The nurse came back to the room and offered me the crutches under her arm. I took them and leaned gingerly against the things— for all I knew, my luck would make me fall again.

“Thank you,” Nathan said beside me. He took the papers in the nurse’s outstretched hand while I played around with the sticks.

“Are we good to go now?” I asked.

“Yes. Your medication should be ready for pick up at Walgreens,” the nurse said with a gentle smile. “Remember not to put any weight on your foot for two weeks. Come back and we’ll look at the fracture once more to see what our next plan of action is.”

We bid her goodbye and walked out of the building.

I glanced over at Nathan as his hands hovered awkwardly away from his body, ready to catch me if I fell.

“Hey, Nate?” I broke the silence. “Thank you for helping me out. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been walking by at that moment.”

And I really didn’t know what I would’ve done. I probably would’ve kept crying on the floor clutching my broken foot, too proud to ask my parents for help. Maybe I would’ve summoned Lucifer again and asked him to take me to the nearest hospital. With all of the pain, I felt I’d probably give up my soul to him within a heartbeat.

Could I even summon him without the candles and blood? I’d have to ask that next time he showed up.

“No problem,” Nate said with a smile. “Really, it was just luck that I don’t live that far and Cookie wanted to go on a walk.”

He walked ahead and walked into a bush by the hospital. He untied his chihuahua and brought her back to where I waited. Henry stood up as soon as Cookie was in Nate’s care. He brushed his jeans. I wasn’t sure why— it wasn’t like he could get dirty.

I hobbled along as the two guys walked beside me.

“I’m sorry I haven’t texted you,” I mumbled to the ground. “I did want to, honestly. It’s just…”

“Life can be unpredictable. It’s okay, I understand,” he finished for me.

I looked at him and his russet colored hair looked shades lighter under the moonlight. When his eyes met mine I was lost in them.

Had they always been that green? They seemed to darken as I stared but I couldn’t bring myself to look away.

Henry seemed to be willing to give me a hand, as he chose that moment to trip over nothing. I paused in my steps, but Nathan couldn’t be warned. Henry bumped into his cousin and Nate stumbled onto my path. If I hadn’t stopped he would’ve bumped into me.

“Kill me now,” Nathan said, hiding his face behind his hands. Cookie pulled at the leash hard enough to bring his hands back down.

I laughed. “If your cousin is this clumsy in death I’m curious to know how he was when he was alive.”

Henry glanced at me with curiosity. I forced myself to look only at Nate’s eyes.

“Henry was a danger to himself and everyone around him,” Nate chuckled. “He was great, though. He was always quick to make someone smile and laugh even when he was going through a hard time himself.”

His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at the ground. I sneaked a glance at Henry, who was looking at Nate with a small smile on his face. Even Cookie seemed to sense the mood as she sat quietly on the sidewalk.

“It sounds like he was an amazing person. I’m sure he would’ve loved to know how much his family still adores him.”

Both guys turned to give me a smile. At that moment I could see the familiarity— their smiles were nearly identical.

When we arrived at my house, we stood by the entrance, looking up at my broken window.

“You might wanna get that fixed,” Nate said. “Don’t want you falling out the window again.”

“I won’t,” I laughed. “But if I do, at least I know there’s someone who’ll catch me. Or take to me to the hospital, anyway.”

“Always,” he said, laughter in his eyes. His expression was so open, so endearing, that I knew his words meant more than what he was telling me.

“Alright,” I smiled. “Thank you again for everything. I’ll see you around?”

Henry bumped his shoulder against Nathan’s and although it didn’t move him, Nate still glanced down at his shoulder.

“Um, actually…” Nathan flushed and I tilted my head sideways. Flustered Nate was actually kind of cute. “Can I ask you something? But I don’t want you to feel like you have to say yes because of what happened tonight, but… Would you… Like to go out sometime?”

My heart beat harder in my chest as heat spread across my face. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Nate looked away and his own ears flushed pink.

“Actually, forget I—”

“No!” I interrupted. His wide eyes met mine and I shook my head. “Wait, I mean, don’t take it back. I would like to go out with you sometime.”

I could feel my face heat up to the point where my eyes were beginning to tear up. It didn’t help my nerves that Henry and Nathan both beamed at me— a wide innocent smile that made me feel like world peace was possible at that moment.

“That’s great,” Nate said, still grinning. “I’ll text you so we can set something up?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He took a step backwards and nearly tripped over Cookie, who’d been sitting quietly behind him.

I giggled but pursed my lips right away to stop the laughter. Dear lord, I sounded like a high schooler.

Nate rubbed the back of his neck as he offered me a shy smile. “Anyway. I’ll see you across the street at work, then. And next time you try sneaking out of the house please use the door.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway. “I can’t promise anything.”

With a final glance in my direction, Nate turned and walked away in what I assumed to be the direction of his house. Henry and Cookie followed him, both practically skipping along behind him.