I don't know what is worse - not knowing where you are or not being able to identify the voices around you.
If I was in heaven, it sure wasn't what I expected. For the most part I don't see anything but black and on occasion I'm able to see a few flickering lights here and there.
I wonder when someone will lift the veil off my eyes so that I can be escorted to the pearly gates.
"Her body heat is lower than ninety degrees," someone says in a worried tone.
"Hypothermia," another low voice states.
Hmm, this is odd. I would have expected a warm greeting of some sorts in the afterlife. Unless I'm in hell. Oh god! I'm in hell! It sure is quiet for hell though, I don't feel any fire burning me.
"She's moving," the one notices.
A familiar voice shouts from the distance, making me flinch, "Is she going to be okay?" The voice was filled with worry.
Justin? Why was he dead too?
---
[Justin POV]
I tap to the constant beep-beep of the heart monitor attached to Leah as she lays as still as a lifeless object in the hospital bed.
How did she manage to get herself so severely injured? She didn't look good at all. If only I had started looking for her earlier she might have still been awake!
The door of the room flings open and I see Will, her roommate stumbling in with a tray of two Starbucks cups in one hand and a paper bag in the other.
I stand up, "Let me help you."
"Sit your ass down, you don't get to move from her side," he snaps.
I suppose he is right. If I weren't such an idiot to anger Leah unnecessary, she wouldn't have gone off almost getting herself killed.
An uneven heart beat grabs my attention and I turn around seeing Leah swift her head left and right before she is still again.
"I wonder what she's thinking," I say, stricken with guilt.
This girl has absolutely stolen my heart, I can't even begin to describe how much love I feel for her. She makes me feel proud to be seen with her, I feel normal and treated fairly when I'm with her.
I'm in love and I can't allow the one person who was able to snag me out of my depressed state over Selena, who was able to make me love again, who gave me purpose, to die because of me. If only she knew how much I fell for her in such a short time, I love her.
I gulp, trying to keep myself from tearing up in front of Will. I never knew such deep attachment to some girl until I met Leah.
"I bet she is slapping you in her dream, because I would were it not for you finding her," Will growls at me.
"I should have realised sooner, I should have come looking for her earlier," I mumble.
"You don't get to feel sorry for yourself, suck it up bitch! You better be by her side and not leave her now," Will scolds.
I look at him, knowing he is right, this was my fault, "I'm sorry," I say, sitting back down next to her bed. I was so rude just because of a stupid talkshow.
I was the one that told her I would be patient, I told her that I won't push her. She even said Jelly Tots and I was stupid enough to get mad, knowing very well she has some kind of hurtful past.
"You don't need to apologise to me," Will sasses, crossing his arms, "you need to get pass Mr. Leigh."
"Frank Leigh is coming here?" I gulp in disbelief. There was no denying that the man had quite the reputation of terror and might. He pulled one string and the whole of Hollywood would sing to his song.
Will nods, "I wouldn't be surprised if he-"
The door slams open and Will is cut off by the very man we were talking about. Mr. Frank Leigh, dressed in all his glory, glares around the room. He stares at Will and at me before his eyes are met with the fragile woman lying in the bed.
"Go fetch the doctor in charge, I need answers," he orders.
Will and I look at each other before I jump up and run out the room.
On return I hear Mr. Leigh mumble something at Will. His scared expression turns to a fake smile when he sees me, stopping the conversation.
"Oh look who's back," he sarcastically states.
Frank Leigh turns to see the young female doctor, standing at the door, "You sure look too young to attend to a patient in this condition," he comments.
She smirks, "I'm sure I do, but I can assure you, your daughter is in good hands. I can show you my list of qualifications from Harvard if you wish to check on me."
I can't help but chuckle. She was so small in comparison to the authoritive figure standing before her, but seemed unbothered by his glare.
Leah mentioned that Leigh was some sort of father figure to her, but I can't help but wonder if she was the biological daughter of the man. They didn't look alike, but I can't help but wonder.
After clearing her throat, the woman started to explain Leah's condition, "I'm afraid she lost a lot of blood. I suspect it was a seal that attacked her since emergency services found her near Seal Beach. Her ankle bone is punctured so to speak, not broken but the teeth of the seal must have drilled right through the bone at the right spot. Regrowth of the bone is possible, but I suggest extra support with a small insert of a screw or two, small operation really."
