back to you • lrh

40

Chapter 40:
"You wanna call me daddy?" 

Eloise-Anne

My hair is messy, I think it's representing how I feel. It has been three days since the accident. Tammy has been discharged from the hospital and she's doing much better, physically. There's been tension between the group since Michael still hasn't woken up yet. Everybody has the scary secret thought that he might not wake up at all. 

"Bolton?" I call out his nickname. He turns his face towards me from the kitchen, giving me attention to the followed-up question. Luke has been here for the past few days, mostly because I couldn't bear to be alone. 

"What is it, Eloise?" He speaks up whenever I'm too struck to talk. I've been in my mind a lot, scared of what would happen with Michael. Overthinking what would happen if he doesn't wake up at all. His parents are also staying in town. He can have visitors now, but with school going on, I can barely go. The visiting hours and my school schedule aren't working together very well. "El..?" Luke walks up to me and kneels down in front of me. I've been sitting on the couch for too long and he decided he wanted to cook for me. 

Tears well up in my eyes. I haven't slept the slightest bit and I feel exhausted. I just want Michael to be okay. He's my best friend, my brother, and maybe even my guardian angel of sorts. Luke has a look of pity on his face. He feels bad about the whole situation as well. Although he doesn't like to admit it, he loves to have Michael by his side as a friend. Luke wraps his arms around me and softly caresses my hair. Loud sobs leave my mouth once he's holding me. Almost as if I can break down, knowing he's there to catch me. 

"I need him," I say in between sobs. 

"I know you do, sweetheart." He mumbles, tugging a piece of hair behind my ear. His thumbs softly wipe away the tears, but it's useless since they keep on leaving my eyes. "I think I now work as a windshield wiper." I let out a chuckle and look at him. "We have time to visit him tomorrow, would you like that?" I nod my head at his question. He quickly pecks my lips and walks back to the kitchen. 

I wrap the blanket on the couch around my body. It's a rainy day today and it's totally fitting my mood. I walk towards the kitchen, dressed as a sausage because of the blanket. Luke turns his face to look at me and chuckles. He's stirring some sauce, he's making me pasta. He opens his arm, for me to crawl in. 

"You smell good," I tell him. "The pasta better taste as good as you smell." 

"What happened to you hating me, huh?" He laughs. 

"I just really can't bring myself to give you snarky comments," I mumble, bringing myself even closer to his body. It seems quite impossible, but I'm just craving anything to feel him close. 

"They'll come soon enough," he tells me. He walks away from me and dumps the pasta in the strainer. "I'll bring your plate over, go get yourself comfortable on the couch." I smile at him and sit back down on the couch. The television has been on for quite some time, but neither one of us could really focus on anything that has been shown. "You're dinner, ma'am," Luke says, handing me the plate. 

"Thank you," I mumble quietly. Luke looks at me and sighs deeply. I know he pities me, but there's nothing we can do about it. When I tell him not to, he still does and when he tells me he doesn't, he definitely does. 

Once I finish the plate, which is a wonder since I barely ate anything since Michael's in the hospital, I move myself a little closer to Luke. He's already finished his food. He opens his arm and holds me. 

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As I reach for Michael's hand, I hear the door opening. The squeaking noise makes the silence even louder. I have never liked hospitals, at all. I know people go there to get better, but it's the worst thing when you've got to say goodbye. Luke walks into the room and places a hot cup next to me. My lips curl up as a thank you.