More Than A Stepbrother → The Rewrite

eighteen

eighteen

~ Vanessa ~

Beep, beep, beep.

That's all I can hear. Continuous beeping, and it's god damn annoying now. My whole body aches as I force my eyes to open, my vision is still a little blurred but I can just about manage my surroundings. White walls, white ceiling, a drip bag. Shit, I'm in hospital.

It didn't work. I'm not dead, I failed miserably. Now I have to face all the shit from the others, now come to think of it, who called the ambulance? How did I end up in hospital?

"Dude, she's awake" An Australian voice calls from the door before Luke comes bursting through the doors. "Vanessa! Thank god you're okay" He wraps his arms around me, digging his face into my neck. My whole body is numb so as much as I'd love to cuddle him back, I just can't. I'm emotionally drained. Completely empty. Completely lost.

"I've been so worried" He pulls away placing a hand on my cheek as his eyes are searching mine. "What was you trying to do, Ness?" He questions and I open my mouth to speak but my throat is dry and absolutely killing me. "Water" I croak and he nods grabbing a small plastic cup of water as he tips the cup as I sip. My throat instantly burns before feeling a lot better.

I watch as Luke sits the cup down on the bedside table before looking at me. "I'm sorry" I mumble looking down at my hands, seeing the drip injected into my hand. How hideous it looks. I then turn my arm to see it all bandaged up, a mess. That's what I am, a mess.

"I just wanted everything to go away" I whisper watching the end of the bed motionless. "Has someone said something? Is this about the Zoe thing?" Luke then asks. "Nathan.. He said I was a silly little girl and it should of been me who was murdered, not Zoe" A tear slips down my face. "Hey" He brushes away the tears with his thumbs

"He is talking bullshit, Ness. Nobody saw Zoe's murder coming, nobody could of done anything" He explains but I shake my head. "No. I should have been there, I shouldn't of left her in the house alone. None of us should of. Then maybe she would still be alive" My lip trembles as I contain my sobs. "Vanessa" Luke sighs sitting on the bed beside me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders

We both look up when Beau, Jai, James and Daniel enter the room. "We're not interrupting anything are we?" Jai asks and I shake my head with a weak smile. "So this is the girl that Luke's been nonstop talking about" Beau walks round the bed and sits down on the chair. I feel my cheeks heating up and a curse from Luke back to Beau. "Beau..!"

"He talks about me?" I ask with a smile and a fuzzy feeling inside my stomach. "Yeah! All the time! When doesn't he.." Daniel chuckles and Luke face palms himself. "What does he say?" I bite my lip waiting for an answer. "How you're the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, and how he will wait till he can finally have you, how you should be treated.. Shall I continue?" James laughs. "No!" Luke snaps playfully making me laugh and as much as my head is killing me, I hide my pain.

"It's fine.. Because I've realised something. I shouldn't have to be with him any longer, and once I get out of here, I'm gonna end things once and for all. I promise" I lace my hands with Luke's and I can see his beaming bright grin from beside me.

"We've all agreed that it's probably best if you come stay with us when you get out" Jai explains which makes my whole body feel lighter. I nod before speaking, "Do they know I'm here?"

"No" Luke replies. "We thought you might prefer some time alone without any fuss."

"That's a relief, I honestly can't face anyone right now. As long as I've got you guys I'm fine" I take a sip of my water since my body seems to be working again. "We're not going anywhere" James smiles before a nurse comes strolling in.

"Ah Vanessa, you're awake. How do you feel?" She questions. Does she really need to ask that? "A bit better now, just sore. I really just want to go home" I answer truthfully. "Well it's good you're improving. But we need to keep you overnight just for observation. You've lost a lot of blood and anything could happen within the next twenty four hours" She explains and I sigh looking down. I hear her footsteps as she leaves the room.

"Don't worry" Luke's voice reassures me as he rubs his hand up and down my arm. "You'll be out of here by tomorrow morning" He adds and I once again sigh nodding. "Should we bring you guys some clean clothes ect?" Daniel suggests directing his question to Luke. "No! No you guys go home, get some sleep. I'll be fine" I place my hand on Luke's arm. "I don think that's-" I cut Luke off. "I'll be fine! Now go, go get some sleep and have something proper to eat. I'll see you in the morning" I chuckle lightly with a small smile.

"Well if you insist" Beau speaks and I nod with the same smile. They all give me a peck on the cheek goodbye before they are gone and finally I am on my own. I shuffle down the bed so my head is resting on the thin white pillows and I pull the blanket over me more since it is a little chilly in this small room.

Minding the needle in my hand and the bandage on my arm, I get myself comfortable before falling into a deep sleep. After a good couple of hours sleep, I wake up around midnight to have a drink. Only when I open my eyes, I'm met with someone else's. Piercing through my chest, the person covers their hand over my mouth hushing me.

"Don't you dare say a word" She hisses before removing her hand and a shaky breath escapes my lips. She closes the door before returning to the seat beside my bed. "What are you doing here?" I finally speak.

"That doesn't matter. Aren't you happy to see me?" Lola smirks leaning her chin on top of her knuckle. "Happy? Lola you threatened both me and Nathan! How could I be happy to see you?" I scoff before going to reach for the emergency call button. But her hand grabs my wrist making me snap my head round to her direction.

"Don't" She says. "You might wanna see what I have for you first."

I frown sitting back up and waiting for her to continue. "I understand how it feels, to be pushed aside, to be made to feel like nothing. I want to help you" She explains before pulling out a large brown envelope. I watch her actions carefully as she pulls out what looks like a bunch of photos.

"I've been tracking down Nathan for months, and in most of these pictures, he's either with Ariana, or on his way to meet her" She hands me the photos and I flick through them. I never wanted to admit this, but she's right. Nathan is with Ariana in a lot of the pictures and others of him getting out of his car and outside Ariana's house and out with Ariana and her crew. "You may not want to see this.." Lola continues. "But I suggest you take a look at these ones in particular" Another bunch of photos are handed to me, and this time, my heart is smashed into a million pieces.

His arms round Ariana's tiny waist as her lips are attached to his jaw. Others of them in an alley, rather inappropriate, I don't even wanna say what they're doing. I flick through more and more as tears sting my eyes. This has been going on of for months. He's been having an affair behind my back this whole time! Our relationship has just been a joke, or a bit of fun in his eyes. In mine, I'm so ashamed in myself. I can't believe I haven't figured this out before. He's made a fool of me, humiliated me in front of Ariana and her 'crew'. Well that's it. I'm done.

"I'm not here to argue, I just thought you deserved to know" Lola says from beside me after a while of silence. "I just don't understand" A single tear slips down my face. "All I was it him was.. Was a toy? A bit on the side?"

"I'm sorry, Vanessa" Lola whispers. "No" I shake my head. "No, thank you. Thank you for showing me these, now I have more of a reason to leave him."

Suddenly a phone rings and Lola stuffs her hand in her handbag. "I really must go" She stands up. "Wait" I say and she turns to me. "Why? Why are you helping me?"

"Like I said, I know how you feel. I wanted to help" She shrugs before turning on her heels and leaving. I'm left gobsmacked as I gather up the pictures shoving them back in the envelope and stuffing it under the pillow before attempting some more sleep.

A/N: Sorry it's short. But unfortunately there's only one or two chapters left in this story before the sequel. I have it all planned and I guarantee you'll all love it! What do you say to this chapter eh? Comment comment comment, I want comments!