Chapter 16: ♠Chapter 10♠

“I'm here to see Ariana,” I told the lady at the front desk.

She nodded, clicking at the mouse on her computer and moving it around a couple of times, “Last name?”

“Blackwood,” my fingers drummed against the desk impatiently as I looked around the waiting area.

After leaving school, it was kind of a blur. I was so focused on getting here, but that didn't get in the way of me stopping a couple places to get her some stuff. Which is why I had my bag on still. I didn't know if they were gonna say I couldn't bring food in or anything so I'm hiding it.

“Room 310,” she said and proceeded to give me directions to where the elevators were and what floor it was on.

“Thank you.”

“No problem,” she smiles and I push myself away from the desk.

So she said the elevator is this way, I thought, pointing down the hall, then take the first right.

Stepping onto the elevator, I pressed the button for the third floor. I was fidgeting on the spot and getting impatient when the door was taking too long to close.

Right when it started sliding shut, someone squeezed their way through with a relieved breath. I immediately recognized the familiar face and quickly looked down, burying my hands in my pockets.

“Chris?” She said when the door slid shut and the elevator started going up.

On the inside, I cringed, but on the outside, I looked up and gave her a smile, “How are you?”

She smiled, “Good.”

I dated Daniella for most of my sophomore into junior year. She was a brunette but now you could see that she was sporting bleach blonde hair that usually fell in thick curls around her shoulder, but was now in a bun at the back of her head.

She was also on the taller side, with amazing legs, but we're not gonna get into that. Her light brown eyes were flecked with gold and I didn't realize that I was staring until I blinked and averted my eyes.

When I looked back at her, I noticed she was wearing a uniform, so with my eyebrows raised, I asked, “You work here?”

She immediately looked down at herself, “Uh, no,” she laughed, displaying her bright smile, “Volunteer.”

I hummed with a nod, “Cool. I haven't started mine. I still need to find somewhere.”

“Oh,” she said, then added, “You could always apply here, they still need a bit of help with the patients and all-”

She stopped when I shook my head, “And I would love to help but hospitals,” I shook my head with a low laugh, “Aren't really my scene. I might sound like an asshole, but I'm barely keeping it together right now.” I told her. It was just something about hospitals that always bothered me.

The elevator stopped and the door slid open. I gestured for her to go first and she smiled, stepping out first. It's then I noticed that she was carrying a stack of towels.

“What's with those?” I asked, nodding at them.

“It's for a patient,” she said, “They forgot to stack the room. They need cleaner ones I think,” she nodded, “And you're here to see someone?” She asked but it sounded like statement.

I nodded, my hands pushing deeper into my pockets as I watched my feet move along the tiled floor, “Yup. A friend of mine got into an accident.” I told her discreetly.

“Are they gonna be okay?” She asked, her eyebrows pulling together as she looked over at me.

“Yeah, she's fine,” I nodded, then added, “Hopefully. I just hope she's awake.”

Her eyebrows raised, “She?”

“Yeah,” I replied, my eyes focused on the room numbers.

308…

309…

Just as I saw the room, the door pushed open and a lady came out in a white coat and a clipboard.

“Excuse me?” I stopped her and she looked up and smiled.

“How can I help you?”

“That's Ariana right?” I asked, pointing to the closed door, “Blackwood?”

She nodded, “Yes, it is.”

“I just wanted to know if she's awake?”

Her smile widened, “She is.”

I let out a breath, then asked quickly, “How is she? Is she alright?”

“She's fine, why don't you go see for yourself.” She gestures to the door with a smile and then she left.

I reached for the doorknob but stopped halfway when I saw Daniella standing off to the side awkwardly.

“This is the room?” I asked, looking back and forth between her and the door.

She looked at the room number again, as if to check if it really is, then nodded, “Yup.”

Well this is gonna be a bit awkward.

I reached for the knob and twisted it, pushing the door open. I gestured for her to go first but she shook her head.

“No, you can go ahead.” she said, taking a step forward.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what I'm about to see. I didn't know what to expect, since I've never been to the hospital for someone with a major injury as a gunshot wound, but I was gonna be as normal as I could.

Stepping forward, I peered into the room first. The bed was pushed against the far wall, across from the door, so she was right there. What made me smile though was the fact that she looked normal. Not nearly close to a person who was caught in a life or death experience.

She was sitting up with her back pressed into the elevated part of the bed and she had a laptop in her lap, her fingers flicking across the keys and music was playing lowly from either that or her phone that was laying, face down, next to her.

