Not one of them

Chapter 8

"Snow?" Damien shakes me awake and I notice the doctor standing in the corner with a clipboard. "Snow?"

"That's us," I say and stand up. He nods towards us and turns around and I gather he's asking us to come with him. Damien is holding my hand tightly and for some reason I have no problem with it. I need someone for support.

"It's been a rough night. But we're confident she'll be alright. You can go in and see her." I stand there for a second as the doctor walks away. I look in through the window at my mom lying on the bed, hooked up to many machines, one that was monitoring her heart rate.

"She needs you," Damien whisper and squeezes my hand.

"I... I'm scared."

"I'm here with you." For some reason when he said that, I felt warm and safe. Why though? Why did I feel like that when I was around him? We walk into the room and I sit down next to my mom and hold onto her hand.

"Mom I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry this happened. This is all my fault," I say before bursting into tears by her side.

"Selena?"

"Mom?" I look up at her quickly and dry my eyes just before she opens her eyes. She can't see me crying.

"Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Mom I'm fine. I should be asking you."

"Just a slight pain. Nothing to worry about..."She groans as she moves. "I love you. You know that right."

"No, don't say goodbye. Don't you dare." My eyes are welling up again and I can feel the tears daring to come out. Hold them back.

"Please just tell me you love me. No goodbyes."

"I, I love you mom. Just don't leave me." Damien suddenly starts coughing.

"I am so sorry ma'am. Seems a bug got stuck in my throat," he says like a gentleman, old fashioned as he stepped forward into the light.

"And who is this?"

"Damien Ambrose ma'am."

"Ah, one of Selena's boyfriends—."

"No," I butt in.

"Okay. Well thank you for being here with her. You must go home now. It's very late and you have school tomorrow." I shake my head.

"I can stay here with you."

"No, go please." I stand up and hug her tightly. I don't want to let go. I can't let go.

"I'll be here tomorrow." I go to walk out with Damien when my mother calls on Damien to stay behind. Why? She just met him. Why is he more important than me? I leave the room quietly and watch through the window as my mother grips onto Damien's shirt in desperation and whispers something in his ear. What was so secretive that I couldn't know? He then walks out and closes the door.

"What was that?"

"A secret. Come on. Do you want to go home or to mine?"

"Nowhere, I'll just sit here and wait," I say as we walk into the waiting area.

"I don't think so." He takes my hand and practically drags me out of the hospital and lifts me into the car that Rosetta was still sitting in, playing something on her phone, the music blasting. I turn it down instantly and sit back, staring out the window as we leave the hospital.

"About time. I've had to hide for most of the day in case someone told me to get out," she sighs. "How is she?"

"Bad." And that's all I can say on the matter. It was too sensitive, too new. She was going to be fine, she always is. But those men, they're going to pay.