Chapter 47: Chapter 46. No, I Don’t Love You

BLAKE

When I arrived at the hospital, Nancy, Nick, and Ashley were in a frenzy, calling for help. Doctors swarmed around Claire immediately.

The knife was lodged deep in her back, and I couldn’t tell if it was in her spine or just to the side. If it was in her spine, paralysis was a real possibility.

If it was just to the side, it was a slightly better scenario, but still not good. Considering all the bruises, scars, and blood loss, I was amazed she was still breathing. Please, let her be okay.

In no time, Claire was on a stretcher and nurses were rushing her through doors marked Doctor’s Only. Nancy was being restrained by other nurses, telling her she couldn’t follow.

Ashley was sobbing into Nick’s chest as I approached and gently pulled Nancy away. She was crying uncontrollably, mascara streaking her face, as she collapsed into a waiting room chair.

“How am I supposed to tell her mother?” she sobbed. “Claire just got her mom back. Isabelle will be heartbroken.” Nancy’s words tumbled out in a rush, her chest heaving with each sob.

“Shh,” I tried to comfort her, rubbing her shoulders gently.

“Claire is strong. She’ll pull through. You need to call her mom. She’ll want to be here,” I whispered.

Reluctantly, she nodded and stood, swaying slightly as she pulled out her phone. I looked away, not wanting to overhear the conversation that was about to happen.

Instead, I sat there, hands clasped, chin resting on my knuckles. My heart pounded loudly, and I could feel sweat beading on my forehead.

I bit my lip, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Would she die? Was the knife in her spine? Would she be paralyzed?

If she was paralyzed, would she even want to live anymore? That thought scared me the most. I knew how much Claire loved boxing.

Boxing was her passion, her lifeline. It was a huge part of her life. If she was paralyzed, she wouldn’t be able to box.

She wouldn’t be able to walk or stand. She’d go crazy not being able to box anymore.

The thought of Claire, so vulnerable and helpless in a wheelchair, broke my heart. I knew Claire would try to put on a brave face, flash one of her fake smiles and say she was okay.

But I knew it would destroy her inside. Boxing wasn’t just a hobby for Claire. It was her passion, her life. Boxing made Claire who she was.

I shook my head, realizing I was crying. Wiping away the tears, I felt someone sit next to me.

I didn’t look to see who it was, but I tensed when a hand landed on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry, man,” Nick’s voice was full of sympathy. I shrugged and turned to see Ashley sitting on Nick’s lap.

She was looking at Nick with the same concerned expression I always gave Claire when something was wrong.

I was surprised. ~So, she does have a heart,~ I thought sarcastically.

“How long have you two been together?” I asked, changing the subject and staring straight ahead, not wanting to see their reactions.

“Uh,” Nick coughed. “What makes you think we’re together?” His voice rose at the end of the sentence, a sure sign he was lying.

Ashley glared at him and slapped his chest lightly. “Just tell him!” She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

“He’s your best friend, Nick. He won’t judge you,” she grumbled, looking away.

Nick sighed and pulled her closer, nuzzling her neck.

“I’m sorry, babe. I’ll tell him, okay?” he whispered, kissing her cheek before turning back to me, his arms still wrapped around her.

He met my gaze, a defeated look on his face.

“We’ve been dating secretly for about a month. We were scared our friends would judge us. I mean, me, dating the Queen Bee of the school,” he scoffed.

“No offense, babe,” he added, turning to Ashley. She just rolled her eyes.

“But yeah. We’ve been official for a month and didn’t plan on telling anyone until after high school,” Nick shrugged, his grip on Ashley tightening slightly.

I nodded. “As long as you’re happy, man. I won’t judge,” I assured him.

He grinned, but it quickly faded. “I’m really sorry for lying to you, man. I just didn’t know how to say it. And, I’m even sorrier about Claire. She was a really cool girl,” he tried to smile.

I glared at him. “She’s not dead, asshole,” I snapped.

Nick flinched and swallowed hard. “Sorry, you know what I mean,” he apologized, just as someone burst through the hospital doors.

“My baby! Where’s my baby? Where is she?” Claire’s mom, Isabelle, was shouting.

