"She is delightfully chaotic; a beautiful mess. Loving her is a splendid adventure." - Steve Maraboli
Aiden POV
Watching her figure retreat down the dull and empty hospital corridor, it took everything in me not to go after her. I looked down at Olivia who was standing next to me, her face just as concerned as mine. "She'll be okay, sweetheart." She tried giving me a reassuring smile, but I saw right through it.
"Yeah... you're right." I replied running a hand through my hair as I took a seat in one of the uncomfortable green waiting room chairs.
When Natalie finally told me everything – her dad coming back, him asking her to donate – I had to restrain myself from finding the bastard and bashing his face in with my fist. She kept telling everyone that it was fine, and that it wasn't a big deal but I saw right through the brave face she was trying to put on. I saw how hurt she was by her father coming back into the picture.
Twelve years of radio silence and he comes back for this?
No, hey honey how are you?
No, I'm sorry I missed out on the past twelve years of your life?
No, I know I've been a shit father, but I promise to do better?
My own father is by no means a saint, but even he's better than Natalie's piece-of-shit dad.
She said it didn't bother her, but the way her eyes refused to meet mine as she said it was all I needed to know that she was trying to convince herself – not me.
When the two hour mark passed, I was starting to get impatient. No amount of pacing back and forth could stop the uneasy feeling forming at the pit of my stomach.
The procedure shouldn't take more than an hour or two – tops.
And to make matters worse, Natalie's dad had also showed up about half an hour ago. The only reason I know it's him is because of the not-so-subtle glares Olivia was throwing him and the brunette that accompanied him. The only thing he and Natalie had in common was their hazel green eyes. Other than that, she was the splitting image of her mother.
My phone was also blowing up with texts from Caroline and Brooke asking if Natalie was out of surgery.
Caroline: Have you heard anything??
Brooke: Any news yet?
Caroline: Is she out?
Caroline: Aiden answer your fucking phone or so help me god!
Caroline: That's it – I'm coming to the hospital.
After the last message I tried calling to reassure her that there was no need for her to come down, but it was too late. She had already dragged Brooke out of class and the two of them were on their way.
As I continued to pace the almost empty hallway, I couldn't help but think back to the first time I really saw Natalie. That day in August I had let Lucas convince me to go with him to the girls' soccer game because he was trying to hit on Naomi – clearly that didn't work out so well because Caroline has him whipped, but that's a different story altogether.
I had of course seen her around school before, but I never really paid attention to her like I had that day. The moment I laid eyes on her, I couldn't bring myself to look away. It wasn't just her beauty that was captivating, it was everything about her. Every inch of her was amazing. Not only was she gorgeous on the outside, but she was also a beautiful person inside.
She was a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
In fact – she had me wrapped around her finger, from the very first time she spoke my name.
Whether I care to admit it or not, the second I laid eyes on her, I knew she would somehow come crashing into my world and turn it completely upside down.
She was the one girl that I wanted more than just a hook up with.
I wanted all of her.
I wanted her beauty.
I wanted her brains.
I wanted her stubbornness.
I wanted every single inch of her, emotionally and physically.
And the thing I love most about her, is that she didn't for one second, put up with my shit.
I tried kidding myself at first that she was just another girl, and maybe if I just got her out of my system, she wouldn't have such a hold on me. Boy was I wrong. It became ten times harder to be away from her once I really got to know her and the two of us started hanging out.
I admit, I was a total dick and tried to get her out of my mind by aimlessly hooking up with other girls in the hopes that the feelings I was developing for her would go away. I never saw myself as the relationship type, especially so close to the end of high school. But no matter how many girls I slept with, none of them compared to Natalie – and my mind would always drift back to her.
I finally came to terms with the fact that I wanted her, and only her. Even if she didn't want the same, I stopped fucking around with different girls. The look on her face when she walked in on Victoria and I that day, it's something I never want to see again.
Instead, I wanted to be the person she knew she could always count on, even when everything and everyone was being impossible.
I wanted to be the reason she smiled even when there was nothing else to smile about.
I wanted to be the one that made her see that she was amazing, no matter what anybody else said. I wanted to treat her with the respect she deserved.
To me, she was absolutely fucking perfect. Both on the outside and on the inside – I don't care what anyone else says. She may be more stubborn than anyone I've ever met – and I've known Ella for more than half my life – but she was my stubborn person.
Caroline and Brooke chose that exact moment to come rushing down the hallway. When they spotted us, the two of them quickened their paced until they came to a stop in front of Olivia and enveloped her in a tight hug.
Then, Caroline turned towards me. "When I text you about my best friend, I expect you to fucking answer!" She hissed as she pinched my arm.
I thought about giving her some smartass reply, but instead I nodded. She honestly scared me – not that I would ever admit that out loud.
