Pen Pal Project [Alex Gaskarth]

Chapter Nine

"She's, she's okay. Stable. It was, so close... I just... I don't know-" His voice became higher and higher, so I cut him off.

"She's a fighter. Want me to drive you back? You look like you need a decent night's sleep." He half smiled at this.

"I've barely slept in two weeks. I've not left her side since she was admitted to the hospital" My heart broke for the guy.

"How would you feel if I swapped with you, so you could get some sleep and clean yourself up?"

"But what if-"

"If anything happens, I'll call you instantly. I'll even pay for the cab to pick you up."

He simply nodded and I told him to wait whilst I sorted things out with my best friends.

"Alex, you can't just-"

"Tour is over. If we have to cancel Australia, do it. I'm not leaving this country until she is out of that hospital and safe." I cut Matt off and he paused, before simply nodding. "What about you guys?" I turned to Rian, Zack and Jack.

Each of them had such an apologetic look on their faces and I understood why. They had other commitments back home.

"I'll visit when I get a few days free. And anyway, she's a fighter and she has you." Rian piped up and I just nodded. They didn't need to make their excuses, I understood. They had their responsibilities and she was mine.

It was a no brainer on if I'd stay or go.

We waited another hour before Matt finally gave us the all clear. Once we were outside, I said goodbye to the guys, who each told me to pass on their love to Charlia, and I followed after Jake into a taxi which left almost immediately.

"Do you know what happened?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"She was walking home, took the shortcut along the canal. Someone heard the splash and went to see what happened. She said two things when she was pulled out."

"What was that?"

"Her first one was if she was, if she was d-dying." I gripped his shoulder. Hearing something like that would hit you hard enough if you cared so much about one person. "She then asked if no one had seen them."

"Any guesses onto who 'them' is?"

"There are guesses. But we can't do or say anything until she, she wakes up." The rest of the car journey was quiet after that.

"Are you gonna go from the hospital to the home or?" I looked over to him, unsure on how to bring up this question. He just looked so lost.

"I, my campus is a five minute walk from the hospital. I'll be fine." Glancing at him wearily, I didn't say anything.

When we got to the hospital, we made our way to the room. There was a nurse just leaving her room and Jake smiled at her.

"How is she?"

"Who is this?" Her eyes were on me, her hand not having left the door handle.

"It's Alex, the one I told you about earlier. Who Charlia's been talking to."

"Oh, sorry." She smiled sheepishly before shrugging her shoulders. "She's the same. Her temperature dropped again, but it's slowly getting higher."

My stomach dropped and Jake lurched a little bit, almost as if he was going to be sick. I followed him silently into her room, and it was clear that he'd been staying here for so long. There was a small couch in the room with blankets and a pillow. The seat looked more like a soft armchair than the plastic crap you got in the States.

I settled myself in the chair whilst Jake packed up the few things which were settled around the room.

"Call me if anything happens?" I held my phone out to him and he took it, understanding what I was asking silently.

When he handed my phone back to me, I noticed a new contact.

"Promise." And with that, he left the room, looking to Charlia once more before finally shutting the door.

"Oh Charlia, what have they done to you?" I murmured, my hand taking a hold of hers. Her skin was cool, unnaturally cool. If it wasn't for the fact that her chest was moving up and down, I could feel my gut twist at that thought.

I pulled out my phone and without much thought, I switched the music on and let it just play over.

All I could feel was the hole in my heart, and it was a Charlia shaped hole. She really had impacted my life in such a way that the thought of losing her was something which felt like it would cripple me.

Then my mind wondered to the future.

What if something happened to her in the future? I felt my heart drop as worry kicked in. I'd be too far away to give her a cuddle and tell her everything will be alright.

Then it dawned on me what I could do. So I took my phone from the table, my eyes on Charlia as I dialled a different number.

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