wash cloth and pressed it to his cheek. He winced in pain when she touched just above his cheek bone where the bruise was forming.

“Sorry,” She whispered quietly, wiping the blood off his cheeks. She set the wash cloth aside in the sink and dug around in the first aid kit for the liquid bandage, because a regular one just wasn’t going to work.

Once she found it, she tore open the small package and cracked the stick, allowing the liquid to seep through the cotton swab at the end. Gently, she rubbed it over the cuts and scrapes on his cheeks. By now he had removed the shirt from his lip and it had stopped bleeding.

“There,” She smiled, pulling off her gloves and throwing away all the wrappers, “All done.”

She turned around and bent back down to put the first aid kit away. She stood back up and was caught off guard when two arms snaked around her waist. He pulled her into his chest and just held her for a while.

“I’m sorry for taking out that creeper.”

She spun around in his arms, “Why are you sorry for doing that?”

“Because I wasn’t really thinking when I started punching him,” He said looking in her crystal blue eyes.

“You have nothing to be sorry for Bry,” She said softly, “You came to my rescue.”
“And you bandaged me up after that,” He said with a crooked smile.
“I did a mighty fine job,” She smiled.

He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and let out a groan.

“Maybe we should go get some ice for that now,” She giggled and he let go of her. He took her hand in his once more and brought her down the hall into the kitchen. He let go of her and opened the freezer, taking out a big bag of frozen corn.

She leaned up against the counter and looked down at the floor.

“Do you want to call Val?” He asked, now sounding concerned about her.
“I think she’ll find out when Gena gets back.”
“Then what’s wrong?” He inquired, scrunching his eyebrows together and giving her a questioning look.

“It’s just the way you beat that guy’s ass for me,” She paused, “I never really got to say thank you for doing that.”

“You’re thanking me for beating someone up?” He said shocked.

She nodded, “The only other one that’s beat someone up for me was Zacky, but that was back in like ninth grade.”

His face softened, “You’re welcome Jasey.”

She looked up at met his eyes with her own, letting a smile play on her lips. He took a step towards her and made an attempt to kiss her, she stopped him.

“Why don’t you put your frozen corn on that eye and lip before it gets more swollen than it already is,” She ordered and he pouted. She gave in to him and kissed his cheek softly.

“Come on Pirate Haner,” She teased, taking him into his living room. He laid down on the couch and put the bag of frozen corn over his eye and lip. She turned on the TV and stood in the middle of the room, flipping through the channels before settling on VH1’s Top 40 Countdown. She spun back around and took one look at him before laughing out loud.

“I look ridiculous, don’t I?”

She nodded and kept giggling.

“I want you to look dorky too,” He said in a childish voice. She shook her head and laid down on her stomach on top of him. His arms wrapped around her waist. She moved the bag of corn from his lips, but kept it on his eye.

She leaned down to kiss him, but this time he stopped her.

He cocked his brow at her, “I thought you said I shouldn’t let it get anymore swollen.”

“Just one,” She said sweetly, “Unless it hurts.”
“It’s not that big of a cut Jase, it’s just a little one.”
“I still don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” He reassured.

She continued to move closer until their lips touched. It was a short kiss, but that was because she was afraid of hurting him.

“Told you it wouldn’t hurt,” He smiled, moving one of his hands to the back of her neck and pulling her in again.