What About Us? - Book 1

Chapter Fourteen

I'm storming up and down the street, my heart hammering through my chest.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." I mutter repeatedly to try to stop myself from darting onto the whizzing traffic or exploding or something.
I seriously can't handle this.
Where the fuck is Glen?! He said he would pick up ten minutes ago! Where the fuck-
Just in time a familiar black car draws up and I clamber for the back door.
"You alright?" Glen asks when I sit down, turning from the drivers seat.
His skin is chalk white and his eyes are brimmed with crimson. I ignore it though as I turn my head.
I gulp, emotion already triggering.
It suddenly seems so real now. I no longer feel angry but concern for Willow floods throughout me.
I finally put it behind me.
I finally decide that I can't move on from her. I cannot hate her, I cannot run from her.
I love her, for fuck's sake.
And if she leaves this earth then fuck it, I'm coming with her!
Glen realises I'm not going to respond and awkwardly faces the road again.
He tries playing songs through the radio. The songs talk about heart break, demolished love and missing their other half.
I sit stiffly up in my seat.
The lyrics echo throughout me. The words taunting me as I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to take the pain away.
But I know I will never be fine until I see that she's okay herself.

Glen pulls the car up to the hospital and before he's even parked; I leap out of the car. Without stopping I race into the entrance.
When I finally enter I search my sceneries frantically.
I spot the front desk and slam my hands forward.
"Where is she?!" Im shouting and the nurses peer up startled by the angry tones of my Irish snarl.
"Sir, if you could just-"
"Willow Anderson; where is she?! Is she okay?! I have to know!"
"Dan-"
"Glen, get off me!"
Despite being shorter his vein endured arms have muscle in them and he manages to drag my skinny limbs with him.
"I know where she is." He says calmly. "Now you need to keep calm because-"
"Is she okay though?!"
Again he responses serenely.
"She's okay, mate. She's breathing. That's the main thing. But-"
"But?!" I try stopping but he carries on guiding me down corridor after corridor.
"But...she's still unconscious."
"What?!" I try halting again and this time he does the same.
He grips my shoulders firmly.
"Danny. Dan, listen. You need to remain calm. There's no point panicking. You will just upset her if she wakes up and sees you in this state." Understand?"
I shakily breath out, nodding slightly.
"Will she be mad at me for leaving?" I hear myself ask and he somewhat hesitates.
"I think the main thing is you're here now."

We arrive at her room.
I feel the a stompers drop and I feel nervous. When I notice the bald man come barging up to me; I know why.
"Mark-" Glen stands in front of him, pushing him away from me.
"You," He hisses. "You fucking coward. Decided to show your face, did ye?"
His breath is intoxicated with booze, his eyes dark and hanging tiredly.
"You're a disgrace, you know that?"
"Mark, stop. It's not his fault."
"What?!" He spits in Glen's face when he defences me. "It's not his fault?! He's the reason why she tried to down pills, why she tried to cut herself. He's the reason why she's there!"
My heart shatters and it suddenly makes sense.
This is my fault.
"Are you proud?!" He drilling his fingers into my neck, rattling me back and forth like a doll.
I allow him, trying pathetically as he bashes me into the wall.
"Stop!" Glen shoved him away from me. "This isn't the place, Mark! This isn't the place! We're here for Willow, remember?"
Mark suddenly stops. He straightens his shirt, gulping guiltily.
"I'm here for Willow." He reminds himself before stumbling back into his chair.
Glen helps me up.
"He got drunk when he got off the phone to you. He's...broke but he'll, he'll get over it, mate."
"It's not him I'm looking for forgiveness from." I whisper when he turns to walk away.

The three of us stayed the night. We were there slumped into uncomfortable waiting chairs by her bed.
Mark was the closest to her, he had his hand wrapped around her frail ones the entire night.
My heart spluttered with envy as I watched from a far. He only kept his eyes open for so long though because soon he was knocked out in a deep, heavy snoring sleep.
Glen soon dozed off too and I took this as an opportunity.
I slowly stood from my seat to stand and wandered over to her; unnoticed.
The closer I got the more my heart relaxed and more I saw how incredibly beautiful she was.
She laid there, hair spread out in flawless ebony waves. Her eyelashes long and thick against her abnormal chalk skin.
Her pale lips were attached to an oxygen mask of some sort and her arms were bundled in heaps ad heaps of white taped bandages.
Oh, Willow.
I crept nearer. So near, each freckle was unmissable.
That's when I kissed her.
My heart didn't soar though.
There was no butterflies fluttering.
Nor did she awake.

It was a sad kiss.
One of heartbreak and lost. One that expressed my emotions of adoration, hatred, fury and desire for her.
And when I did it, it did in a way make me feel better desire knowing it was my fault she in there.

I stayed up half the night and in the morning as the other two wandered around fetching teas and coffees now and again or going out for a smoke or maybe just a walk; I remained.

I sat by her, longing for her to open her eyes. Longing to see the appearance of her indigo iris once again.
And then when i was alone with her and least expecting it; her eyelids flickered open.
She was looking straight at me.
I couldn't help it; I grasped her face in my trembling hands. I opened my mouth to say something but in a moment like this only tears could speak.
She shakily unraveled her mask. She gasped through the thick hospital air, eyes glistening as she pulled herself closer.
"You came back." She breathed as our hands collided.

.....

Quite proud of this chapter.

Thank you so much for the support by the way guys! Your comments are amazing!

Chloe