The hospital is the one place you go when you are sick. It is a place where you go to get better but that's not in my case. I never visited a hospital in the past four years.
When Mr Arnold told me that we'll go to the hospital, I was sceptical about it but I never wanted to show my weakness to anyone. I just wanted to hide myself from everybody. But bloody hell, he saw me in my most vulnerable condition. I was so ashamed of myself.
The moment my eyes opened to the sight of the hospital, I felt the urge to run home. Flashes of my pathetic state ran in front of my eyes, I was so bloody embarrassed. Mr Arnold saw me in the worst condition. I wanted to run away but I was too weak to move. I was in so much pain that I wanted to scream. I wanted to die but I couldn't even do that.
The nurse who attended to me was so kind and concerned. She told me I was knocked out for a few hours. I sighed, she was monitoring me when a doctor around my age came to check on me. "How do you feel now Miss?" he had a friendly smile on his face.
I tried to speak but my throat was dry and I could not make a sound."Here." The nurse gave me a cup of water. I drank it quickly. I felt better after that. I looked at the doctor who was busy writing something. "Are you taking any antidepressants Miss?", his question caught me off guard. I was so shocked that I couldn't even answer him.
A knock on the door interrupted my silence. I glanced over the doctor's shoulder and saw Mr Arnold, standing outside. The doctor looked at him and nodded for him to come in. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't even bring myself to look at him but when I did, I was overwhelmed by the sight of him. He looked extremely tired. His perfectly styled hair looked like a mess as if he had run his hands in them multiple times.
"Miss," said the doctor. "I'm afraid you have been knocked out for the past four, reason being a panic attack. I've given you a sleeping pill so that you can sleep well." He continued, "I also gave you medication for your cold, luckily it's not contagious but I'll have to keep you here-", before he could finish, I quickly shouted out, "No! I can't stay here."
I wasn't going to stay there any longer. I wanted to get out of the hospital as soon as possible. Before I could get out of bed, the doctor was quick in restraining me. The nurse held me down till I calmed down.
"Let me go," I begged. "I'll be okay." The doctor's eyes softened as he tried to reason why I should not leave but my reel was stuck on the fact that I can't stay in a hospital even for a damn second anymore. I was determined to leave. The hospital reminds me of my mother's wails. It reminds me of how much of a coward I were. I didn't care I was embarrassing myself in front of Mr Arnold again, all I could care was I can't stay in this hell for a second more.
I looked at Mr Arnold and for the first time, I wanted him to help me. I tried to stop the tears that were rolling down my cheeks.
I am so freaking pathetic!
I was so ashamed to be crying in front of him. But he was my only hope at the moment. He was the only one who could help. "Please help me to go home," I appealed to him. His grey eyes were fuming with anger. I don't know why?
He gestured something to the doctor and he as well as the nurse left the room, leaving me in the company of Mr Arnold. He came closer and sat on the stool kept beside the bed. I couldn't help myself from crying. "Shhh," he told me, "I'm here. We'll leave the hospital right now. Okay? I'm here with you." I felt so relieved when he said that. The words that we'll leave the hospital right now were like music to my ears.
His voice was soft but his eyes were hard. He grabbed me and held me to him tightly. At that moment, I didn't care who he was.
All I could see was that he was there for me.
He and I were not friends, hell we hardly talked to each other without arguing. Yet here he was, holding me and comforting me. My heart was filled with warmth. He was the first person who has ever given a damn about me except my mother.
I looked at his white shirt that was drenched with my tears. My eyes widened."Bloody hell, how much does this shirt cost?" I blurted out."Sh*t I've to pay for this bloody hospital too." Should I go look for another job?
My thoughts express was halted when I heard him chuckling. He placed his hand in my hair, brushing my locks off my face."So f*cking precious." He muttered while getting off the stool. I was confused. He never really liked me, but he held me and comforted me. He didn't mock me. Why did he hold me like that?
My thoughts were interrupted when I saw the doctor coming. He gave me his polite smile again and told me that I have been discharged."I talked to your fiancé." My drowsy eyes shot upon as soon as the f word left his words.
Fiancé?
He nodded to Mr Arnold, I looked at him in bewilderment. What the f*ck was he thinking when he told him I was his fiancée.
"Don't worry your secret is safe with me.", the doctor winked at me." I know it's difficult for you to be around people when you are tied with a popular person.", My frown grew deeper at his words. I was confused out of my wits.
"I'm his fiancée?", my statement came as if it were out of the blue. The doctor looked at me suspiciously and before he could say anything, Mr Arnold took charge. "We shall leave now, Amore."
I gave him a puzzled look as he came closer to me." Just go with the flow,", he whispered in my ear.
I didn't have time to digest what he just said as I felt his lips grazing across my ear. My skin shivered as his warm breath touched my sensitive skin. "Can you walk?", he asked me gently. I nodded to him and with his help, I got up from the bed.
The nurse looked at us with a weird look on her face. I couldn't tell what she was thinking but I was sure that something was not right.
"She's your fiancée, Mr Arnold. You can carry her to the car." I looked at her with trepidation in my eyes. What was with this woman, Jesus Christ!
I shook my head in protest."I can walk very well. Thank you very much."
Mr Arnold didn't seem to pay heed to my protests and the next moment I felt his one arm around my waist and holding me tightly in place."Don't freak out." he whispered in my ear. I shut my eyes and tried to calm myself down.
"It'll be over soon."I chanted in my mind. I was so darn embarrassed that I could not utter a single word.
I knew that my face blushed bright red at that moment. I felt his other hand under my thighs. My heart raced out of control and I could hardly catch my breath.
He lifted me with ease and then before I could think, I was out of the prison disguised as a hospital.
The hospital's entrance was surrounded by his guards. I rolled my eyes. I knew there was nothing I could do about it. Mr Arnold carefully placed me into the passenger seat of his car. He looked at me one last time and buckled the seat belt around me.
He got into the driver seat of the car and before he could start the engine, I caught his hand making him freeze. "Now if you would be so kind as to do the favour of telling me what the f*ck is going on." I stared at him in disbelief.
"What was the doctor saying? I'm your what?" My voice came out in a jumble because I was so shocked.
"Fiancée.", he said again.
Then he looked at me in an incredulous way."He wouldn't let you go so I had to take the reins. I just lied to him that you are my fiancée." He rolled his eyes in the back of his head.
"You could have said anything else. You could have told him the truth. It wouldn't have mattered." I sighed. I've always been by myself.
I'm used to being on my toes for a long time."I'm not used to this." I said as I looked at him with nothing but coldness in my eyes.
"Then start getting used to it." He took my hand that had grasped his hand before and gave it a soft squeeze. I could feel my heart thump against my chest." Just go with the flow.", he stated and ignited the engine. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. I didn't know what he meant, I didn't know what he was implying.
The only thing I noticed was that he didn't leave my hand for the whole ride.
He was right, I should probably go with the flow.
***