shakespeare | h.s.

058

Song of the Chapter: Stay With Me - Punch and EXO's Chanyeol from Goblin (cover of Ysabelle Cuevas)

"RUNNING a few tests, you know the usual. Just to make sure you're fully well to discharge then we'll let you go." The doctor flips his clipboard closed then smiles politely to every single one in the room. Everyone thank the doctor, including her by a nod. "Vesper, I'm suggesting to appoint a schedule for check up with a therapist as soon as you're ready, okay?"

She nods in response and the doctor leaves the room. She immediately was wrapped by Bryn's pair of arms around her neck, the only area of her body that is not covered by bandages. After she pulled away, Zel left lingering kisses on both of her cheeks. He sees the lazy smile creeps on her lips as the next one approaches her. Jeff pats her shoulders, Mitch ruffles her hair, Sarah fixes it back then Adam taps her nose. Shawn kisses her forehead and saving the best for the last.

His walk strides slowly, being careful with each step that gets closer to her. When he was close enough, she weakly raises her arm that snaps Harry into a frenzy and wraps his shivering fingers around her pale ones. He leans closer and presses a longing kiss on her lips. Delicate at the same time hard. The kiss expresses a sign of gratitude that they felt each other's lips on them again. Even though the rest were just watching, they felt the emotion of their kiss. And it wasn't awkward at all. The sight was reassuring. He pulls away and presses his forehead on hers.

"M'so relieved." He kisses her again and she pulls away. 

"I'm sorry for worrying you." She looks away and realize that they had company. She looks at each and everyone of the person in the room. "All of you."

"Worry?" Shawn sneers when Harry leans away from her. "Try nervous breakdown."

Everyone chuckles agrees at what he said, breaking the tension then Vee apologizes again.

Zel pats Harry's shoulder and whispers, "Don't talk her into about anything yet."

He nods as Vee looks back at Harry and Zel walks back.

Shawn stands beside Zel and nudges her. "Pretty good distraction, am I not?"

Zel chuckles. "Yeah."

She looks up and meets his eyes.

"Thanks." Earning her a nod from Shawn.

"Aren't you hungry, Vee?" Bryn asks.

"I'm hungry, yes." Vee giggles, making Harry's heart beat normally.

"I can only imagine. You must be starving." Harry repeats her words to her.

A knowing smile appears on Vee's lips. "Famished."

Like a Cheshire cat, Harry's grin is.

"I'll buy the food." Mitch volunteers. "What would you like to eat?"

"Whatever's available for me to eat."

"McDonald's won't do no harm, right?" Adam suggests and all of them went out to buy snacks. Harry stays beside her while Zel and Shawn gives them space to talk and savor their moment.

Zel awkwardly sits there, waiting for nothing or maybe for him to sit beside her because that's what he did. A long silence bears between them. Shawn's hands are inside his pockets until he pulls it away from it. He opens up his mouth to speak but realizes she was about to do that too.

"Tell Camila that I owe everything to her." She starts a conversation without looking away from the white wall in front of her.

"She says it's nothing so don't sweat about it."

"I'm thanking her not only because she saved Vee." She turns her head to look at him. "But because she's taking care of you, too. More than I can ever do."

He smiles with his lips but the emotion in his eyes beg to differ. "Zel, you and I---"

"Were never a thing." She continues his sentence. "I know that I can never beat her for you."

"That's not true." He shakes his head that made her narrow her eyebrows. "She was everything that I wanted but you are everything that I never knew I needed."

She blinks at his revelation.

"All the kisses, the hugs, the touches? Those are just front acts. Something that I can pretend to do with her. But my feelings for you? That's something I can't deny. My eyes hold a deep emotion whenever I look at you that can't be hidden by just wearing a mask or faking a smile."

She swallows a lump in her throat.

"This relationship I have with Camila is all fake. The only real thing around here is my feelings for you."

"Don't do that." Her voice cracks, in the brink of crying. "Don't tell me I'm the one you want and make me feel all these butterflies in my stomach when you can't be free, and we can't happen. I can't have you and we both know that."

He frowns and his eyes soften when a tear fell down from her eye.

"You should be happy with her." He brings his hand to wipe her tears but she leans back to avoid it. "You know what? We shouldn't be talking about you and me. It's should be all on Vee."

"She's fine." He pinpoints. "She's alive and she's with the person she loves that loves her too. I wish it could be the same with us."

"I'm trying to get over you, okay?" She aggresively wipes her own tears, wishing she shouldn't have shed it in the first place. "Vee's right. If I really love you, I should set you free before we hurt each other too much."

"Zel... I can end the PR stunt, just say it."

"I can't stop you from doing anything that involves your career. I can't afford of doing such thing. I'm not selfish. Just be with her, okay? She's way better than me anyway. Just don't let what happened to us stop you from being friends with Vee." She stands up and walks away but before she could finally leave him, she left her last few words to him. "She's worth it. Hoping for the best for both of you."

She fully turns around from him and walks away. He stands up and grips his hair out of his frustration. She's right. Vee is right. To love at all is to be vulnerable.

a/n:

This chapter is a roller coaster of emotions, wouldn't you say? Had to throw what really went down between Zel and Shawn. Next chapter would be back to Harry and Vee.