When she saw me, her eyes widened and she rushed over. She was panting, her eyes filled with tears.

“Please, tell me she’s alive. Please,” she begged, tears streaming down her face.

My chest tightened and my throat constricted. It hurt to swallow.

“I don’t know,” I replied softly, looking down. I couldn’t bear to see the fear, panic, and pain on her face.

The face of a mother whose world was falling apart. She took a sharp breath and collapsed into the chair next to Nancy. They cried together.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, startling me. I pulled it out and stepped into the quiet hospital hallway to answer it.

“Hello,” I said, keeping my voice low.

“Blake! Where on earth have you been for the past two days? I’ve been worried sick!” my mother’s voice echoed from the phone.

“Sorry, Ma,” I grimaced. “I found Claire today. She’s in the ER. She’s hurt pretty bad,” I managed to say. “I haven’t seen her for about thirty minutes now.”

I heard her sharp intake of breath before she spoke again.

“We’ll be there as soon as we can,” she said, and then the line went dead. It was April nineteenth.

Ever since Claire disappeared, I’ve been a mess. I can’t focus, can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t talk.

About ten minutes later, my family rushed through the hospital doors. “Is she okay?” my mom asked, rushing over to me.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. “Yeah, Ma, I’m doing great. Thanks for asking,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

She shot me a glare. “Of course you’re fine,” she snapped. “But what about Claire? Any news?”

I shook my head. “No, not yet,” I said.

She sighed and dropped her head.

“Where’s Claire?” Anya asked, her voice soft and full of worry.

My mom squeezed her shoulder. “She’ll be okay, sweetheart. I promise,” she said.

“So,” Isabelle said, her voice shaky. “You’re the family of my daughter’s boyfriend.” She managed a weak smile.

My mom looked at Isabelle, her eyes filled with sympathy. She rushed over and pulled Isabelle into a hug. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. You raised a wonderful girl. Claire is just the sweetest—”

“Please, don’t give me credit I don’t deserve,” Isabelle interrupted. My mom looked at her, confused.

“Claire raised herself, really. Her father and I had some issues a few years back and didn’t resolve them until recently. Claire was the one who fixed everything. We kept it from her,” Isabelle confessed.

My mom looked at Isabelle with new interest. “What happened?” she asked.

“Her father cheated on me years ago. Then he slept with the same woman a few months ago. He left because the woman was pregnant.

“He thought he was doing the right thing by leaving us to take care of the other child. He knows he messed up with Claire.

“I haven’t seen him since Claire kicked him out when he admitted that the woman was pregnant.” Isabelle sighed, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“And why would you keep that from Claire?” my mom asked, her voice filled with anger.

Isabelle sniffled. “I couldn’t tell her. She was so young. I didn’t want to ruin her childhood. Her father only stayed because I still loved him. But we always fought. We never paid enough attention to her,” Isabelle admitted.

My mom stared at Isabelle, her eyes dark with anger. “How could you ever forget about your own child?” she asked.

Isabelle looked away, as if she was being scolded by her own mother.

When she didn’t answer, my mom shook her head in disgust and walked away, leading Anya to the other side of the waiting room.

I sighed and slumped into a chair. This was going to be a long wait.

***

An hour and a half later, a doctor finally came out and called, “Family of Claire Walker!”

Isabelle, my family, Nick, Ashley, and I all jumped up and ran to him. “Is she alive?” Isabelle blurted out.

The doctor chuckled lightly and nodded.

“Yes, she’s alive. She has a minor concussion and the knife didn’t hit her spine. If it had, she could have been paralyzed.

“The knife only punctured flesh. Nothing too serious. She does have a few broken ribs and some bruising around her jaw.

“We gave her some painkillers and she’s currently sleeping. She won’t wake up for at least an hour. If you want to see her, you can—”

We all rushed past him before he could finish. “Her room is C2!” he called after us.

In no time, we were all crowded into room C2, where Claire lay, silent and sleeping, but very much alive.

A smile spread across my face when I heard the steady beeping of her heart monitor.

Isabelle cried as she looked at her daughter, my family looked on with pity, Ashley bit her lip and leaned into Nick. But me? I was the only one smiling.

