Mikah & Hakim (✅)

Chapter Twenty-Five

People have good reasons for not liking hospitals, but at least my family didn't have to add to that list.

"M-M-Mikah! I-I-I'm so glad you're okay!" Kirby sobs into my chest as we lay curled up in my own soft blankets back in my grandparents' penthouse.

Let's just say that after the stunt my friends pulled, the hospital wasn't too keen on keeping me any longer than they had to, but I was perfectly okay with that.

The University hospital felt incredibly weird and I swear I kept dreaming of a man watching me through the glass walls.

Whether or not that was drug-induced or not, I now have another problem to handle.

"Kirby, you're going to hurt him!" Nicky snaps at the messy rabbit who is crushing my ribs all over again.

His affection is quite painful to say the least, but I don't have the heart to pry him off, and by the way Nicky remains sulking in the corner, it seems she doesn't either.

"K-Kirby, I'm okay..." I chuckle softly at him as I wiggle my arms free and wrap them around his head. His hair is damp from the shower and the powerful aroma of ocean's breeze washes over me from his skin.

That sounds kind of weird, but I really do appreciate and feel safe with Kirby.

Well, most of the time...

Besides, it breaks my heart to see him so legitimately upset. He didn't even cry when his family left him.

I bet Cammy's heart broke, too, when a bullet went through it.

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from bursting into tears from the thought. I've only been home for a few hours and the thought of Cole busting in to enact his revenge has me on edge.

"Don't ever do that again, ya here?!" Kirby exclaims, slowly sitting up and gently pushing me down against the millions of pillows that comfort my aching bones. "I can't have you leave me, too!"

"Kirby..." I whisper in surprise, feeling a few tears escape.

I never doubted that Kirby was my friend--

Most of the time...

--but seeing his bloodshot eyes, his soaked cheeks, and the desperation on his face, even Hakim can't convince me otherwise.

Kirby really is terrified to lose us.

"Kirby, I swear to god that if you don't leave him alone, I'll hit you with my car!" my brother's voice suddenly joins the mix, followed by the babbles of a baby.

"Hendyyyyyyy!"

As quickly as he attached to me, Kirby flies from the bed and attaches to Hendrick's waist, unable to glue himself to his chest because of the happy, chubby baby sitting in my brother's arms.

"I thought you were dead, too!" Kirby bursts into tears all over again, just hanging from Hendy like a limp doll.

Little Hendy Jr. giggles down at the purple pile of tears, and I expect to see my brother kick Kirby away, but instead he just peers down and gently pats our friend's head.

"I told you we're all okay, man. Calm down before you're the one in bed, idiot..." he scolds softer than I've ever heard him speak to Kirby before.

Hendrick doesn't hate Kirby, but I've always thought he saw him as a pest.

Not as much as he sees you.

My chest tightens as the weight of Hakim's words pulls me down, making me want to close my eyes and never leave this bed again.