Diana

If someone told me I got into an accident right after I told them to be careful then realizing someone just put a pad on my face, I'd stay quiet as the man on the bed.

He cleared his throat before looking at me. "Thank you, really. This wasn't part of the itinerary." He gestured his arm around the room. The redness of his ears has turned a lighter shade of pink now.

"It's fine. I've never seen anyone fall the way you did. You went all Neo on us back there."

He chuckled. "Tory?"

"She's with your mother. She was the one who called your dad on my phone. Smart girl, that one."

He nodded before touching his head. The doctor already told him it wasn't serious but he had to be more careful.

"My mom was right," he sighed. "I do have a thick skull." He cleared his throat before rubbing one of his ears.

"I mean there were towels, right?

I frowned, not entirely sure why he had to mention towels.

"To stop the bleeding," he continued.

My eyes widened. "Oh, we're not finished with that one?"

So for the past hour, we talked about how the towels were drenched in sweat and dirt. It was difficult for him to look me in the eye so he nodded as I explained how sanitary pads were clean enough to be used for first aid. I mean that was its job; to keep the bleeding under control.

Then the subject moved to how he dislocated his shoulder and a friend had to pop it back in place when he was seventeen. Something about riding horses and impressing the college girls who visited during the summer. Wil had enough stories to last the whole evening.

"You've lived," I remarked.

"And almost died a couple of times," he replied.

He admitted to being the stereotypical bad boy back in high school, cigars and all. The man still looked like it. He kind of reminded me of the dress-up games I played when I was really young. Although now, he looked like the default look – plain shirt and jeans. It was easy to imagine him still living the life he was describing. Put the man in leather clothes and a bike and call it a day.

"Well if it was so fun, why did you," I pouted, pointing to his direction.

He scoffed, "What? Are you telling me I'm no fun now?"

I chuckled. "I'm not the one in a hospital bed, am I?"

He was about to answer back but decided against it.

"Hey."

I met his eyes and he took a deep breath. "You see this scar?" he moved the arm he was talking about.

I noticed it before but never really bothered asking. I had no right to. I didn't say anything and just let him take his time.

"Bullet wound," he said, averting his gaze to stare up the ceiling. "I'm actually part of the mafia."

I felt my hands turn cold. Wasn't I accused of being involved with the mafia before this?

"I see," I said matter-of-factly.

What do you mean? You went to a trip with a man from the mafia. You can't live a normal life anymore. One of these days you're going to get kidnapped and your organs are going to be sold in the black market. All for what? Trusting a guy with a kid.

"Diana, are you okay?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to reach for me. "I need to tell you something else."

I cleared my throat. I was so scared I felt like throwing up. This time, I won't feel the slightest bit of guilt.

He took a shaky breath. "I..." he trailed off.

"-was also part of the theatre club for a few semesters"

I stared at him blankly. I was still busy thinking of ways to get the hell out of here and now he's mentioning about being in a club.

"Okay, that was not funny." He cleared his throat.

I inhaled loudly before looking at him in disbelief. "You son of -"

"A witch must've heard you and made you fall!" Tory barged in, climbed up the bed and sat by Wil's feet. Her eyes were wide as if making sure Wilbur was really okay. She told him about what happened when he was unconscious and insisted that they should have sanitary pads at home, just in case.

He looked at me for help. I avoided eye contact and pretended to look down my phone.

Tory then proceeded to explaining how I applied the said giant band-aid on his head.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tory asked. Wil's whole face was red and I had to ask Tory what she ate before coming to the hospital.

"I remember playing tree no. 3 during a school play," I said after a while. "Let me guess," I scratched my head, as if thinking, "-you played tomato no. 1"

He shook his head, smiling. "Okay, I deserved that."

Once the doctor told us that it was okay to take him home, we all sat in silence as Wil's Dad drove. When we got home, I was expecting his mother to coo at him. We ate lunch like nothing happened. They talked to him about the crops and how he should visit his old teachers. It was almost like Wilbur getting himself in trouble was a normal reoccurrence.

When it was time to clean up, Wil and his parents looked at one another. Tory was already outside, playing with Diablo.

"Okay," I said standing up.

"Sit down, Diana." Wil's father said, not letting his eyes leave Wilbur.

The latter looked at his father in disbelief. "I just got out of the hospital!" His mother looked at her plate, humming. It's safe to say this family did't like washing the dishes.

I stood up again and begun to clear up the table. His parents seemed to be caught off-guard.

