Beside You

Six

POV: Cara

I'm sitting in the waiting room.

His operation had been going on for 4 hours.

It's about to get to 5...

The doors open, and Jess hurries over to the doctor, so do I.

"His surgery was.... successful. Not very successful though. His spinal cord is very fragile at the moment, he will have the risk of death if the fusion bone moves even a little bit. We must ensure his neck doesn't receive any pressure."

Relief shoots through me when I walk into his ward room.

He was laid on the bed, eyes closed with a ventilator beeping beside him.

Jess first spoke her prayers to him, and it was my turn.

Mom and dad were standing behind me when I sat on the chair near his hospital bed.

Squeezing his hand, I realized how cold it was compared to his body before the accident.

I stayed like that until the parents left, and they agreed to leave me with him alone.

Climbing onto the bed, I make sure my body wasn't directly burdening him in any way, and I lay down beside him in the bed, turning to his cheek and kissing him.

Making sure he got all of the blanket so he was able to keep warm, I interlock my hand with his.

When I woke up, the room was dark, and all I could hear was the beeping of his ventilator.

Resuming to sleep, I hold his hand tighter.

You helped me when I needed someone.

Now when no one's here,

I'll be the one who will stay.

Beside you.

You were the one who misunderstood me at first,

But also the one who only understood me in the end.

You saved my life.

I've never had the chance to save yours.

Someone patted my shoulder.

"Sorry. He should be the only one on the bed. We will provide him with special care and we will contact you immediately when he wakes up, ok? Please return home."

The doctor invited me out the ward room and mom and dad rubbed my shoulders, trying to create the comfort that had already been dead inside of me long ago.

—————————0

It's been a whole week.

The hospital hasn't called.

Stress and worry creeps all over me and I cry my hardest, squeezing my legs close to my chest.

This time it got so bad he can't even wake up.

It's all my fault, it's all my fault!?

All because he wanted to get my hearing aids.

All he wanted to do was help me, and now I'm creating more problems for him.

The phone rings.

I sprint downstairs to hear the news.

"Hello?"

"Hello Mrs Tristan. We are making this call to tell your daughter that her friend has passed. His fusion was not moved, but he just stopped breathing at around 4am this morning. It has been confirmed as it is now 10am and he is not alive."

Mom looks towards me, her hands about to hug me.

I slam my bedroom door and I lock it.

He was the best friend I ever had.

He was true.

He didn't leave me for the reason Tyler did.

All because of the uneven water pressure that made me deaf.

Now he's-

"Cara! They say he woke up! Cara, come out of your room, Cara!?"

Mom was banging on my door, the word 'woke' lights me up again.

Our family arrived at the hospital, and I sprinted inside.

Bursting the door open, he was there, on the bed.

His eyes were open.

But he was different than he was before.

He stared at me, but nothing came out his mouth.

It was just open and he was silent.

The doctor caught me thinking and he started straight to the point.

"He won't talk to you ever again in his life. He can't. The bike had hit him directly on where he was already injured 2 years ago-it hadn't fully healed yet- on the C3 bone. And now the fusion is supporting his cervical bone, but he has completely lost his control in everything. His facial muscles, his limbs, even his left wrist."

I could see how weak he was when he kept his eyes on me, and he made breathy noises with his mouth.

He's trying to speak to me.

Pulling the chair closer to the bed and I held his hand again, I realize that he was dribbling onto his pillow a little.

Taking the closest handkerchief, I dabbed the corner of his mouth.

He panted more, but all that ever came out was more drool.

"It's ok. Stop. I understand. Don't force yourself."

After cleaning him up more, I put the handkerchief down and I stroke his hand.

He was watching me do the action, but I know that he couldn't feel it.

I only realized how long it's been when the sun sets outside.

I turn to the doctor who was now entering the room.

"Is he allowed to go outside for activities like-"

"No, Cara. He has no control over himself, so we have to keep him a bedridden patient for as long as possible. So that he is safe. We do not want any more accidents happening."

"Ok." I mumbled then I caught his stare.

He had stopped those breathy breaths, as if he understood my words just a few minutes ago and the room fell silent.

"He has his stimulation and MRI therapy. Please leave, because the radiation can be harmful to your health."

I had to walk away, and his curtains closed around the bed.

All I heard before I left the room was the 'ah' from Quinn every 2 seconds along with the sound of a shock.

It had been 2 hours, and when I came back, I was glad he was ok.

Seated beside him, Quinn looks me in the eyes again, tears coming.

"Stop being such a simp! Stop. I know it hurt. It's ok."

Tears also heated my eyes when I leaned closer to his chest and tapped him on his shoulder to 'hug' him.

———————0
AN!

Hi guys! If you kind of got the romance vibe here, please don't forget to vote and comment what you think about it...! :)

Quintin 🦋