Chapter 17: ♠Chapter 11♠

“What time is it?” I asked her, chewing on my twizzler and peering at her laptop.

We were watching music videos, because apparently, that's her favorite past time.

“2,” she said, breaking off a bar of her KitKat and biting into it. Her eyes were glued to the screen and we were watching a Bryson Tiller music video.

I slid down even more on the bed, folding my arm so that I can rest my head on top of my hand, pressing back into the pillows.

She clutched the sheets that rode down a bit when I stretched and looked down at me, “You better stop before I flash you some,” she said warningly and I grinned. I can't say that I would be opposed to that but I didn't voice it, “They have me butt naked in hea’. I couldn't change cause they wanted easy access to my wound. I have on underwear though, so don't go gettin ideas.” She points at me.

I laughed, “I'm not.” She's been like this for the past couple of hours that had me wondering how strong their medication really is. I'd like to think it was the medication because I've never heard her talk like this before. I wasn't complaining since it was entertaining, but I don't think when she's back to her right mind, she's gonna be to pleased with herself.

“I seriously need to know when your mom's going to be here,” I said, watching the side of her face, “So I know not to look so comfortable,” I looked down at my body that was sprawled out next to her. Much too comfortable for two people who just met at the beginning of the school year, “Or be here.”

“Oh stop,” she laughed, “My mom doesn't get off until like…” Her face scrunched up a bit, “Five and she's gonna get here later than that, so you're fine.” She reaches down blindly and pats my stomach. A second later she laid her hand flat on my abdomen and started rubbing me down, “So fine,” she said and the muscles in my abdomen tightened as I laughed, “Ouuu,” she said, reaching for the bottom of my shirt and lifting it.

“Chill,” I laughed loudly, placing my hand on my shirt and keeping it down as she tried to peer under it.

“I wanna see,” she said, still trying to lift it, “Lemme see.”

I shook my head with a grin, then moved my hand. She pushed the shirt almost up to my chest.

“Eeeeeeeoooooowwww,” she dragged out and at this point I was wheezing.

I did construction over the summer and I ran a lot, so you could say I was ‘ripped’. It wasn't much of a big deal to me since I've been like this throughout high school with track and everything, but her reaction was hilarious.

She ran her fingers down my torso, her fingers dipping along the ridges of my muscles and that caused something to happen in my body that a shiver racked through me. That was something I haven't felt in a while, which explains why I clutched her hand to stop her from keep going.

She met my eyes with a smile and that eased the tension from my body, causing me to let out a breathy laugh.

“Where'd you get them?” She said, her eyes dropping to my body.

“Get?” I replied in amusement and she just stared at me expectantly. I shook my head with a grin, “My dad's friend's with the owner of a construction company in upstate New York and I get to work for him every summer.” I told her.

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, ripping her hand out from under mine and slapping her palm back on my stomach. It sounded with a loud smack but it didn't hurt. All I did was look down at her hand,then back up at her.

“New York?” She asked incredulously, leaning over me a little, “I love New York. I have people there. Can you take me next time?”

I grinned, “Sure-”

There was a short knock at the door and the both of us looked over as the knob turned and the door pushed open. My heart lodged in my throat for a second, then I let out a relieved breath when the first thing that I saw was the hospital's uniform. I closed my eyes and heard Ari giggle.

Thank you.

“You're still here?” The person said and I recognized her voice.

I opened my eyes and tilted my head to the side, seeing Daniella standing in the room, her arms filled with bathroom toiletries and a cart sitting by the door.

Ari pulled back, pulling my shirt down as she did and I watched Daniella’s eyes follow the movement, something in her expression changing.

I shrugged nonchalantly, thinking how not-so-friendly we must look with her feeling me up like this. If that had been her mother I would've been six feet under.

That woman scares me for some reason.

“Got a little more time on me,” I said and she blinked before shaking her head and making her way to the bathroom hurriedly.

“You know her?” Ariana whispered lowly, looking down at me.

“She goes to our school,” I told her, not wanting her to know just how well I know her yet.

Recognition flashed in her eyes, “Ohhh, I knew I saw her somewhere before.” She whispered, “She's pretty.”

I grinned, “You're pretty.”

She beamed, slapping her hand on her cheek, then reaching down to smack my chest halfheartedly, “Stop it,” she said shyly, making me laugh at how cute she is.

I turned on my side a little, holding myself up on my arm, “How much medication did they give you?” I wondered, “And how are you not sleeping right now?”

