Melanie
Three weeks.
It's been three weeks that I've been stuck between these four depressing pale blue walls. Today was the day here and I'll finally be able to leave then get back to uni, all that is left is pacientes to spare until Vitani and Yovann to come get me. Oh gosh, just thinking of all the assignments I've missed these past three weeks makes me cringe.
Speaking of cringeworthy topics, after the day doctor Stanford attended me she never showed up again. Perhaps the patient files got mixed up and she grabbed mine by accident then noticed her mistake because she was replaced by a different doctor named Dr. Crawford.
"Alright," nurse Phillips takes off the cast from around my forearm with care and throws in the disposal bin. She then helps me off the bed after I was done dressing myself in normal clothes, finally ridding myself of that hideous hospital gown. My fractured rib cage was pretty much healed at this point and so was my forearm, but my wrist really got smushed and if I would've landed in a different position I could have completed broken the bone there, so nurse Phillips advised me to keep the cast around my wrist for at least one more week and I'll be fine after that.
"You're all ready to go back home." She smiles small, trying to be happy for me finally recovering but I can see she's a little mournful about letting me leave.
"Thank you so much." I return her a genuine smile as I wrap my arms around her to show just as much gratitude I have for her, still making sure to be careful where I place my arm. She took care of me for the past three weeks and I couldn't have chosen anyone more caring than her, even though she barley knew me. She has a good, caring heart.
"Oh, no problem, dear. I'm so happy you're better now." With a big smile she eventually lets go of me and guides me out of the room which was something that oddly felt so relieving.
Ever since I been stuck in that room for nearly a month as if I were handicap nurse Phillips always brought me my food, my medicine and helped me into the bathroom which was connected to the room, therefore I could never find an excuse to leave that distressing atmosphere until now. And gosh did it feel great to not have a limited space to walk on.
"He's expecting you out in the waiting room. Bye dear." She says and walks away.
In a pair of worn out converse, a white t-shirt and jeans, I walk into the waiting area expecting to see Vitani and Yovann signing me out the hospital. Instead, an all too familiar tall man comes into view. He wears his usual dark suit and tie, showcasing his overwhelming wealth just by wearing a brand name black and white suit. Gosh, why does he always look so expensive?
I watch him scribble down his signature with such simplicity on the paper attached to an ebony wooden clipboard before letting the blue pen fall from his digits. I had a feeling that from the corner of his eye he had already noticed me considering I had made an abrupt stop when I spotted him, however, his eyes still twinkle for a split second when he finally gets a chance fully see me.
I gradually make my way over to him where I seem to become more shorter because I'm use use to wearing taller and nicer shoes whenever I'm with him, but I still find our six inches of height difference quite amusing...in a strangely good way.
"Where's Vitani and Yovann?" I ponder quizzically, preying silently that perhaps he brought them along with him in one of his many other vehicles so I wouldn't have to be stuck alone with him again.
He doesn't say a word at first, he keeps his gaze on me when he reaches into the back pocket of his pants and pulls out my gold iPhone 5s covered in a few scratches from the accident covered in a brand new lavender colored case as he hands it back to its rightful owner; me. I guess he still remembers when I told him lavender will forever be my favorite color because the color somehow brings me a sense of tranquility.
"I texted them both from your phone, informing them I'll take the responsibility of getting you home safely considering you wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for me." He explains.
I cross my arms over my ample chest and rise my brows up high on my forehead. "So you're finally willing to take responsibility for your actions... I see."
Although I'm completely aware that the car had lost complete control, I myself predict its karma aimed at him for being a complete remorseless asshole. I only hope within the time we've been apart he has filed a police investigation to get to the bottom of the cause of this. I find it impossible to believe any well kept vehicle could just stop functioning properly out of the blue, especially one owned by Harry. I'm more than certain he gets them checked up every two weeks.
He smirks in mischievous way. "Don't push it, love. I've found quite some...entertaining photos in your phone that I've sent to myself." His voice is so low and husky that if sex was liquid then that's exactly what's dripping from his mouth, and he swipes his cherry red tongue over his perfectly lined up teeth right after.
Almost instantly, I realize what these photos he speaks of consist of. I know exactly what he's talking about. Whenever I get a new lingerie set I like to take pictures of myself in them to look back in admiration to remind myself that I am beautiful, and I am good enough. It sounds incredibly stupid, but it works to keeps sane. I've simply never been cautious of who would ever find those.
