What's Wrong with Miss Bratty?

"How's your foot?" Tiffany asked, her voice laced with concern, her brow furrowed as she took a step closer.

Yvienna glanced down at her foot, then at her friend's worried expression. "It hurts…" she replied softly, her voice betraying her. She quickly removed her shoe, and the sight that greeted her made her stomach turn—blood was seeping from her foot, staining her sock a dark, sinister red.

Tiffany's gasp echoed in the quiet air, her eyes widening in panic. "Oh my gosh, we need to get you to the clinic, now!" she exclaimed, her hands trembling as she reached out to help.

Yvienna winced, nodding wordlessly. Her body ached from the shock, but she managed to hold herself together.

Just as Tiffany moved to assist, a voice broke through the chaos, steady and calm, but undeniably insistent.

"Yvienna, why did you run away from me earlier?" Kyle's voice was smooth, but there was an underlying tension in the way he looked at her. His gaze quickly flicked to her foot, and his expression shifted—eyes narrowing in surprise and concern.

Without waiting for an answer, he stepped forward, his strong hands effortlessly lifting her from the ground in one fluid motion. "I'll carry you."

Yvienna's heart skipped a beat, and a surge of pride made her jaw clench. "I can walk just fine," she muttered, but as she attempted to put weight on her foot, a sharp spike of pain coursed through her, forcing a strangled gasp from her throat.

Kyle was already there, his arms steady and secure around her as he swept her up, holding her in a bridal carry. Her protests fell on deaf ears.

"What are you—?!" she sputtered, her voice a mix of shock and embarrassment. Their classmates were staring, some openly whispering, others glancing away when they realized they were being caught watching.

Kyle, however, moved as though nothing was amiss, striding purposefully through the sea of stares. He barely seemed to notice the murmurs.

Yvienna grumbled under her breath, but he leaned in close, his voice low and dangerous. "Keep quiet, or I'll drop you."

Her words caught in her throat as she glared at him. It was a battle of wills, but in the end, her pride lost. She fell silent, resigned to the inevitable. Kyle smirked, the corner of his lips curling in amusement, though his eyes held a certain warmth that Yvienna couldn't quite place.

When they reached the clinic, Kyle gently lowered her onto a patient's bed, his touch surprisingly tender. He didn't hesitate to call for the nurse.

The nurse hurried over, her eyes darting immediately to Yvienna's foot, and she gasped. "What happened?" she asked, concern flooding her features.

Kyle pointed at the injury. "She needs help, fast," he said, his voice calm but insistent.

The nurse was already pulling out bandages, her hands swift and sure. "This is a bad injury. You should've taken better care of your foot," she said, her voice scolding as she began to wrap Yvienna's foot in sterile gauze.

Yvienna sighed, rolling her eyes. "I didn't exactly plan for this."

The nurse raised an eyebrow but didn't comment further, focusing instead on the injury.

Kyle leaned in slightly, his voice still even, but there was a small glint of mischief in his eyes. "Is there a wheelchair available? She needs to get home quickly."

The nurse hesitated, glancing toward the storage room before shaking her head. "I'm afraid not. A lot of students have had accidents today, and all the wheelchairs are already in use. You'll have to rely on him for now," she explained, turning back to Yvienna.

Yvienna blinked, her frown deepening. "There's no wheelchair?" she asked, trying to process the situation.

The nurse nodded. "Sorry, dear. Looks like you'll have to rely on him for now."

Yvienna hesitated, still unsure. But the pain in her foot was undeniable, and she didn't have much choice. Kyle gave her a knowing look, his smirk widening as he stepped closer.

"Well, seems like you're stuck with me," he teased, lifting her with ease once more. His grin was full of mischief, and Yvienna's frustration grew, but she couldn't find it in herself to protest.

"I guess you're right," she muttered reluctantly, trying to ignore the heat that spread across her face. "I'm stuck with you."

Kyle's grin widened as he carefully helped her off the bed and into his arms again. "Don't worry. I'm a professional at this."

She didn't know whether to be annoyed or embarrassed. The weight of the situation, the closeness between them, and the hum of the nurse's parting words made her uneasy. Yet, something about the way Kyle held her felt oddly protective.

Once they were outside, he settled her into the passenger seat of his car, carefully buckling her in. The smooth hum of the engine filled the silence between them.

"I'll drive you home," Kyle murmured, his voice soft but steady.

Yvienna nodded, not trusting herself to speak. The intensity of their closeness still lingered, and the warmth in her chest made her uneasy. She buried her face in her hands, trying to block out the nervous fluttering in her stomach.

Kyle smirked as he started the car, his gaze flicking to her with a mischievous gleam. "Seems like you're enjoying my company a little more than you'd like to admit."

Yvienna's face flushed at his words, and she immediately shot back, "I'm not! Don't get ahead of yourself."

Kyle chuckled, the sound warm and teasing. "Sure, sure. Just trying to make sure you're comfortable."

The drive to her house was a blur, the quiet moments stretched thin by the tension in the air. Yvienna couldn't quite put her finger on why she felt so unsettled. Maybe it was the fact that she had never been so dependent on someone like this before, or maybe it was the way Kyle seemed to be enjoying the whole situation far more than he should.

When they finally arrived, Kyle gently helped her out of the car and supported her as they walked toward the door.

Her mother appeared in the doorway, concern written across her face. "Yvienna!" she cried, rushing forward to greet them. "Are you alright, my darling? I regret letting you go to school today!"

Kyle smiled politely, stepping back. "I should place her inside," he said.

Her mother waved her hand dismissively. "Of course, of course! Come in! Please!" She ushered them inside with warmth, and Yvienna couldn't help but notice how Kyle seemed at ease with her mother's energy.

Yvienna grumbled but allowed Kyle to settle her on the couch, the weight of the entire situation pressing down on her. Her mother quickly darted to the kitchen, "I'll make you both something to drink!"

Kyle glanced at Yvienna, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "I guess I'll stay for a while then."

Yvienna rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Her pride, still smarting from earlier, kept her silent as her mother came back with glasses of juice.