STAND BY ME

chapter 13 - the brain

MUFFLED sounds of beeping machines and doctors shouting filled Austin Butler's ears. His breath was heavy and clouded due to the oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose area.

Trying very hard to keep his eyes wide open, he looked for Avery. Even though he could feel the pain shoot through his veins as soon as he lifted his head up, he did it anyway. He did it for her.

White hospital walls surrounded him and the harder he tried to move his eyes, the more painful it got. His eyes trailed down to the blood spilling from his side, until they fixed onto something else; moving with him. Avery lay still, eyes closed, being wheeled by five doctors behind him.

Almost in an instant, he urged to sit up. However the pain arising in his torso stopped him and he winced agonisingly. A hand was then placed on his chest, "Mr Butler," it spoke, "I'm going to need you to lie down for me okay?"

He nodded in reply. "You're okay, don't worry. Just stay still, alright? Can you do that for me?"

The question sounded more like a command but Austin ignored it anyway. Instead, he lifted his finger and pointed to the bed-trolley Avery was being wheeled on. Taking his oxygen mask off, he bit his lip by the sudden pain. "Is she okay?" he croaked.

"Yes, she's fine." Answered the woman before facing another doctor and beginning to talk.

"He's suffering a minor concussion and there are 2 stab wounds located on the right side of the stomach," she said whilst Austin gazed intently up at them, listening.

"And the girl?" the man asked, pointing to the room that Avery had been pushed into.

Pitifully, the woman furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at Austin who had a confused and longing expression marked all across his face. She turned around and told the man, who's reaction didn't seem very satisfying to Austin.

Tears welled up in his eyes. This was all his fault. Avery could be seriously injured right now all because of him. He felt his eyes beginning to close again as his vision went blurry. One thing ran through his mind. What had happened to Avery?

__

It'd taken Austin a day of sleep and treatment to recover from the car crash until he could finally get up. Of course, his first instinct was to get to Avery. In his mind, she was his number one priority.

Firstly, the blonde boy checked to see if the doctors were watching. They'd told him he needed to rest longer but he needed to know how Avery was.

Limping awkwardly, Austin made his way over to the room opposite his and silently opened the door. A sleeping Avery met his gaze, her eyes relaxed and her blonde locks framing her face beautifully. He slowly walked over not letting her out of his sight once.

"Avery," he weakly smiled, placing his hand on her check and softly rubbing it with his thumb. His blue eyes traced her face until they stopped at the side of her head.

A white patch was pressed against her temple, connected to a tube which ran down the side of her bed. Guilt bolted through his veins. How could he have been so utterly selfish, stupid and idiotic?

Austin was almost instantly brought back to earth from his thoughts because of the hand now placed on his. Avery was looking up at him with so, so much emotion in her eyes. He tried so hard to put a finger on what it exactly was but he just couldn't.

Maybe it was lust, or longing. Maybe it was rage, or fear. Or maybe, just maybe... it was love.

"What happened?" she questioned innocently.

"Are you okay? We got into a car crash. How do you feel?"

"I don't know, dizzy?" she chuckled removing her hand from Austin's and placing it on her forehead.

"I'm sorry," he pressed the back of his palm against her face, checking her temperature. "I'm really, really sorry."

"It's okay. It was an accident, right?" she weakly smiled. The two remained silent for a few seconds until they were both forced out of their trance by a sudden sound.

The same doctor from before had entered the room and was now walking towards the pair, "Miss Miller, You are awake!" she exclaimed, fanning Austin away with her hands.

"How do you feel, honey?" Avery smiled at Austin, "Mr Butler, please go back to your assigned room. You have not been told to come out yet!" she said, practically forcing him outside.

—

Quietly, the blonde boy carefully opened the hospital door - now in his regular clothes. A white shirt tugged at his neck and grey joggers cloaked his legs. "Hi," he whispered.

Avery sat up, "Hey," she smiled back acknowledging the beautiful red roses clenched in the blonde boys left hand. "I got these for you."

She slowly took them from his hand and placed them onto her lap. "My head hurts."

Eyebrows furrowed Austin whined as if he felt the pain she did, "I know. It will."

"They said I've cracked my skull and have a major concussion," she said like it was not a big deal.

"What?" he questioned in disbelief, "No, oh god."

"It's not that bad right? I don't really remember."

As the blonde girl tugged on his arm, Austin forced himself up from the bed and went to the same doctor from before.

He tapped her on the shoulder frantically, "Why doesn't Avery remember?"

The woman sighed, "She's broken a bone in her skull and the front of her brain has been slightly damaged. The frontal and temporal lobes are bruised, and it may take a week or so for her to remember common things such as the accident and other minor interactions."

Austin stood still, as if, like so many stakes, he'd been driven into the floor. "She will be okay," said the woman in urge to calm his bewildered state.

His hand found its way to his mouth and he bit one of his fingernails. "But she's not now." He replied hastily.

"She just needs time to recover," the woman placed a hand on his shoulder in attempt to reassure him.

With one final glance, the blonde boy began to walk down the corridor. A hand ran through his hair as he tried to calm himself down. What had he done?

end of chapter 13