With flaming red cheeks, we head for the elevator to head down to the main floor to depart the depressing building complex, but before Harry's thumb could come in contact with the silver button the double doors of the elevator open up automatically to reveal yours truly. Samira steps out in expensive golden heels as her blonde hair curled into bombshell locks flow gracefully after her.
"Melanie," she speaks, alerted as she finds herself standing between both Harry and I. "I heard about what happened, I was just about to look for you." Her voice is high pitched, her words false advertisement whilst doing a fine job at being the charlatan I know she is.
Harry and I both stand in amusement yet we manage to keep sleek poker faces.
Harry clears his throat, shifting closer to my side as he crosses his arms. "You're nearly a month late on the news, Samira."
She knits her thin brows together as she fidgets with her cream colored Louis Vuitton bag from one hand to the other. "Well at least I'm here, aren't I?"
Neither of us say a word, we just wait for her to move over so we can continue in our path.
"Huh," Her sharp, blue eyes narrow right at me, her gaze excruciating. "You are one ungrateful bítch."
I simply chuckle when she pushes past between Harry and I, making sure to bump both of her shoulders onto ours before storming past us. Harry uncrossed his arms, ready to yell an insult at Samira or demand her to apologize to me, but before he could cause a scene I place my un-fractured arm against his torso to block his way.
"Let it go," I say softly, watching Samira turn a sharp corner and disappear down the hallway. "She isn't worth having an argument with anymore."
I could feel some of the people who hadn't fallen asleep stare subtly at us, Harry and I pay no mind whatsoever. Our main priority is to get to our destination safely.
Harry flicks his golden Rolex watch around his tatted wrist and adjusts his black suit jacket, looking effortlessly handsome as he does so.
"Oh gosh." I murmur quietly as I remembered how badly I wanted to use the bathroom when I got a glimpse the women's restroom sign close to the elevators.
"What?" He murmurs, annoyance thickly laced in his tone of voice. He was clearly still perturbed about Samira.
"I need to use the toilet," I point to the ladies room. "I should freshen up too."
I noticed how it took everything in him to not roll his emerald eyes in irritation, instead he closed them momentarily, sighed, and said, "Be quick." He reminds me and with a nod of my head I rush into the bathroom.
I first approached the mirror hung above the stained white sink and looked into it. "Jesus Christ." I murmured horridly when I took a good look at my appearance. My skin was clear but as dry as the desert, deep, dark bags under my eyes and my lips chapped and dangerously pale.
I quickly reached for the red handle and splashed some warm water on my face in hopes of smoothing it out, allow it to slightly soak into my skin in hopes that the water would act like a moisturizer. I then patted my face dry with a paper towel and licked my dry lips until they felt smooth enough to where I wouldn't feel uncomfortable kissing Harry, if that even happens. I'm not hoping nor planning on him, but if the chance darts my way I most definitely won't curve it.
"I thought you said she was completely fooled!"
My head flips to the opposite side of the long restroom where there's another entrance to come in from a different side of the hospital. The sound of that voice followed by the clicks of heels were both sounds I was far too familiar with.
"Well obviously she wasn't if they're leaving...together!"
Desperately, I twirled around, debating on rather if the left or right stall is the closest to me before she officially enters the bathroom. Without a second thought I enter which ever one, not paying mind to which I unconsciously chose. I wasn't afraid of her, but the conversation she was having was intriguing me, and I wanted to know what she was bickering about.
Her heels which pressed against the gray tile floors of the bathroom came to a holt in front of the stained mirror I was previously looking into, ironically enough.
I kept my breathing hushed as I quietly stepped onto the toilet seat, balanced myself so I wouldn't fall and she wouldn't be able to see my shoes which'll lead her to think she is surrounded in privacy, but what she didn't know I could hear and see everything from the crack of the stall.
An agonizing look rests upon her face as she keeps her silver iPhone held between her shoulder and jaw whilst she washed her frail hands. "So what, I paid to get those pictures photoshopped for nothing?"
I couldn't hear the voice coming from her phone considering the volume was so low it sounded like a tiny rambling, muffled voice.
