The Bad Boy and Me

Chapter 18

*LEIGH'S POV*

My eyes flutter open, adjusting to the bright lights around me. I look to my side and see Ryder laying uncomfortably in the chair next to me. A smile appears on my face as I take in his peaceful state. 

He looks so perfect and I still can't believe this is the boy that loves me as much as I love him. You can tell he has let himself go a little bit the past few weeks. His hair is messy and long and his face is covered in stubble that makes him that much more gorgeous. I watch as his chest rises and falls. His lips are parted a little and they look so inviting. 

"You done ogling me, angel?" Ryder says with his eyes still closed and a smile on his face. 

"How the fuck did you know I was looking at you, you had your eyes closed the entire time," I ask him in disbelief. He lets out an incredibly sexy chuckle while stretching his limbs causing his shirt to ride up and expose the skin near the waistband of his sweats that hang low on his hips. I swear I could feel myself drool a little. 

"Jesus Christ Ryder, how are you so fucking hot?" I blurt out shamelessly. 

"It's a gift, my dear," he says with that stupid fucking smirk. I muster all the strength I can in my weak state and grab onto the front of Ryder's t-shirt and pull him towards me. Of course, once he realizes what I'm doing Ryder moves on his own and smashes his soft lips against my slightly chapped ones. 

"Ahem," we immediately pull apart from each other and look at the nurse standing awkwardly at the door to my room. Ryder is smirking at the situation while I look like a fucking tomato. She enters the room and asks some questions about how I'm feeling and then leaves. 

"Welp that was embarrassing," I say to Ryder when I hear the door click. Ryder laughs and stands up to go to the bathroom, leaving a quick kiss on my lips. 

I go on my phone and play Toonblast because it's boring in this bland hospital room. The door to my room opens and when I look up I see my best friend. 

"SAM!" I say loudly with tears threatening to escape my eyes. She runs over to me with tears of her own falling down her face and embraces me in the tight hug. 

"I thought I lost you, Leigh," Sam whispers in my ear, her voice sounding so broken and full of sadness. 

"You can't get rid of me that easily," I say to her to try to ease the tension and sadness. But I know she can see right through it, I didn't think I was going to get out of that prison alive, I thought I was never going to see my best friend again. We stay like that for what feels like hours, just hugging each other and crying. 

When Sam finally pulls away I can see Cole and Russell standing next to Ryder watching our sad love fest. I guess they came with Sam, but I didn't even see them when she walked in. The twins walk over to me and each takes a turn hugging me with glossy eyes. They all get chairs and we sit around in my hospital room shooting the shit and enjoying each other's company. 

No one mentions what happened to me and I am so relieved about that, I don't think I will be able to talk about it openly for a very long time. 

I look around the room at all the smiling faces of my friends who are laughing at some stupid shit Russell said and I feel content. I know I just went through something extremely traumatic and my mental state will have to take the time to repair itself, but I know it will be okay because I am surrounded by people I love and who love me. 

I found the love of my life and gained two more friends that literally risked their lives for me and I will be eternally grateful to whatever fated us to meet. 

When visiting hours end the twins and Sam leave, which speaking of, Sam and Cole seemed to be sitting awfully close together, I will have to ask Sam about that later. 

"Penny for your thoughts, angel?" Ryder asks, breaking me out of my thoughts. 

"I'm just thinking about how lucky I am," I say. 

"You do realize you are sitting in a hospital room after almost dying, baby," Ryder says to me sounding extremely baffled. 

"Yeah no shit, but I'm lucky to be surrounded by people that care about me and I'm lucky for finding the love of my life," I answer him truthfully. 

"I love you so fucking much Leigh," Ryder says.