Life Of Bayla

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Despite my efforts to not pull Cullen into my family issues by telling him to not bother driving me to the hospital since I could just catch a quick bus myself, Cullen insisted to take me there.

"It's too late for you to be out on the streets at this time", he said.

"I wouldn't be out on the streets, Cullen ", I retorted, already tired. "I'd be in a bus. Plus, it's not that late".

"It's fifteen minutes after nine", he countered. "I'm driving you there and that's it".

And so he drove us to the hospital.

I was excited- mostly agitated- but still excited at the fact that Aaron had woken up from his coma. He'd been out for two weeks and a couple of days but he's finally awake now. Finally!

Mom motioned me to where she sat in the hospital immediately we got there.

She knew Cullen- from the day he rushed me to this same hospital because I was intoxicated- so when she saw him, she gave him a small smile.

As I sat next to her, it was then I noticed the three other people sitting across us.

"Hey, Cullen", Parrys shamelessly purred. Her eyes snapped to me and her slutty grin was replaced with a bored expression. "Sup, Bailey".

"Hey", he quietly replied.

It's Bayla you idiot. "Hi", I said instead.

Dean nodded a greeting and Eleanor passed me a warm smile. I noticed that dad wasn't here. I felt a wave of pain but I tried to repress it. I shouldn't even be surprised.

"What're we waiting for, mom?"

"The doctor said we should give him some time. They need to run some little tests on him and maybe put him on some supplements just so he can regain some energy. In the meantime, we'll wait till we're allowed to go in".

"Right". I looked around the place. I didn't find Ian. "Mom, where's Ian?"

"Oh, he went to get us some water and coffee along with your two friends".

"Oh, okay". I nodded.

Wait, what?

"Sorry? What friends are you talking ab-"

"Oh, here they are", she chirped. Mom stood up and picked up a cup of coffee from the tray Rania was holding.

My eyes were bulging out of their damn sockets. What the hell were Rania and Ingrid doing here?

"Thank you, honey", mom said to them and they gave her cloying smiles. Mom turned to me, "They came to visit your brother. Isn't that sweet?"

Cullen tensed up beside me and muttered something incoherent and a string of curses flew out of my mouth in a mutter. Just what the hell was Rania up to now and what in the world was Ingrid doing here? And most importantly, how in the fuck did they find out about this?

"Hello, Bayla". Rania greeted. I gulped.

"A word with you, Rania?"Cullen hadn't given his sister a chance to reply as he dragged her out of our presence and then out of hospital doors.

Ingrid smiled weakly at me and decided to sit next to me, occupying Cullen's empty seat.

I was pissed. For the fact that I was in a hospital with my mom and others here, I had to keep my anger at bay and act rationally even though I wanted to push Ingrid to the floor and rip out her hair, lock by lock.

"Bayla", Ingrid placed a hand on my shoulder and I couldn't help but flinch. She frowned at my actions and retracted her hand. "Can we talk in private?"

I huffed and when I saw my mom throw me a weird look, I realized I couldn't escape this one.

I nodded and Ingrid and I made our way to somewhere a little less crowded.

I sharply faced her, "What are you doing here and how did you find out about Aaron?"

Her face fell, "Rania told me what happened and-"

"How did she know about this in the first place?" I asked cutting her off.

"Well, she knows someone who knows your brother and when she heard what happened, she thought it was best If we both came, seeing as she's your brother's ex girlfriend and I'm your well, ex best friend".

Rania's keeping tabs on Aaron. Which means she's most likely keeping tabs on me too.

Fuck my life.

"Bayla?"

I walked away from her, the colour seeping out of my face with each step I took. Seeing Rania here snapped me back to reality, the reality I had temporarily escaped when I was with Cullen at the beach.

This was just a little reminder that my life wasn't rosy. At all.

~~~~~

Dean, Parrys and Eleanor were the first to see Aaron because mom wanted it that way. She wanted the family to go in last, when the rest had left.

Mom excused herself to answer a phone call, Cullen and Rania had left but he sent me a text, saying that he had to go, apologizing as well and wishing Aaron a speedy recovery. Ian's eyes had been glued to his phone all this time and Ingrid has been sitting next to me, awkwardly trying her best to make small talk.

My mind was all over the place: wondering why dad's not here, thinking of what Rania had in store for me(now that Cullen took her away from the hospital, would she hold that against me and possibly punish me for not getting the chance to see her ex?) and wishing this whole mess which is my life right now will evolve from this shitty phase and get better.

Dean, Parrys and Eleanor had left and soon, Ingrid did too.

"But honey, you didn't get to see Aaron", my mom had told her. "You can come see him with us. A friend of Bayla is family, okay?"

Ingrid smiled and briskly glanced at her vibrating phone. "Honestly, Mrs Lakes. Thanks so much for the offer but I have to go home right now". Her phone stopped vibrating and started to ring." It's m-my d-dad calling right now. I have to go. Bye Mrs Lakes, Ian, Bayla. Send my wishes to Aaron, will you? Thanks".

I had a hunch it wasn't her dad calling but I pushed aside those thoughts and walked in suit with Ian and my mom to see Aaron.

I had heard his voice before I saw him.

"This place sucks".

Ian laughed. "Yup, that's my brother alright".

I smiled.

Welcome back, Aaron.