"You know wha-" my eyes widen her she looks directly into the mirror, for a second I thought she had gotten possessed. Realistically, I knew that wasn't the case.
"Hold on." She speaks into the phone, holding it in her left hand now before she twirls around and her eyes aim at the stall I was hidden in.
Slowly, she steps towards my stall, quirking her head to the side to try and look through the crack but I backed up in hopes that she wouldn't be able to see me.
"Samira!" I hear the feminine voice shout from the other line which causes Samira to immediately snap out of her suspicion.
"My bad," she tells the person and turns around to adjust her neatly curled hair while looking at her own reflection. "I thought I saw something. I'll text you later when I've deposit your check. Bye."
I watch her end the call and carelessly shove her phone back into her bag before she assertively walks out.
Letting out a breathy sigh, I step down from the toilet, wait a few moments before I swing the stall door open. I no longer feel the need to use the toilet.
I march my way out the bathroom to find Harry mindless scrolling through his brand new iPhone 7 as he sits impatiently, his right hand resting upon his left knee, fidgeting it uncontrollably.
"Lets go." I tug at his sleeve to catch his attention which I immediately gain.
With knit brows, he stands and pockets his phone which nearly slips out his hold when I pull him with all my strength (which wasn't much at the moment) towards the elevator and sturdily press the silver button.
"What's the rush? I thought I was the impatient one." He ponders rhetorically when I shove us both into the empty elevator.
"How are you feeling?" Harry ponders curiously, sheer concern also laced in his tone of voice.
I shrug. "I could be better."
Harry nor I have anything else to say after that. A few seconds pass until Harry parts his lips again, seeming like he had something to say, but he dismisses the thought of speaking seconds afterwards and closes his mouth.
The elevator doors open and with a natural sway in my wide hips that I don't think I'll ever lose I make my way towards the parking lot where I instantly spot his ever so familiar black Range Rover to which he approaches only seconds after I did.
"Careful." Her murmurs warningly after opening the car door for me and helps me inside so I wouldn't hurt myself.
"Thanks." I mumble, seeming to neglect him since I still can't shake off the fact he called me 'an opportunity for sex' moments prior to the horrid, traumatic accident.
Like always, the car ride was quiet, numb, and boring, gaunt even, and all I could do was morosely stare out the window, watching the scenery flashed before me.
"You seemed upset when you came out the bathroom," Harry speaks up, causing me to snap out the trans all the passing buildings had me in. "Are you alright?"
Well I still remember how you told me all I am to you is an 'opportunity for sex', and if it weren't for you're horrible driving I wouldn't have ended up in the hospital wearing more than one casts. Oh, and let's not forget how my doctor told me you were his ex lover then you pretended to not even know, yet at the same time your crazy ex wife might have something to do with it. But sure, I'm fine!
"Did you ask your ex lover if she was doing alright after her dumped her?" I ask, my voice high in falseness.
What I said was definitely uncalled for and without needing to glance at him I knew he was upset. But I needed to find out something to prove my suspicions wrong, and if in the process I need to infuriate Harry then so be it.
A breath a squeezed out of me when the seatbelt chokes me, preventing me from smashing my head into the glove compartment as the car comes to an abrupt halt with a loud screeching of the worn out tires.
When I looked up, my panic mode slowly fading back to normal I noticed Harry has pulled over to the side of the road with a look of bewilderment, staring at me like what I said was the most absurd thing that has ever erupted from my vocal cords.
His breath is merely rigid and both his large, beautiful hands are still pressed firmly against the leather steering wheel. "What the fúck did you just say?"
"You heard me."
For a few more seconds he gawks at me with that same bewildered expression until I notice him start to crack a forced smile. His body starts to bounce slightly as he wheezes silently in laughter. "You're joking, right?"
My eyes narrow like a perfectly aimed bullet pointed directly at him. "No."
"What the fuck, Melanie!" He yells, slamming his hand on the steering wheel causing me to flinch back at his reaction. "You honestly seem to really enjoy messing with my feelings at times. Now you accuse me on having an 'ex lover' I never told you about?!"
"Oh, I mess with your feelings?" I ponder rhetorically in that same bewildered tone. "Lets not forget who the 'opportunity foe sex' is here! And please, if you just tell me the truth I won't be mad, we hadn't crossed paths at the time when it happened. Just please, don't lie. I'm tired of those."
