outside

chapter 16

"Um...Ms. Wells?" An older nurse walked into the room awkwardly. Jackson and I both immediately brought our hands to our sides.

"Uh, yeah. That's me." I replied awkwardly.

"May I speak to you in the hallway?" She said, still giving me a look of disapproval. I nodded and hopped off of the bed, meeting her outside of the door.

"Okay, so it appears that everything is set with Jackson. His vitals appear to be back to normal and since there's really not much else we can do for him until he heals, he's able to leave this afternoon." She says monotonously, flipping through some papers in her hands. A big grin grew on my face as if someone was pulling two strings attached to each side of my lips.

"Wow, that's wonderful news! Thank you!" I smiled, shaking her hand and walking back into the room.

"What is it?" Jackson asked, sitting up a little taller.

"You can leave this afternoon."

•••

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" I asked Jackson, folding some clothes on his bed for him. I was worried for his well being while he decided to stay at college and continue his classes, apparently not phased by his various injuries.

"Katie, I'm fine. I have crutches, and my roommate's gonna carry my stuff to each of my classes. Don't worry about me, I'm 23, I'm a big boy." He replied, rolling his eyes.

"Gosh, sorry for worrying about my big brother!" I jokingly hollered, throwing a shirt at his face. He threw it back at me and now it was my turn to roll my eyes as I proceeded to fold it.

"When do you plan on going home?" He asked me.

"Once I finish folding all your stupid laundry!"

It had always been like this between us, joking around with each other effortlessly. Him and Maddie were the only ones I could really be myself around. But now that he was gone, it was only Maddie. But I'm glad I got to spend some time with him, actually, since I haven't seen him since New Years. It reminded me of the times when we were younger and he was back home. It comforted me, I missed those days. He was pretty much the one who took care of me in my childhood, so we were extremely close.

"There, finally finished," I sighed, admiring my neat piles laid out on his bed sheets, "now, can I trust that you'll put these away?"

"Uh...yeah, sure." He said, not really paying attention to me. His eyes were locked onto his t.v. and his thumbs controlled his xbox controller with ease; he didn't even have to think about it. It confused me how people could just do that.

"Jackson!" I shouted over the obnoxious sounds of gunfire.

"W-What?" He said, his character dying in the game. Finally, he was listening.

"I'm leaving now." I told him, picking up my purse and putting on my shoes.

"Oh, alright then." He said, getting his crutches and placing one under each arm. He crutched to the door and opened it for me. I thanked him, attempting to give him a light hug so that I didn't hurt him. He ignored his hurt amenities for a moment and gave me one of the tightest hugs he's ever given me.

"Be safe, Katie. I love you." He kissed me on the top of the head before I walked out of the door, telling him I loved him too.

I made the walk to my car as quick as possible, itching to get on the road and make it home before dark.

I slipped into my car, turning the key in the ignition. The vehicle roared to life and I buckled my seatbelt, putting Catfish and the Bottlemen's music on shuffle out of habit. As Van's raspy voice came through the speakers of my car in the form of "Homesick", I turned the music off. I couldn't bear to listen to it, my heart becoming heavy automatically as tears pricked the corners of my eyes. I wiped them away and carried on driving on the highway towards home.

•••

Once I finally pulled up next to the curb in front of my apartment complex, it was 6:30 and the sun was just beginning to dip behind the city skyline. I made sure to lock my car as I pulled the duffel bag from out of my trunk. I stepped onto the curb and sent a quick text to Jackson saying that I had made it home safely. As I put my phone in my back pocket I glanced down the street, and saw something that sent shivers down my spine and knots into my stomach. Coming out of the bar was that familiar head of chocolate brown curls.

"No..." I whispered to myself.

My breathing became rapid as I watched him hold the door open for someone. Now was my chance.

I gripped my duffel bag tightly in one hand and my purse in the other, running as fast I could to the lobby of my apartment.

"Come on, come on, come on!" I screeched, pressing the 'up' button on the elevator a million times with my right index finger.

Eventually, the shiny, chrome doors opened and I stepped inside, pressing the "close doors" button. I was safe, for now, as the elevator climbed the floors to get to the fourth one. The doors reopened and I dashed down the hallway to my front door. I tore my purse apart, digging through it to find my keys all the way at the bottom.

Of course.

I fumbled with them as I tried to find the right one to fit in the door. Once I finally found it amongst my seemingly millions of keys, my shaky hands unlocked the door and I quickly threw all of my bags onto the floor. I slammed the door shut and made sure to lock it, sliding my back down it and sinking into the floor. I brought my knees up to my chest and cried. I genuinely just sat there and cried my eyes out as all of the unwanted memories flooded into my mind, with no signs of stopping...

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