Different With You (An IM5 Story) | ✔️

Chapter 42: Maggie's Special Things

Magnolia’s POV

I wrapped my arms around my mid-section as I slowly walked out of Lea’s room. I was the last one out so I closed her door very slowly. Carefully I looked at Lea’s  dry-erase board and wiped off the words. She was awake now, no use in having ‘comatose’ on her board.       

I felt my eyes start to water as I realized Lea was still mad at me. She was in a coma for six days and  she still hated me. I felt myself tremble and my knees suddenly went weak. Before I fell, a pair of strong arms caught me.

I looked up at Dalton and let the tears flow, “D-did you see the way she looked at me? She still hates me.” Dalton looked down at me, his eyes hesitant but his mouth quick to speak, “No she doesn’t hate you, Maggie. She’s just confused and trying to figure out what’s going on.”

I knew he was just trying to make me feel better, so I shrugged his  arms off me. There was no use for it anymore. I reminisced back to the beginning of the summer, before I met  the boys. Part of me wishes I never took Lea to that club downtown. At least then I’d be happy with Nate...and maybe Lea wouldn’t hate me.

I pushed away my selfish thought as the door to Lea’s room swung open. I was surprised when Nathan walked out of the room looking pissed.

“What’s wrong? What did the doctors say?” I said, my voice sounding surprisingly strong.

Nate’s gaze landed on me before scoffing at himself, “I wouldn’t know. Lea said she wouldn’t talk unless I wasn’t in the room. Me. Of all people.”  What?

If Lea hated Nate still, there’s no way she still wanted to be my friend. I was about to console him, try and make him doubt what he knew was happening, but before I could take a step, he kicked a trashcan down the hallway.

I jumped back at his sudden outburst and Gabe and Cole all jumped to his side, holding his arms back. Cole whispered something at Nate that made his eyes flash. Gabe held his arms tighter and said, “We can work through this, okay? She can’t stay mad at you forever, she loves you. You of all people know that Lea would never stop caring for someone she loves.”

Slowly, the boys let go of his arms and the rest of us moved out of the way for the other nurses to pass us down the hall, giving us fake smiles. Nate nodded at Gabe, knowing what he was saying was true.  The tension in the area did nothing to ease the awkwardness of the situation so unanimously, we all started walking to the elevator.

As we neared the door, I began thinking back to when Lea  and I first met. We were the only ones in our gym class who knew how to surf and stuck together through it all. I mean, we had a rough start at first since we both wanted to prove who was the best, but we could never decide.

The thought of good times made me stop in my tracks. The other boys walked ahead and pressed the elevator button, saying something about getting some food at the cafeteria.  I really didn’t feel like being at the hospital anymore. The sickly clean smell was nauseating and I just couldn’t stand to think that my soul sister was 100 yards away loathing me.

I didn’t realize it, but I spoke before I could process anything, “I think I’m going to head home.” Will looked at me, concern etched on his face, “Why so soon? Don’t you want to figure out what they’re going to do with Lea?”