........
It was just after two when someone finally came out to speak to us. Natalie's dad was the first to jump to his feet and approach the doctor, making me think maybe he wasn't so bad after all.
However, then he opened his mouth. "How's my daughter? Is she okay? Is Brittany okay?" He franticly asked.
"She's fine, sir. Another doctor will be out shortly to brief you." The doctor replied before his eyes continued to scan the waiting area.
"I'm looking for Natalie Dawson's family?" I felt my heart sink as I sprang to my feet. Olivia clutched my arm for support as she mimicked my actions.
"I'm her mom." Olivia's voice quivered, and it looked like she was holding back tears.
"Oh my god." I heard Caroline whisper from my left.
"I'm Dr. Benson. I performed the bone marrow extraction on your daughter." Dr. Benson introduced himself. Okay – so he didn't have the sorrowful look on his face like he was about to give us really bad news. "Halfway through the procedure your daughter's heart rate started dropping. She went into Anaphylaxis. Luckily, we were able to stabilize her, however we suspect she won't wake up for another couple of hours. We're monitoring her closely."
There were complication, but she was okay.
She was okay!
While Dr. Benson explained Natalie's post-op care, something caught my eye. Her dad was hugging the brunette by his side, and smiling at her as a nurse updated them.
He didn't even bother to come over and ask how Natalie was doing.
This man is making it really difficult to not punch him in the face.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Caroline hissed as she watched the scene unfold. I should have known I needed to keep a closer eye on her, because the next thing I know Caroline was storming over to where Natalie's dad was standing.
"Fuck." I groaned as I tried to catch up with her before she could cause a scene.
"You really are something else!" Caroline laughed sarcastically as she came to a stop in front of Natalie's dad. "Everyone else here may be too polite to say it, but you're a piece of shit."
"You were soooo quick to ask how your daughter is but in case you forgot, you have TWO!" She continued, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "One that risked her life to save the other, and ended up having complications during surgery, but you don't even give a shit! All you care about is your perfect new family, but don't forget you left a perfectly good one behind all of those years ago."
"You have some fucking balls even being in the same room as Olivia and Natalie after what you did to them!" By now, Caroline had begun to attract the attention of the hospital staff passing though the hallways.
Mr. Dawson just stared at her like he couldn't believe she was talking to him this way before he angrily replied, "This is none of your business, young lady. You have no right to speak to me this way."
"None of my business?" Caroline shrieked as she took a step closer to him and stared him deadpan in the eye. "Anything concerning my best friend is my business."
"Mr. Dawson, I think it's best if you waited somewhere else." I interjected, pulling Caroline away before she actually punched him.
Not that anyone here would really mind, I though bitterly.
He looked like he was about to protest, but the brunette by his side grabbed his arm and led him down the hallway.
"Let go of me!" Caroline trashed in my grasp. "I'll fucking kill him."
Now you see why she terrified me?
"Stop it." I gripped her arm. "What's done is done. Natalie wouldn't want this."
That seemed to get her attention.
........
Natalie still hadn't woken up yet, but Olivia had gone in to sit with her. They were only allowing one person in at a time for now so we all agreed it was best if her mom was the first one to see her.
Even though it was killing me not to be in there with her – holding her hand.
As Brooke, Caroline and I continued to wait outside Natalie's room for her to wake up, I felt my phone vibrate. Pulling it out of my pocket, it was a text from Lucas.
Lucas: Coach is about to burst an artery. He just found out you weren't at school today.
Rolling my eyes, I quickly replied.
Aiden: Tell Coach to get off my ass. I'll be there tomorrow.
Lucas: Yeah... I'm not telling him that. I'd like to play – not warm the bench the entire season.
He did have a point.
Coach took attendance very seriously, and that's the way it's always been. You skip a class, you don't play in the next game. You miss a practice, you sit out the next game. I knew I was going to have to pay for it later, but I wanted to be here when Natalie woke up.
A few moments later, Olivia came out looking more exhausted than when she had gone in. The three of us looked at her expectantly, but she gently shook her head. "She's still not awake yet."
Caroline and Brooke both looked at me hesitantly, before I rolled my eyes and nodded. "You guys can go see her first." They were her best friends, I knew my place.
That and I wouldn't put it past Caroline to superglue me to my seat if I said otherwise.
I stat impatiently in the uncomfortable chair, completely forgetting that it was just Brooke and I since Olivia had gone to get coffee.
"You really like her." Brooke spoke softly as she smiled at me.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Natalie..." She spoke up again. "You really like her."
"Yeah..." I cleared my throat. "Yeah I do."