She shook her head, “I don’ know man, but this shit,” she pointed at her shoulder, “Hurts like a bitch. So they gave me like,” her eyes widened, “A lot.”

I'm sure they didn't give her that much.

“Are you two dating?”

Ariana’s gaze moves behind me and I sighed, falling back on the bed so I can turn to look at her. Daniella was standing in the bathroom door, waiting for us to answer.

Daniella and I broke up on her terms. She dumped me and ever since then, we've never spoken until today, which is why it was bothering me a little bit with all her questions. Especially that one. I don't see how it's any of her business who I choose to date.

Even until today, I still don't know why she broke up with me, but it wasn't something I was dying to know anymore.

“No,” I said, the same time Ari said, “Yes.”

I held back a laugh, “Ignore her, she's high,” I said in a teasing tone.

“I'm offended,” Ari said and I looked up at her and she was frowning down at me.

“I'm sorry,” I said, but couldn't help my grin as I propped myself up on my arm again, wrapping my arm around her torso loosely and resting my head on her side.

“Get away from me,” she said, trying to push my head away gently, so she doesn't hurt her shoulder.

I tilted my head back to look at her,“But you are kinda high though,” I whispered.

“I know,” she whispered, “But you don't have to tell her.”

I smirked, “You're gonna be so embarrassed later.” I said lowly, mostly to myself.

My attention drew to the door the same time there was a small click as it closed.

“Well that was rude.”

She started moving around and I pulled away from her. She closed her laptop and turned to set it on the desk on her side.

“Ah, ah,” I stopped her, sitting up and taking it from her hand then reaching over her and setting it down on the table for her.

“I could've done it,” she grumbled, taking up empty candy wrappers that were scattered around the bed.

“I know,” I said, holding my hand out for the trash to throw them in the bin on my side of the bed.

When I turned back around, the head of the bed that was elevated, was going down. When it was lowered, I helped her fixed her pillow and watched her as she lowered herself cautiously before turning onto her side. She fixed her gown, mumbling something about not “flashing” me anything and pulled the covers above her hips, stopping halfway up her side.

“I'm fine,” she breathes, closing her eyes.

I laid back, turning my head to look at her.

“You're staring,” she said, then opened her eyes.

“Just looking,” I shrugged, “Tired yet?” I asked, turning onto my side with my right hand under my ear and the other resting on the bed, just like hers.

She lifted her hand from the bed, showing a small space between her thumb and index finger.

“It's so crazy, man,” she said lowly, keeping her eyes on the bed, “I could've been dead right now,” she lets out a breath, “Y'know, some people died. All these people dying from shootings and I'm alive right now,” she shook her head, meeting my gaze, “And you don't know how grateful I am,” her eyes glazed over with unshed tears.

I let out a breath, reaching for her hand between us, “Please don't cry right now. I might not look like it, but if you start crying, I'm gonna start crying. So please don't.” I begged.

It's always been a thing with me. I don't know why. Whenever someone starts crying around me, it would trigger something in me and I'd have to leave before I ended up crying too.

She laughed and that made her tears fall, “I'm sorry,” she sniffled.

I reach up hesitantly to brush the wetness away from her cheek as she lets out a shallow breath.

“I don't know what to do and I'm…” she trails off, “So scared,” she lets out a small laugh and more tears started coming, “And I don't want to be scared of just… going outside,” she sputters and my throat tightened, “That's stupid.”

“You're gonna start seeing very unmanly things in a couple of seconds, just so you know,” I told her lowly, feeling my eyes start to well up.

“I'm sorry,” she laughed and I noticed that's her way of lightening the mood.

I scooted closer to her, brushing away her tears before reaching around her and settling my hand on her back. I froze when I felt her bare skin that was exposed due to the gown.

“It's fine,” she whispered and I relaxed. Last thing I want is to make her uncomfortable.

“Have you told your mom how you feel?” I asked her, running my hand along her back soothingly. She shook her head, “You should.”

She sniffled, “It's just that… I'm trying to make it seem as if I'm fine. I don't want to worry her more than she already is. But I'm not...” she said, keeping her gaze away from mine. She just stared at my shirt, “I can't think about anything else except what happened and I try not to, but…”

“I get it.” I reassured her.

She lets out a breath, reaching up to wipe away a tear that was running across the bridge of her nose. She lets out a laugh, “I think the medications wearing off now,” she said and I smiled, “Cause this shit is starting to hurt.”

I ran my hand up her back slowly, “You want me to call a nurse?”

She nodded, “Please.”

“Okay.”