Key'd

Chapter 25

Running away is difficult with a either sprained or broken ankle. Running away always seemed to be better then dealing with the problem head-on. It’s definitely the easy way out, but sometimes the easy way out is needed. So I ran. More like hobbled fast and turning corners to lose Cheri. I finally reached a part of the hospital where there wasn’t many people. I found a janitor’s closet and slipped inside. I didn’t even want to see what my ankle now looked like so I didn’t turn on the lights. I found one of those upside-down buckets and sat down. I didn’t feel like crying, so I just sat and thought.

“Why?” I said out loud to myself burying my head in my hands. The throbbing of my foot was almost unbearable, but I sat there longer, just replaying the scene over and over in my head. It went something like this:

I can’t believe he moved on so fast, already proposing to another girl? I just ‘died’ yesterday! Who does that? But, he seems to like her, and she definitely likes him. But, we were destined to be together, right? I don’t know what to think anymore. It doesn’t seem true love exists. It doesn’t seem possible. How could you love someone you just met? But, I didn’t just meet him; we have been talking for months. I wonder if I fell in love with the idea of him, not actually him. But, he is so perfect, always saying the right thing at the right time. And he now had my key; we would always be tied to each other. And that kiss. It was nice, really nice. All of them were quite wonderful actually. Who would kiss like that unless they meant it?

I mentally slapped myself, and then actually slapped myself. Overthinking, as usual. I never understood how my brain could come up with all the things that could go wrong, or what could happen. I didn’t trust myself to make any right decisions, about anything. I had decided long ago I’d try to keep my distance from everyone, yet some kept closing the gap I tried to keep open. I was scared, and I didn’t know what of.

I finally couldn’t stand the pain anymore, so I stood up and grabbed a broom to help me walk, and left that closet. I faintly heard Cheri calling my name and I answered.

“Why are you here? And why did you run away?” Cheri wrapped my arm around her shoulders and she helped me walk. We headed back to the waiting room and a nurse was waiting for me.

“Where have you been?” The nurse asked, looking at me suspiciously. I told her some lame excuse and she took it. “How bad is the ankle; can you walk?” I shook my head and she brought a wheelchair. Cheri waved at me, and headed out to the car to update Sashay. We had been gone for awhile now. The nurse pushed me into a room, where they x-rayed my foot, and placed me in a cast. I decided to choose purple, and the cast went up to my knee. I had always wanted a broken leg/ankle, but now that I had one, I was not happy. It was heavy and itchy, and I definitely hated the wheelchair.

“Why can’t I just have crutches?” I whined at the nurse and she laughed at me, as she pushed me towards the front of the hospital.

“Because something tells me you are accident-prone and crutches definitely won’t help with that.”

I shrugged my shoulders, silently agreeing. I was still upset from the Calimo incident, something I knew would be hard for me to get over, if I ever got over it. Let me just tell you: love sucks. Heartbreak sucks too. I think it’s stupid that quote “It’s better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all.” Uh, no. I don’t think so. I’d rather never loved at all.

By then I was outside sitting in that wheelchair waiting for Sashay to come back. The sun had come up and it was slightly warm.

“Amberlin! Amberlin, wait!” I heard a voice behind me and I almost ran. I felt a hand on my shoulder and the sparks felt exhilarating. I pulled away and the feeling was gone. “Amberlin? You’re alive?” Calimo came around in front of me and was kneeling to the ground. He placed a hand on my cheek and I shook him off. I couldn’t even be near him without wanting him to touch me. I couldn’t even look into his eyes, because they looked at me with longing I couldn’t deal with.

“Yes, I’m alive. I see you didn’t care all that much,” tears were in my eyes, but I kept them pointed down. I wasn’t going to cry in front of him, he didn’t deserve it. “You don’t love me, you lied to me!” I yelled pushing him away. He fell back on his heels, and I instantly felt bad. I had forgotten about his injury.

“Do you know why I’m here, Amberlin? Why I’m at the hospital?” He said pleadingly. I shook my head. “Look at me.” I pulled my eyes to his. “I stabbed myself, three times, because all I could think about was you lying there, dead. The love of my life, dead. In front of me. I sat next to you all night, I have this!” He pulled out my key from his pocket and held it out to me. “If you don’t believe me, take it. Demand I tell you the truth. You know I can’t lie.”

I really wanted to know, so I took it and posed my demand, “Calimo, tell me how you feel about me.”

“Amberlin, you are so amazing to me. You get me, you understand me. I’m in love with you and I love you. There’s no truth other than that.” He smiled at me and I nodded.

“But, what about Kailas? She’s obviously in love with you, and you proposed to her? But, you’re in love with me? I’m confused,” I looked up at him and he tilted his head to the side.

“She’s under some sort of spell. She brought out the ring herself, and she didn’t seem to hear anything I said. I believe the Eternal Knights are behind this,” Calimo said as I returned his key to his hand. I nodded my head, and I saw the girls pull up behind him.

“Amberlin, is he bothering you? Do I need to beat him up for hurting my best friend?” Cheri said getting out of the car and approaching us with her fists balled.

“No, Cheri, it’s okay. I’m okay,” I smiled at her and she relaxed, but just a little. She kept her eyes on him as she pushed me to the car. “We need to get you home, you must be exhausted!”

“Give me just a moment, okay?” I smiled at her and she nodded. Calimo came over and I had him help me up. I was standing in his arms and he was smiling down at me. His eyes were roaming my face, as if he was studying every part of me.

“I’m so glad you’re not dead, and that you didn’t leave me,” Calimo pulled me in closer and wrapped his arms around my waist. I pushed up on my tip-toes on my good leg and kissed him lightly. Well, lightly turned into me wrapping my arms around his neck and he was running his hands in my hair, pushing me closer. It felt as if we were one person, our bodies fitting together like a glove. I felt him slightly part his lips, his tongue tracing my own lips. I parted mine and he entered my mouth. It took all I had not to moan in pleasure—this was definitely the best kiss we had so far. I was suffocating so I finally had to pull away. He was panting, his breath mixing with my own. He smelt like clean summer air, and it was intoxicating, making me want to head in for another. But, of course my friends had other plans.

“Excuse me? When you two are done making out in front of us, would you get in the car? We are tired!” Sashay called out the window and I looked down at the ground, blushing. Calimo cleared his throat and stepped away, the instant cold was shocking. I hugged myself and Calimo helped me into the van.

“I’ll see you later. Hopefully sooner than later. Bye,” he kissed my forehead and closed the door. I put my hand on the window, and he placed his hand on the other side. Sashay rolled her eyes and slammed on the gas, leaving Calimo in the dust.

“Bye.”