Code Blue

~ Chapter 73 ~

I find myself staring into them constantly, and they're always a reflection of who she is as a person. Bright, sparkling, kind, and light. They're always shining no matter what she's doing, but especially when she's looking at the sunrise. I've basically memorized every slight change of hue behind them, which is why I was so easily able to see it. Yesterday, her eyes were blank, they were solemn, and they painted the picture of how she was truly feeling. They weren't backing up her lies, but rather disproving her words.

She was fighting all day long for nobody to see the weight of what she was carrying, but she couldn't hide it from me. Her friends know her, and I'm sure they didn't believe her either, but I knew Mallory wouldn't willingly put it on somebody else. She'd continue to keep to herself and try to pretend she was fine, until eventually she could convince herself that she was. She wouldn't accept the help, in any form of the word, and she'd try to battle this tragic event alone.

I knew she needed to tell somebody though. She couldn't refuse to speak to somebody about something as large as this. If she did, she would bury herself deep in the sand and constantly struggle to get out. I know it, because I've lived like that for years. I've handled Stevie's cancer vastly on my own since the day she was first diagnosed, and it wasn't until Mallory that I've let somebody else in to go through it with me. We've both slowly been teaching each other the lesson that maybe we don't have to be so alone.

I think that's why she ended up telling me everything.

Curled up together on the bed, her signature scent flooding my nostrils and the familiar feeling of her silhouette attached to mine, she admitted that she was hurting. She cried to me that she was scared, and that there's so many other things affecting her right now. She wasn't just suffering from the physical trauma that those people inflicted on her, but so much more. Her parents, her stolen car, and the medical bills were all other important things fighting for her attention. I can't be surprised if she feels she's being pulled in a million different directions.

A lot of the time, I didn't even know the right thing to say back to her. Scenarios like that, I wasn't used to, but I was trying my best to be there for her. I'm used to working with kids, and when they cry, I distract them with a cookie or a new toy. It rarely fails me, but I don't think either of those things would solve Mallory's problems. So instead, I had to try another alternative I do with the kids when they're sad, I just had to be there for her.

What I did say however, I meant. It was hard and maybe she was slightly blaming herself for what happened, although she shouldn't, but she had to give herself time. It's only now been a full 24 hours since she woke up. She was already putting so much pressure on herself and it hasn't been very long. She managed to survive something that medically, the odds were stacked against her. Any other person who aren't as much as a fighter as she is, who isn't as strong as she is, would have easily succumbed to their injuries. Mallory held on for so long, it's going to take more than a day to heal from it.

I headed into the ICU portion of the hospital, luckily it was quiet at this time. There weren't many people on the floor since visiting hours haven't officially started, which meant it was just the nurses. My feet hit the floor following the path to Mallory's room, stopping when I saw Bennett around. He was fast asleep, sitting upright in a chair outside Mallory's door. I had no idea how he could ever be comfortable in that position, but I guess the nurses didn't allow him overnight because of what happened the last time.

"Bennett" I nudged his leg with my foot, watching him scramble to wake up in a hurry. Obviously, he wasn't in a very deep sleep, but how could you be when you're practically standing up?

"What? What is it?" His eyes shot open, squinting as he adjusted to the lighting. He groaned, rubbing them with his hands, outstretching his legs in front of him. "Ugh it's you"