"About damn time you two finally admitted it." She rolled her eyes as she came to sit next to me."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh please – the two of you have been dancing around your feelings for each other since the beginning of the school year." She threw her hands up, exasperated. "Grow some balls and tell her how you feel for fucks sake."
It was my turn to be irritated. "You don't think I've tried?" I leaned my head back against the wall. After her birthday, I tried talking to Natalie about where we would go next – and every time, she would always find a way to change the subject "Every time I do, she pushes me away."
"So make her listen." She replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
The truth is, I would have liked nothing more than to just tell Natalie how I feel and make her mine. However, at the same time I didn't want to push her to do anything she didn't want to. "That's easier said than done." I grumbled.
Brooke chuckled as she patted my arm sympathetically. "You're smart – you can figure it out."
"Oh and one more thing –" She smiled sweetly. "Just know that I will fucking castrate you if you so much as make her frown, let alone cry. Ever." To an innocent bystander, it would have looked like she was giving me friendly advice – and in a way she was – but I knew she meant every single word she just said.
I laughed nervously, shifting in my seat. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Honestly – her friends are fucking crazy. But I'm so glad she has someone like them in her life.
When it was my turn to finally see Natalie, I slowly crept into the room so as not to wake her. The room was your standard depressing hospital room - white walls, white sheets, a single table in the corner, one chair next to the bed and a shit ton of machines and wires.
As I walked towards the bed where she was peacefully sleeping, it broke my heart to see her like this. She was hooked up to a bunch of machines, an IV in her arm and the beeping from the heart monitor was enough to drive anyone insane.
Her hair was sprawled across her face in the most beautiful messy way possible. Reaching out, I slowly moved the loose strands away. I half expected her to stir awake, but no such luck.
As I took a seat in the chair next to the bed, I reached out and gently took her hand in mine. "You have to wake up, Princess." My voice cracked as I spoke.
I don't know for how long I sat next to her bed, holding her hand. But next thing I know, I felt Natalie stir next to me. My head immediately snapped in her direction and I saw her looking around confused, until her tired eyes landed on mine.
"Natalie." I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding as I sprang to my feet. "Are you okay?"
"Water..." Her raspy voice managed to croak out. Walking over to the small table in the corner, I reached for the pitcher of water and poured some into a plastic cup. Taking it back to her, I held it as she took a couple of sips, and pressed the call button for the nurse.
"Thanks." Natalie mumbled as she struggled to sit up, wincing.
"Stop moving around." I said, placing the cup back down.
"Don't tell me what to do." She playfully rolled her eyes at me.
"Stubborn as always." I couldn't help but smile as I leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. Even in her current state, heat flooded her cheeks and she tried to hide that adorable blush behind her hair.
Glancing around the room, she asked, "Where is everyone else?"
"Your mom went to get some food, and Caroline and Brooke are outside." I replied as I continued to gently stroke her hand.
"Oh." She said, the hurt evident in her voice. Just then, a group of nurses and doctors came in and I was forced to let go of her hand and step back.
After the doctors and nurses were done examining her, all of us were allowed to go back in and sit with her for a bit. Dr. Benson had come back and explained that everything looked to be back to normal, but they were keeping her overnight for observation.
Caroline actually started sobbing when she saw Natalie pale and hooked up to all of those machines. It took lots of reassuring, but she finally stopped crying – only to refuse to leave Natalie's side until she was out of the hospital. After some convincing and promising to send them hourly updated, Caroline and Brooke left while Olivia went home to change and bring Natalie a spare change of clothes since they hadn't planned for an overnight stay at the hospital.
Once everyone was out of the room, it was just the two of us again. "Do you need anything? Are you hungry? I can go get you some so –"
"Aiden." She gave me a pointed look.
"What?" I asked nervously scratching the back of my neck.
"Just shut up and sit down." She laughed. "You're pacing is driving me insane."
"Well excuse me if I'm worried about you – " I glared at her. "Miss. Nothing is Going to Happen to Me."
"Nothing did happen to me."
"Since when is Anaphylaxis nothing?"
"Since I said so."
"You're impossible."
"Always." She smiled as she reached for my hand and shifted so that I could sit next to her. I was hesitant about sitting down because the bed so small and I didn't want to hurt her. "Lay down with me." She continued to tug on my hand.
Positioning myself so that I was on the very edge of the bed and not squishing her, I gently lay down beside her. "I'm glad you're okay, Princess."
"Me too." She replied, allowing me to drape my arm over her shoulder as she cuddled into my side.
After a while, she started yawning and mumbled, "Don't go."
"I'm not going anywhere, baby." I lean down and brush my lips against her forehead.
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SURPRISE – Here's a bonus chapter in Aiden's POV. I hope this helped shed some light on what goes on through Aiden's head and his feelings for Natalie.