They’re full of nothing but fear and regret.
Of pain and what if.
What if I got to her in time tonight?
What if I didn’t walk away from her the other day?
What if I never get to tell her I love her?
That she’s more than I knew existed, all that I could ever need, and everything I will always want.
Arianna Johnson makes up my entire being.
Without her, I’m nothing.
Not much is said over the next sixteen hours and that goes for all of us. We pace the room, and every so often, one of us punches a wall or kicks a chair, charging into the hall, just to come right back and bury our faces in our hands.
Finally, the doctor comes out, exhaustion showing in the dark circles beneath his eyes. He pulls his mask down with a nod.
“For Miss Johnson?” he asks, even though he knows the answer already.
“Is she okay?” Mason rushes forward.
Cameron grips my sleeve, shaking.
“She’s stable.”
A choppy breath explodes from my chest, and I fall against the wall. Pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes, I drop my head back.
A hand clamps on my shoulder, and I look over to find Chase.
He nods, his jaw clenching, and we look back to the doctor.
“When can we see her?” Brady asks.
“Soon, but I have to tell you, we’re not in the clear quite yet.”
“Keep talking, doc.” Mason swallows.
He looks over us a moment, and it’s obvious he’s picking his words carefully. “Arianna suffered injuries along most of her upper body, and we did find a small fracture in her skull. As a result of that, her body went into shock, and we were forced to put her into a medically-induced coma.”
“Oh my god,” Cameron cries, and Mason quickly spins, taking her in his arms. He pulls her close, waiting for more.
“She’s in pain?” I rasp.
“Not anymore.” He folds his clipboard in front of him. “She was in a great deal of pain, and with her injuries that can lead to a coma. Her brain would simply shut down in reaction to the trauma, which is why we felt it safest to take the route we did.”
“Why?”
“To keep the brain from reacting or responding. We have to give it time to heal as the next step is monitoring her for swelling.”
“If that happens?” Chase pushes forward. “If her brain swells?”
The man nods. “Then we have to go in and relieve it.”
“How long will you keep her asleep?”
“As long as she needs. A day, maybe two. Maybe a little longer. It all depends on how tonight goes. If we can get through tonight without complications, we might be able to breathe a little easier come tomorrow.”
We nod, looking each other over to make sure no one else has questions the rest of us didn’t think about.
The doctor nods, and the nurse who was ordered to deal with us when we got here, steps up. “Dr. Brian, this is Mr. Johnson.” She steers him toward Mason.
The man’s face remains blank as he holds a hand out. “A moment in the hall?” the doctor asks, and then takes two steps outside.
I close my eyes, spinning around and pressing my forehead against the wall.
My breaths are uneven and my lungs burn.
The others’ soft chatter muffles around me and I squeeze my eyes tighter.
A flash of her smile appears, an echo of her laughter following.
She reaches for me, but just when I’m close enough to touch her, she fades to black, and then there’s nothing.
I’m empty.
Alone.
My knuckles sting and then a hand is on mine.
I’m slumped against the wall, Brady, Cameron, and Chase kneeling down in front of me, and Mason comes around the corner.
His eyes widen and he looks to his friends, but as he realizes the blood running down my arm is my own, I follow his line of sight, to a hole in the wall. I must have put it there.
His jaw flexes, and he walks across the room, tearing the framed photo from the wall, taking the nail out with it.
He grabs a book off the table and uses it to bang the thing in, covering the damage completely.
With crestfallen eyes, he reaches out. “Come on, man.”
My chin falls to my chest, but I slap my palm into his.
He hauls me up, and then he hugs me. For real hugs me, apologizing as if he owes it to me when he doesn’t.
When he pulls back, his eyes are red, and he nods.
He turns to Chase next, who stands unsure, but Mason pulls him in just the same.
I stumble from the room, ignoring their calls as I navigate this stupid fucking hospital like the pro I am. I cut left at the end and exit where the nurses take their breaks. I curve around the water fountain and slip between the building, until I reach the one tucked away on the left.