"No, Diana," his mom's hand held mine. "Let them be. This was long overdue."

I looked at the two grown men. Wilbur rolled his eyes before looking at me. He stood up and his father followed. His father patted his back then offered his hand to his wife and elegantly escorted her to the living room.

"Okay, What just happened?" I continued clearing the table.

He sighed. "We made a bet three years ago. If ever I was hospitalized again, I'll be the one doing the dishes."

I blinked a couple of times as he turned around to put the dishes on the sink.

"Your family doesn't like washing dishes, huh?"

He chuckled. "It's not that. I grew up with people who knew how to keep their word, no exceptions."

I stood beside him and made him scoot over. I told him that I'll do the washing and he can do the drying. He seemed grateful and took a stool to sit on. We were almost finished when a knock came from the kitchen door. Through the screen door, I could see a woman.

"I heard about what happened. Are you okay?" the small voice made me stop what I was doing and take a quick peek.

She was almost as tall as I was. She looked like the kind of person you see when you get lost in the woods. The kind of person who lived in a nice cottage and had her own garden. She looked too pure for this world I wanted to protect her. She smiled at me shyly and I waved my hand to say hello. Wilbur broke the silence and introduced us.

Her name was Sara. Wilbur was one of his big brother's friends. Sara looked at me like I was some kind of specimen. She looked at my clothes, my hair, and listened too intently when I spoke. I looked at Wilbur as he dried the dishes. When she left, Wilbur sat beside me.

"She's harmless. That's just how she looks at people."

"She kind of reminds me of the heroines from romance novels."

"You read romance novels? Which kind?"

I looked at him, expecting him to mock me. He was looking at me alright.

"Good girl meets handsome, rugged, sometimes wounded rogue."

He nodded but stayed quiet.

"What? Say something."

"I'll tell you a secret." He moved closer.

"You used to read them, too." I said jokingly.

He shrugged and I had to pause just to make sure he wasn't kidding. He wasn't kidding. He told me about reading some because he had a girlfriend that liked them. He read just enough to know exactly what to say to charm his way in or get himself out.

"I... don't know what to do with that information." I chuckled. I thought the bad boys just kind of knew what to say.

"Is it weird?"

I shook my head, turning to him. "It's smart, but those poor girls."

"Hey now." He said defensively. "We all ended in good terms."

I patted his back. "Good for you. I wish everything was that easy. Like we can just act out in a movie and congratulate each other for a job well done afterwards."

"We get handed different roles from time to time. I'm your regular dude with a bunch of jobs and you're an office worker with a sad past." He cut in.

I laughed at how he simply summarized the situation.

"I mean it's not that sad. Fiance runs off with another girl. Said office worker continues living her life like usual with occasional confrontations with the ex-fiance. Office worker has other things to worry about."

"Office worker needs a hobby. Something to help her let off some steam" Wil stated.

"Office worker is fine." I replied.

"Regular dude doesn't think so." He stood up.

"Regular dude doesn't know what he's talking about."

"So does office worker," Wil took my hand and led me outside. "Think of it this way; you thought of a joke and told it to the class but your voice was too quiet. Then another classmate told the joke and everyone laughed. How would you feel?"

"Pissed," I said, frowning.

"Now you have a guy, then that guy got swept away by another girl everyone thinks it was meant to be. How would you feel?"

"Pissed!"

"Yes! See? Come on, Diana." He nudged my shoulder. "You're a human being with emotions. Let yourself be one."

I exhaled loudly and looked up to Wilbur.

"I feel like I've known you for a long time."

He gasped. "Maybe we were childhood friends or we were enemies then one of us had amnesia – ouch." He rubbed his shoulder and looked at me. I needed to at least hit him gently before he said any more.

"Thanks," I said. He grinned and asked me if I wanted to be introduced to Diablo again. I agreed and spent the next hour being slobbered by a hairless dog while Wilbur laughed at my attempt to calm Diablo down.

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A/N : So I'm kinda back. A quick update  about what the hell's going on.

►We had a couple of offers  to publish Her, Saving Grace (digitally) but yours truly would like to keep the story in Wattpad for now. Some website's selling the copy for 20$ and  that kind of sucks.

►'Then There's Wilbur' will be updated once or twice a week (Monday and/or Tuesday). Feedback/reactions are very much appreciated.

►The other stories will be updated too. But not as regularly. 

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I love you, have a nice day.