I smiled because I knew this was temporary. I smiled because I knew I would see her beautiful hazel eyes again, her sweet smile, and feel her soft skin under my hands.

I smiled because Claire was alive. I smiled because the girl I loved was still in this world with me.

***

An hour later, we were all still in Claire’s room. Jason had joined us and was comforting Nancy. Even Claire’s father had shown up. He was holding Isabelle.

His hands gently stroked her skin as she slept in his arms. She looked so peaceful. It was then that I realized, everyone had someone to comfort them.

My parents had each other and Anya, Nick had Ashley, Nancy had Jason, and Isabelle had the man she still loved.

Everyone, but me. My only source of comfort was lying almost lifeless in a hospital bed.

A sudden groan made us all jump.

I quickly moved to the front and took Claire’s warm hand in mine, finding comfort in the fact that she was warm, not cold like the last time I touched her.

We all gathered around her bed as Claire groaned again. Her lip was split, but clean of blood.

Her face was slightly swollen and there were finger marks on her neck. White bandages were wrapped tightly around her torso and I was scared to see what was underneath.

The thought of seeing the marks etched into her back, now likely scars, filled me with fear. But I knew, if it came to it, I’d kiss every one of those scars.

I’d kiss every flaw she saw in herself until she understood that I loved her, just as she was.

“Claire, honey, open your eyes,” Claire’s dad pleaded softly.

My mom’s jaw tightened in fury, while Isabelle fought to keep her tears of happiness at bay, moved by the tenderness in his voice.

“D-dad?” Claire’s voice was a hoarse whisper. I squeezed her hand a little tighter.

“Yes, sweetheart. It’s me. Can you open your eyes for us?” her dad asked.

“Us?” Claire’s voice was filled with confusion. She slowly opened one eye, then the other. As she took in the people surrounding her, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes, us.” Nancy smiled.

After a moment, a smile spread across Claire’s face. “You’re all still alive. You’re still here. Thank God,” she sighed, closing her eyes and letting her head sink back into the pillows.

“Actually,” Jason interjected, his voice heavy with the weight of bad news.

“James was shot and killed. Selena was, uh, stabbed. They both died. Selena died after James, crying next to him as he passed.

“It seems they were in love. At least they died together. Kind of like Romeo and Juliet, right?”

Jason tried to lighten the mood, but the dread on Claire’s face was palpable. Then, slowly, her smile returned and she nodded.

“You’re right. At least they died…together,” she murmured. “Dad, why are you here?” Her voice was icy.

Her father flinched, but quickly composed himself.

“The woman lied. She wasn’t pregnant. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I thought I was doing the right thing.

“I planned to visit you and your mom as much as I could, but when I found out the woman was lying, I came straight back to apologize and try to regain your trust—”

“I forgive you, Dad,” Claire interrupted. “But I won’t forget. Just because I forgave you, doesn’t mean I trust you.” She glared at him.

Her father nodded. “I love you, sweetheart. I really do,” he said.

Claire responded with a cold stare and a curt nod.

After everyone had spoken to Claire and left, it was just the two of us. I was nervous to bring up the “I love you” exchange we’d had when she was on the brink of death, but it seemed I didn’t need to.

“Come here,” she ordered, sitting up to grab the collar of my shirt. Before I could react, she pulled me into a kiss. I didn’t hesitate to kiss her back.

Being careful not to be too rough, I wrapped my arms around her waist and gently pulled her closer. This kiss was different from our usual ones. It was filled with more passion and love than I could comprehend.

Her arms were tangled in my hair, and she bit my bottom lip, teasing me. When we finally had to break for air, we pulled back.

“I love you,” Claire gasped. “So, so much, Blake.

“No, I don’t just love you. I’m in love with you, Blake. I don’t know how you did it in such a short time, but you did. You made me fall in love again and I hope that I can trust you with my heart,” she whispered.

All I could do was grin widely, before pulling her into another passionate kiss. When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers.

“I’m in love with you too, Claire. And it seems we have a problem, because I need to know if I can trust you with my heart as well.” I grinned back at her.