Frank Leigh rubs his chin in contemplation, "Is there any risks?"
"Well, at the moment I wouldn't put her under the knife. She has a severe concussion from where her head suffered a hit against a rock. We're trying our best to prevent internal bleeding. And then there's the issue of hypothermia of course, her body heat is way too low for any operation. Her organs might suffer failure."
"So what can you do then?"
"Try and get her awake, a patient with a concussion in a coma is very dangerous. We are already busy to stabilise her body temperature. Once we can do a thorough examination when she's awake, well be able to decide on treatment."
Mr. Leigh sighs, returning to Leah's bed, opposite of Justin.
"There is one problem however sir," the tiny woman says, "her bloodtype is very rare, she could really benefit from a blood plasma transfusion. Seeing as you're her father-"
Leigh lifts his hands and shakes his head, "That won't be possible, I'm not related to her by blood. I can however arrange for someone with the bloodtype to donate," he offers, "What is her type?"
The woman frowns for a second before accepting his offer, "AB negative," she states and thanks him before exiting the room.
The room is filled with silence before Frank Leigh turns to me, "Care to explain how this happened to her boy?"
I gulp, trying to keep my nerves at bay, "We had a fight sir, she left without her phone and I couldn't get a hold of her."
I fidget with my fingers, noticing he was waiting for more, so I clear my throat and continue, "She left with my car and I figured she returned home. Around ten I decided to head over to return her phone and apologise but when Will told me she was not there I started to worry. I called the tracking services for my car and they located it near Long Beach."
Will explains further, "We went looking for her but there was no sign of her. So we called the coast guard and around two in the morning they found Leah near the water, covered in blood."
"I'm so sorry sir," I mutter, "I know this is all my fault. I'll pay for all medical costs."
"She doesn't need your money boy, I'm more than capable to care for her," he snaps and then turns to Will, "you were suppose to know where she is at all times!"
Will lifts his head, "Sir, you said I should be discreet! How am I suppose to be discreet if I'm on her case all the time. Don't you think she would have gotten suspicious if I checked on her so much?"
"I don't care what you think! Your job was to protect her!" He growls.
I stare at the argument unfold before me. Was Will an employee of Leigh? Was he undercover? Why did she need protection like that? It was very clear that she didn't know. I wonder how she'll react if she knows that Will is far more than just her mere roommate and friend.
I can't help but feel there is something going on I'm not aware of. Leigh was acting far too paranoid about her safety. Even I did not need such protective measures.
I dare not say anything when Mr. Leigh storms out the room, announcing he will arrange for private medical care at his home in the morning.
"Don't look at me like that," Will mutters as he leans against the wall with his head.
I look at the girl that makes my heart beat faster than the monitor she's hooked to. I would do anything for her, but I knew there was something going on beneath the surface I wasn't aware of. Perhaps that's why she was always so guarded.
"I need some answers," I ask, looking at Will in hope.
He sighs, "I can't give you any."
"Please Will, I need to know, I need to help her."
"You can't help her, you can just love her."
"Why were you appointed by Mr. Leigh to make sure Leah is safe?" I carry on.
Will shrugs, "Look there are things I can't tell you, I'm sworn to secrecy. All you need to know is that I am who I say I am, there's just the additional part of working for Mr. Leigh that she doesn't know about. I am truly her friend, but I wasn't allowed to tell her that I knew Mr. Leigh. She's under the impression that I know nothing of him and dislike him."
"Why do you have to protect her though, surely it can't be because of me? I mean you were her roommate before I even knew her," I mutter.
"Not everything is about you pretty boy," Will sasses, "There are things that I don't even know," he looks away.
"You do know, stop lying," I snap, seeing his face stricken with guilt.
"Mr. Leigh didn't tell me anything. It's Leah who told me what happened to her, but I really don't think it's my place to tell you about her past."
I sigh, knowing he's right, "Just tell me one thing then," I request.
"Yeah?"
"Is she in some sort of danger?"
Will looks at Leah with tremendous guilt and then back at me. He nods, looking as if he wants to cry.
My own heart freezes, "Who are you Leah Smith?" I ask myself.
---
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