I Don't Want to Say No (Marliza)- Wattys 2017

Chapter 21- Emptiness and Kisses

Hey guys I'm back. This chapter's not so #angsty but the next one is like a happy angst
Also, this boy asked me out, then a week later, he dumped me. I didn't really care, but he dumped my by having my best friend's boyfriend text me that we're over. . . So yeah, I'm #ready2fite.
Also this week, I had both an infection and a fever so crap. And like yeah, boys are complicated science is not

Alex's POV
We wait. We find out that Eliza is in there too. We want to see her, but she refuses to let anyone in. Anyone except for Maria. But Maria is still in surgery. The bullet hit something important I suppose. John comes and meets us at the hospital after his classes for medical school are over. Last tests of the year, seeing if he'll become a resident. But our minds are on anything but that.
I go up to Eliza's room, only to hear screaming and crying. Eliza yelling for Maria repeatedly. Eliza's family arrives, but she refuses to see them. She only wants Maria.
Maria's mother arrives later, looking worn, and tired, and scared. Scared of losing her little girl. Eliza's parents try to consoles her when she hears what happens.
Finally, a doctor comes to talk to us.
"We would like to update you on Elizabeth Schuyler's condition." He looks grim. "We had to put her under anesthesia and restraints. She was raped my a man, who's identity we do not know. She kept saying James. Is there any clue whom that may be?"
At this, Maria's mother freezes. "James?" she asks.
I freeze too. "James Reynolds is the reason Maria Reynolds is in surgery. He did the same thing to Maria. He was shot and arrested."
"Is that the Maria that Elizabeth is looking for?"
"Yes," I say.
"We can arrange to have them recover in the same room, if that would be okay with the parents."
Maria's mom, and Eliza's parents agree to have them recover in the same room. Maria comes out of surgery 7 hours later. Stitches are peeking out her hospital gown when we go to see her. Eliza is asleep, dark circles are under her eyes, scratches on her face and arms. They have to be put in separate rooms until Maria wakes up.
"When will they wake up?" I ask.
"Eliza will wake up in the next two hours at most, but for Maria, next two hours is a minimum. Most likely Maria will wake up tomorrow, and will be in extreme pain because of the gun shot and the surgery. Not to mention the rape, which will pose its own set of challenges."

Those two hours passed, and Eliza woke up.

Eliza's POV
The doctors took me to the hospital. I was too tired to cry, too tired to scream. I had vaguely told them what happened, and then they ran tests. But then they wanted me to sleep. Every moment I closed my eyes, I felt James's hands on my body, his hot and putrid breath on my neck. So I cried out for Maria. I screamed for her. I only wanted her. I wanted to see her, to make sure that what I had sacrificed for her had saved her. The doctors eventually got fed up with my screaming, and had to restrain me. They told me that I had drugs in my system from James, and I had to stay in the hospital for a few days to make sure they didn't have any lasting physical effects. But I struggled through the information, and I struggled through the restraints. So they put me under anesthesia so I could sleep through the night.

It only made my nightmares worse, feeling trapped by James. Feeling so much pain. Like shards of searing glass were embedded in my skin. I woke up in hysterics, screaming only for Maria. I screamed, and cried, and tried to throw things. So they put me back asleep.
This time I woke up, and before I could scream, I saw my family and friends sitting in my room.
A single tear slipped down my cheek, and I tried to pull my pillow in front of my face to hide it, but my arms were still restrained.
"Everyone, get out," I whisper. "Please, leave me. I don't want you to see me like this." Then, I noticed my sisters, all staring at me with concern. Angelica was pale, and looked scared. Peggy looked furious. My parents were there too. So was Maria's mom.
"Can I speak to you all separately?" They all nodded, and my sisters stayed first.
"Where is Maria?" I beg. Tears brim in my eyes. "Please tell me I saved her. Please," my voice cracks pitifully. "Please tell me that I stopped James from getting to her."
Angelica's face falls. Peggy looks away.
"Please," I beg, my voice is becoming more and more panicked. "Please. I had to have saved her."
They didn't answer. They looked saddened and scared. "Go," I whisper, looking down at my lap.
Next my parents came in, with Maria's mother tagging along.
They talked, asking me how I felt, how I was doing, things like that. I tuned them out. I just nodded and waited for them to finish talking.
"Where's Maria?" I whisper. "Did I save her?"
An awful silence falls over the room.
"S-she's in surgery right now, Eliza," my mother says, pain flashing in her eyes. "She will be out soon."
I look at Maria's mom. "I'm, I'm so sorry. I caused this. It's my fault. It's my fault your daughter's in surgery." I start crying. I didn't do a good enough job to save her from James. She's hurt because of me. She might die because of me . . . It's all my fault. It's all my fault. "It's all my fault," I whisper.
"We should go," Maria's mother says. She looks terrified.
My parents say goodbye, then leave. I tell my nurse no more visitors. I tell her I only want Maria.
I fall asleep, trying to push away the nightmares of James.

Maria's POV
I wake up in immense pain. My chest hurts so much, and it's hard to breathe. I open my eyes, and find myself in a hospital room. The heart monitor beats at a steady pace. There must be a thousand machines in this room. A nurse walks in a few minutes later, and I try to ask her a question, but it hurts too much. I can hardly breathe, let alone expend enough air to talk.
"E-Eliza," I mange to get out, in immense pain on my part.
"Honey, don't talk. You hurt your lungs, and breathing too hard could cause you to blow out the clot and cause a hypertension pneumothorax."
I cock my eyebrow.
"It's a severe collapsed lung. I'll get you a pad of paper and a pen to write with."
She returns a few minutes later, and hands me the pen and paper.
Where is Elizabeth Schuyler? I write. I need to see her, now.
"She's in a room a few doors down. We were going to arrange for you to recover in the same room, if that's all right with you. Your parents agreed to it."
I nod my head.
Can I see her now?
"I need the doctor to come in an approve your status before transportation, but I don't see why not."
The nurse walks out of the room, then returns with a doctor. Fifteen minutes later, I am in a wheelchair being wheeled down to Eliza's room. The nurse knocks on the door, and then opens it. Eliza is sitting on the bed, facing the door. She looks sad.

"Maria?" she whispers to me. "Why are you here? I thought you didn't love me."
I do, I want to say, but the nurse stops me.
"Ms. Reynolds can not talk at the moment, risking blowing out the clot in her lung.

I write on my paper. I do love you Eliza. I love you so much.
I show it to her. I see her eyes reading each word.
"Then. . ." her voice cracks, "then, why did you break up with me."
James, I write and show it to her.
He made me break up with you.
"Why did you do it?"
Because. . . My pen stops for a moment. A tear falls down my cheek.
He said he would kill you if I didn't leave you.
I look up at Eliza who has an unreadable expression on her face.

"Nurse can you please take these restraints off of me?" Eliza asks. The nurse agrees, and while she unites Eliza, Eliza whispers into her ear.
"Yes, I supposed you may do that, just be careful of her lungs," the nurse responds.
Eliza gets out of bed, and for a moment I'm worried she might hit me.
She brings her face close to mine, and whispers, "Can I kiss you?"
I press my lips to hers, and she holds me as close as she possibly can.