I stepped into the room, pushing the door open wider and that seemed to get her attention, because she looked up. Then a slow smile spread across her face.

She leaned back into her pillow and folded her hands, resting them on her stomach, “Mr. Rich,” she said teasingly, “What a pleasant surprise.”

I chuckled, feeling more comfortable to walk into the room, “You knew I was gonna be here,” I stated in amusement, because she did.

She made a face, “Ehhh, eventually,” I smiled at her grin, “But not during school hours. Did you skip school for me?” her eyelashes fluttered.

I took a couple more steps so that I'm standing at the foot of the bed and placed my palms flat on the surface, “Don't get too cocky about it, yeah?” She smirked in response to that.

A throat cleared and I turned to look over my shoulder. Daniella was still standing by the door, holding the towels out as if it was a peace offering.

“Where would you like me to put these?” She asked and I was one hundred percent sure she knew they go in the bathroom, but instead I looked back Ariana, not questioning it.

“Bathroom,” she pointed at the open door on my right, “Please.”

Daniella walked by me, on the way to the bathroom and Ariana looked back at me with a smile. Then she patted the space next to her on the bed.

My eyebrows raised and I looked behind me then back at her before pressing my index finger to my chest.

She laughed, “Yeah, you. C’mere,” she smiled.

Why is she being so attractive right now.

She scooted over and I made my way around the bed. I noticed the way she tried not to move her upper body too much as she did, despite her not wanting it to look too obvious.

I stopped at the side of the bed and took my bag off, handing it to her, “Take a look in there,” I told her while reaching down to untie my boots.

“Ouuu, surprises,” she said chirpily, unzipping the bag carefully and peering inside and I smiled at her.

I took my shoes off, leaning forward and pressing my palms into the bed. Something crashed behind me and I looked over my shoulder. Daniella was still in the bathroom for some reason.

“Are you okay?” Ariana asked, leaning forward a little to look in the bathroom.

She didn't answer and Ariana looks at me so I shrugged and climbed onto the bed, “Where's your mom?” I settled on my side, watching her reach into the bag and take out a bunch of chocolate that I bought on my way.

She looks up at the ceiling, “That question sounds a lot more dirtier in my head,” she mutters.

I couldn't stop the slow grin that spread across my face and the laugh that sputters out of me. I've never heard or seen her like this… All flirty and stuff.

My eyes followed the IV that was in her arm and I concluded, she was definitely on a lot of meds.

Just then, Daniella came out of the bathroom—finally—with a crumpled up towel and some other small stuff that looked empty.

“You were running out of soap and stuff, I'll send someone up with refills,” she said as she was leaving.

“Okay,” Ari replies, not looking up from emptying the contents of my bag. “Can you close the door please?” She asked, looking up.

I turned my attention to Daniella who'd stopped halfway through the door. She stood there for a moment with her back turned before tilting sideways and reaching behind her to grab the doorknob.

I turned my attention back to Ari who took two water bottles out of the bag, “Thank you,” she said to Daniella a second before the door closed.

“Are you trying to get me fat?” She turns to me, holding up a couple of twinkies.

I grinned, “You like them.”

“I know what I like,” she retorts, setting them down in the pile of candy between us.

“I figured, I'd get a little bit of everything,” I told her when she took out small bags of apple slices. I knew she likes those too.

“You should stop spending on me like this,” she said, struggling to open one, “I'm starting to feel guilty.” She hissed suddenly and dropped it, reaching up to lay her hand on her right shoulder.

I sat up a little, “Hey,” her face was contorted in pain and that scared me a little, “Do you need the doctor? Is it bad? Are you-”

“I'm fine,” she cuts me off with a laugh, “just… not supposed to move this shoulder too much.”

I sat up, taking the bag from her lap and ripping the side open then handing it to her.

“Thanks,” she took it, “It's their fault for making it so damn hard to open.” she muttered.

I smiled but my eyes strayed to her shoulder that was covered by the gown, “You sure you don't need a doctor or something? Didn't they give you pain meds?”

She nodded, chewing out, “Yeah, but I'm still not supposed to move it too much,” she bit an apple slice in half, before saying, “You have giant feet.”

My eyebrows raised at her then I look at my socks cover feet that were crossed at my ankles.

“Know what they say,” she sang with a smile and that made me let out a snort before I started laughing loudly.

They definitely gave her too much meds.