Darkest Fears

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Okay so I've opted to do two fairly short chapters instead of one long one so there's one more chapter after this and then an epilogue! :P (sorry if my fickleness is confusing anyone!)

Once again guys if you'd pretty much do my editing for me I'll be undyingly grateful! Just higlight my mistakes and I'll work on fixing them <3

BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING PLEASE ENJOY:

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

 

Jayden's POV:

 

Two Weeks Later:

"Jayden?" My mum sat her hand gently on my shoulder, making me jump half a mile in the air, and snap out of the semi-conscious state I had been stuck in. She instantly snapped her hand back, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, Sweetie." She said with a wary smile that sent waves of guilt rolling through me.

"It's fine." I said stretching out my back, which let out sharp stabs of pains protesting to the plastic hospital chair it had spent the last few hours occupying.

"Visiting hours are almost up." She said cautiously. "You should really come home and get some rest. You look exhausted." Her eyes scanned worriedly over my face, and I knew there must have been several bags under my eyes.

I avoided looking straight in to her eyes; instead I focused my own eyes on the hospital bed behind her, where Kayleigh was. My lungs constricted slightly at the sight of her.

Two whole weeks later and I still wasn't used to seeing her this way. Although she had gained some colour back to her cheeks she still looked too pale and there was an air of vulnerability, which she usually hid from the world, around her.

"I'm going to stay the night tonight." I told her, lifting my eyes back to my mother as she hovered over me, her face the picture of concern.

I didn't bother trying to explain to her that I actually slept better here than at home at the moment. Whilst my bed was infinitely comfier and better smelling, being so far away from Kayleigh had me too keyed up with worry to be able to sleep properly.

Every day she didn't wake up the chances of her doing so slimmed down, and my need to be with her increased.

I needed to be with her in case something happened.

Even if I couldn't do anything to help, I needed to be here.

"That's only really meant for family-" My mother didn't get all the way through her sentence before I cut her off with a harsh look that I knew would eat at my guilt later.

"She doesn't have any family, Mum." I said, the truth of my words causing a coldness to creep in my chest.

It hadn't hit me until far too late just how alone she had been.

She'd spent so long on her own, shutting everyone out.

How scared had she been?

My gut sank.

All that time...

She'd told me her mother had left her when she was eight. But how close had they been? Had Kayleigh been alone before then too?

My mind conjured up memories of a younger Kayleigh, the small redheaded girl who didn't talk to anyone. Maybe if I had spoken to her back then, things would be different now.

If I had, would I have been able to help her? Would she still have all those scars? Would I have gotten to see more of her smiles?

"I know that, darling." My mother said, half dejectedly, her voice full of sympathy. "I'm just worried about you." She said gently. "It's a mother's job to worry, you know."