"That's precisely the point, Melanie, I'm not lying! How can you accuse me of having a lover I never had?! Besides you, I've always been faithful to Samira." He explains.
I don't what is about each of the car rides we have. It's either filled with sexual tension or we're arguing.
"The doctor from the hospital; doctor Stanford. I saw the way she looked at you, and you acted like you didn't have a clue of who she was."
"The doctor?" He angrily furrow his brows together. "The doctor was there to help you recover and that's all I cared about. I never had sex with that woman."
If Harry is telling the truth (which I'm convinced he is) and the conversation Samira was having on the phone both add up to the same thing, then the puzzle pieces I'm mentally putting together are definitely in their rightful spots.
"But... she showed me pictures of you two... kissing."
Harry rolls his beautiful eyes and slams his foot on the accelerator. He swerves to the side in a sharp, tire screeching turn in the direction back to the hospital.
"I don't what bullshít people are telling you about me, but I can assure you it isn't true." Harry confidently says.
Considering we weren't to distant from the hospital, plus Harry's speedy and reckless driving, we made it back to the building in no time. After many long strides that I struggle to keep up with Harry, we make it to the front desk which I quickly approach right after he reaches it.
"May we speak personally with doctor Stanford?" Harry demands in a monotone.
The lady with graying hair behind the desks seems to become confused. "Doctor Stanford?" She repeats, as if a question.
"Yes, doctor Stanford. You know, female, jet black hair, crystal blue eyes, wears light pink lipstick." I try to give her any physical characteristics from the time I saw her. There nearly useless because anyone can look like that, but I hopped it strikes a clue.
The lady purses her bottom lip as scrolls through the names of staffs on the computer sat in front of her and eventually begins to shake her head. "I've spent seventeen years working here and there hasn't been a single doctor with the last name Stanford ever working here."
I look up at Harry, my brown eyes doe and wide while all he could is smirk knowing he's yet again proven me wrong.
"Thank you ma'am. You've been so lovely by helping us out." He says, his tone flirtatious which makes the elderly lady swoon.
"Oh, no problem at all, honey." She smiles.
I feel like an idiot knowing I hadn't trusted my first instinct by trusting Harry's words as we reach his car once again.
"Once more, Melanie," he opens the car door for me and I hop inside grumpily, but internally content that there was never another girl besides me, and Samira of course but I don't include her. "I've proven your accusation wrong." He shuts the door and makes his way around the car with a joyous hop in his steps.
Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic on the road this afternoon so we made it to Harry's house in no time. I should have been heading straight to uni, but Harry had convinced me I should stay with him for a few more days until I was completely recovered. Even though I knew my fractured bones wouldn't get in the way much, I wasn't about to pass up a chance to stay with him and Junior whom has been staying at Harry's mother's house.
"I called the mechanics after the crash and they found that all the breaks on my cars had been messed with. He informs me as he helps me out the car.
Just thinking of someone wanting to purposely murder Harry and I terrifies me to a massive extent. The worst part is that this killer is still out there knowing we're still alive and no one has a clue of what his/her next move will be.
"Oh my gosh." I murmur, my heart sinked into my stomach as we approach the double front doors to his enormous home.
Harry turns to me with wary eyes. "Melanie, whoever it was that did this did not want us alive, or me rather. I don't want you being alone or out of my sight until the police find out who it was, okay?"
I nod. "Okay."
Harry lifts his hand with his house key in hand, but as he's trying to shove it into the key hole the creaks open. "Shít." Harry murmurs, fully alert as he stomps into his house.
Why was I not surprised that he had left his door accidentally unlocked?
I roll my tires eyes when he leaves me behind to shut the heavy door knowing I'm still dealing with a sore arm. How expected of his part. Nevertheless, I step inside with a huff and shut the door with my shoulder.
"Harry, gosh, my arm hurts because of you and you couldn't give me a hand-"
"Melanie, don't come in here!" I hear Harry holler from the living room.
"Why? What happened?" I holler back, taking hasty steps now, not knowing what awaits.
Before he could say anything else I crossed the corner that leads into the living room.
Holding a wicked smirk, the intruder sits comfortably on the love seat in front of the burning fire place while he holds a glass of red wine in his hand.
And he mockingly cheers. "Hello friends!"