Twist Of Fate

We're Just Not Meant To Be Together

"Bumper, wake up!" Harry's husky voice invades my blissful slumber. My eyes fly open when I feel something wet land on my face. I sit up and pass my hand over my face.
"What the heck, Harry?!" I yell, removing my wet hands from my face. "If you're trying to woo me, your attempts are useless."
"Bumper, Sophia has taken Amaan to the hospital in an ambulance. We better rush there, too." Harry says, hastily and I can detect a hint of panic in his tone. I'm up in a flash.
"Why? What happened?" I ask, rushing over to the closet and taking out a jacket. I fell asleep in a tank top and baggy jeans, so I can go in these.
"He fell down the stairs. Amaan hit his head pretty badly, so they rushed him to the hospital. I've stayed back, so that we can go together. I'm sorry I didn't inform you before, there just wasn't time."
"I hope you helped Sophia, because she doesn't know a thing about America and the emergency numbers."
"Yeah, yeah, I did. Don't worry, she and Rayan have gone with Amaan. Bumper, once you're ready we'll leave. I've already got a car waiting outside."
"Thanks for assisting them."
"No problem." Harry says, and grabs my hand. "You ready?" I nod my head and he tugs me toward the door. We hurry down the stairs, and toward the front door. My sandals are lying there, so I slip them on and rush outside. Harry's seated in a white SUV, and he waves his hand for me to hurry. I oblige and get into the car hastily.
"How did you have enough time to arrange this?" I ask, looking around the interior of the car.
"I always rent a car whenever I travel. This arrived last night," Harry explains. I nod my head. God, please take care of Amaan. Please let him be alright.
"Bump, Amaan will be okay." Harry says, taking my hand in his. He squeezes it and I allow myself a weak smile. I could not have asked for a better person to be beside me at a time like this. All the anger that I had has vanished. Harry helped my family out when I couldn't, when I was ignorant to the fact that they needed help. And now he's here, beside me, taking care of me.
"Yeah, he will be." I murmur, nodding to myself. I stare at the passing trees and houses. "What's the time?"
"It's four in the morning," Harry replies. No wonder the roads are so empty and quiet. Barely ten minutes later, Harry pulls into the hospital's parking lot. He finds a parking spot and parks the car.
"They must be in the ER." Harry says, as we rush into the hospital.
"Second floor." I say, running straight for the stairs. There's no time to wait for the elevator. I've done a short internship at this hospital, so I know my way around the place.
"The stairs, really, Bump?" Harry huffs, already out of breath.
"The sooner we get up, the better." I push past the glass doors and run toward the ER.
"You're fast." Harry says, clearly out of breath.
"Thanks, but this isn't a time for compliments."
"I can compliment you anywhere, any time because you're more than deserving of these small compliments. Trust me, Bump, I can't praise you as much as you truly deserve." I smile, as I turn around the corner. Only Harry can make me smile at a time like this.
"Shut up, Harry!" I say. However, my tone holds no conviction. I'm still smiling as Sophia's hunched over figure comes into view.
"Sophia!" I call out, rushing to her side. She looks up and I can see her relax a little. However, her body's still tense.
"Mus, he fell so badly. A-Amaan's head was bleeding." Sophia says, and then hiccups. I remember this; Sophia always hiccups when she cries. "His arm was bent at such an odd angle." I wince. I'm not fearful of blood, or seeing people hurt. However, the thought of Amaan being hurt, or in a hospital, really chills my blood. I embrace Sophia and she weeps over my shoulder. My eyes lock with Harry and he gives me a weak smile. Even though he doesn't know my family that well, I know he feels bad for Amaan, and Sophia. She's a wreck. Normally Sophia is pretty brave and she's not a weak soul. But today she's worse than a wreck. So I know that the injuries that Amaan has are pretty bad.
"He'll be okay, Sophia. Amaan is a strong person," I assure her.
"Mom, I bought you a drink." Rayan says. I look up to find him holding out a green cup toward Sophia. She takes it, smiling. I pat the seat beside me, motioning for Rayan to sit down and he obliges.
"How bad is he?" I whisper in Rayan's ear, as Sophia sips her drink and exchanges a few words with Harry.
"Pretty bad," Rayan murmurs. "I couldn't look at him throughout the ride." A shudder passes through Rayan's body and I place my hand on his back.
"Amaan, will be okay. I know it and you do, too." I say and Rayan embraces me. Wow, I haven't received a hug from him in so long. I wrap my hands around his body.
"Yeah, he'll be okay." Rayan whispers, and I can feel something wet touch my shoulder. Rayan's tear. The boy who doesn't like showing weakness. The boy who doesn't like showing affection or any sort of emotion that will prove him to be weak, is crying today for his brother.
*******
"Bumper, wake up." Harry says, shaking my shoulder. I wake up with a jolt, and my eyes fly open.
"What?" I ask, looking around. We're still in the hallway of the ER. However, Sophia and Rayan are nowhere to be found.
"Seems like I'm waking you up a lot, nowadays, aren't I?" Harry smiles and I nod my head.
"Yeah, but what happened now? Amaan's okay, right?" Harry nods hastily.
"Yeah, yeah, he's fine. They've shifted Amaan to a private ward. He's also gained consciousness. I'm sure you'll want to go and meet him."
"Yeah, let's go." I get up and someone's jacket falls onto the floor. Harry bends down and picks it up, dusting it off. "Whose is that?"
"Mine," Harry answers. "I bought it last week and it was new. Not anymore."
"Sorry and thank you." I smile at Harry sheepishly, as we make our way toward the elevators. He guides the way because I have no idea where Amaan is. "Thank you for staying with us, with me, through this time." Harry wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to his side.
"No problem, Bumper. Your family is now my family." I move away from Harry and hold out my hand, motioning for him to keep his distance.
"This doesn't mean that we're back on," I say warily.
"That's okay," Harry smiles at me mischievously. He's clearly not satisfied with the fact that we're not getting back together and I know he has something up his sleeve.
"You're...Harry, what's up?" I ask him, narrowing my eyes.
"Nothing." Harry answers simply. He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. I stare at him for a few more seconds and then divert my gaze to my fiddling hands.
"You've been a great support and a great helper. However, I don't see us going anywhere in the near future."
"On the contrary, I see us going a long way. A very long way, Bumper and my intuitions are generally right." Harry says, as we step into the elevator.
"This time they'll be wrong. There's a first for everything, right?" I say, as Harry pressed the fifth floor button.
"Surely," Harry agrees. "It'll be the first time where you realize just how spot on my intuitions are." I roll my eyes.
"You're so full of yourself at times, it's sickening." I say, fake gagging.
"Hey, a fact is a fact!" Harry exclaims, taking a step toward me. We're both facing the elevator doors, and watching as the numbers ride up. He takes another step toward me and the elevator stops on the fourth floor to let someone in. Coughing, Harry steps away, so that the man can enter. I bite my lip to suppress a very relieved laugh. We're just not meant to be together.