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"Kirsty, have you seen Mason?" He'd been gone for an hour and a half and call me crazy, but since the accident I'd had this dreaded fear that something would happen to Mason every time he left me.
"He came past about an hour ago, he might be with his sister." She said, returning to her computer screen.
Woh woh woh, hold up. His sister? As in Claire? As in the Claire I saw in the photo, sister?
"Oh yeah, okay." I tried to play it cool but inside the gears of my brain were falling to pieces.
His sister was in the hospital?
"I always get lost going to her room, could I get you to take me there?" I asked, trying to be nonchalant but I've always been pretty crap a lying.
Still, Kirsty complied easily. I suppose since she'd seen how close Mason and I were she thought I'd met Claire. Nope.
We wondered to the third floor that had rooms similar to mine and Kirsty paused at on my way on the corner. She gestured with a smile before retreating back and leaving me alone and staring into Claire's room from the window.
She was sitting in her bed with a wheelchair beside her. There was a remote resting by her hand and from where I was it looked like she was watching her tv.
I slowly walked over to the door and knocked quietly before opening and coming in.
She looked confused when she saw me.
"I think you might have the wrong room..." she said softly. She was very pretty with her long brown hair tied into a bun on top of her head and freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks. Already she reminded me of Mason.
She would only be a year or two younger than me but she looked mature.
"Oh, I don't actually." I played with my fingers awkwardly and I must've looked ridiculous.
"We haven't met but I know your brother." Her eyes lit up a little and a smile worked it's way onto her face. I decide to keep the part where I'm kinda his girlfriend and hadnt introduced me yet to myself.
"Oh, please sit down." She nodded to the side at a chair and I sat down slowly and cautiously.
"What was your name again?" She asked, moving her finger to the button on the remote and switching the tv off.
"Ashley Anderson." A knowing smile worked its way onto her face and her eyes had a cheeky glint to them.
"Oooh, you're Ashley. My brother was right; you are gorgeous." I blushed. So Mason had been telling her about me? Maybe I had underestimated his feelings.
"He didn't tell me you were here though... what are you in for?" She asked, her brows furrowing the same way that Masons did. You could definitely tell they were siblings, they had the same nose and sharp cheekbones.
"I was in a car accident, your brother pulled me from the wreck." Her eyes were sympathetic and I waved her off when she opened her mouth to say sorry.
"That's my brother, Mason the hero." She laughed and I joined in carefully. "I was the same, but looks like you got out with the use of your legs."
I looked at her legs before I could stop myself.
"You don't have control over them anymore?" I asked, immediately regretting it and wanting to hit myself. She didn't seem to mind though, her face didn't show any hard feelings.
"Well I could one day, but the surgery costs too much to repair the damage to my spine." I nodded. I felt terrible.
"I'm so sorry." I confessed and she waved me off.
"Don't be, you weren't the one who put in the car with the asshole." She laughed lightly. Why hadn't Mason told me she was here?
"Was it recent?"
"No, no. A year an a half ago now, I'm just here cause I got a nasty cold and my immune system isn't what it used to be." I nodded and opened my mouth to speak but it wasn't my voice that spoke the words.
"And that's why you should be resting to make a full recovery." Uh oh. I looked to the doorway to see Mason standing there with his arms crossed and glaring at me. I swallowed and cowered in my seat.
"Mason, why haven't you let me meet her til now? She's a total babe, like you said." She was smirking the same smirk that Mason does. He flicked his head at me to leave so I got up quickly and left, sending a small wave to Claire.
"Let's talk again some time!" She called as I left the room and Mason closed the door to talk to her, but not before giving me the 'you are in so much trouble' glare.
So, right at that moment I had two options:
One, to run and hope that Mason doesn't find me for a long enough time so he doesnt tell me off.
Or
Two, I could stay and wait out his anger because there was takeaway on my bed.
It would actually have been one of the hardest decisions I'd had to make thus far.
When Mason finally left the room, running his hand forcefully through his hair he sped off walking without waiting for me to catch up.
So not only was he angry at me but he was also using my inability to walk at a normal human pace as punishment.
He didn't even need to be angry!
So, I thought it was time to use a little performance.
"Mason! Mason please wait." He kept going without turning to stop just like I thought he would. We were nearly back at my room now and I didn't want him to yell at me, I was injured after all.
"Mason! Mas - ahh!" I pinched my eyes shut and held onto my side, bending as far forward as I could without actually hurting myself.
It's not like I was lying, it did hurt 23 out of 24 hours in the day.
That got him to stop.
He turned around and came back to me, concern clear on his face as he gripped mine in his gentle hands.
"Baby, what's wrong?" He searched my face as I kept my hand on my side.
I felt like I needed my own tv show where I could wink at the camera every time I was a brilliant actress.
"I just need to sit down." I whispered and he supported my weight by holding my hips and directing me to our room.
As soon I was in bed I saw the containers on the tray table.
Oooh yeah baby!
"Are you okay? Do you need a nurse?" He asked, pulling the covers up and over me.
"No, I think my muscles just spasmmed as I tried to keep up with you."
He frowned and looked guilty as he brought over my container.
Don't look too pleased, don't look too please...
"Why were you in my sisters room?"
Shit.
I just stared at him. Maybe if I didn't reply he wouldn't keep questioning. Kinda like that if I can't see him he can't see me, right?
"Ashley, did you go looking for her? How did you know she was in hospital?"
He didn't even break before each of his questions, and I kept opening my mouth like a fish to cut in.
"Were you spying on me?" His face was betrayed and his voice strained. I was so bloody confused!
Mason, why would I spy on you?"
He shook his head, crossing his arms.
"I dont know, you tell me."
"I was worried about you! You were gone for ages so I asked Kirsty if she'd seen you and she took me to Claire's room! How would I be able to follow you when I can barely walk on my own!?"
"Why were you worried about me? I was only gone for like ten minutes." He rolled his eyes, still no loosening up his tense frame.
"Because ever since this whole mess, everytime you leave me I am terrified you won't come back." I feel the tears well in my eyes and a lump form in my throat. I don't think I've been more sincere in my life than at that moment. His arms stay crossed and he still stands in a wide stance but I notice his face relax a little along with his muscles. "I'm terrified," I whispered, "that you're gonna get on your bike and end up in an accident, and I can't lose you." I choked out and I couldn't stop the tears that ran down my face as the image that had been haunting my dreams played over and over again in my mind.
I could see him deliberating whether or not to come to me or to stay angry where he was, when really I just wanted him to hold me.
He swallowed hard and finally came to sit on the side of the bed and brought his hand up to me face, wiping away my tears with his thumb.
"I promise you that I will always come back to you." He whispered, gazing into my eyes. He had a hold on me and I couldn't look away.
"I love you." I said before I could think, and slapped myself mentally. He noticed my eyes widen as my mouth spoke before my brain filtered and an uncharacteristically gentle smile crept onto he face. He leaned in and just when we were a breath away he murmured,
"I love you too." And pressed his lips to mine.
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