Break My Fall

Chapter Thirteen

(Louis’ P.O.V.)

“I told you, I was overworked physically and it probably became an overload, I don’t need to be checked out,” Rachel sighed looking annoyed. I leaned against the doorframe and knocked on the wall, shooting her a crooked smile. Her eyes flickered over to me and she smiled weakly.

“Can I come in?” I asked cautiously. She looked at her doctor, who just rolled his eyes and nodded, putting his clipboard away. He stalked out of the room briskly as I entered further, seating myself in the chair next to Rachel’s hospital bed, leaving us alone. I cleared my throat as she fiddled with the sheets in her fingers.

“Physically overworked?” I questioned curiously. She let her gaze drop lower and smirked slightly.

“Yeah, I guess I’m not as strong as I thought,” she mumbled. I frowned, forming a crease in my forehead.

“You and I both know that’s not why you passed out, Rachel. And I would like to know the truth. Harry said you were mumbling about Nate. You never told me what happened to him,” I said carefully, hoping I wouldn’t say something to set her off. She sighed and lifted her gaze to meet the window.

“I don’t think you need to know the whole story on Nate,” she said quietly. I raised my eyebrows and scooted closer to her, invading her personal space.

“Maybe I don’t need to know, but I want to. So I can help you,” I pressed. She snorted.

“I can take care of myself. Don’t worry about me.”

I frowned and leaned closer, her eyes darting to meet mine for the first time. She looked nervous, but I continued. “You say I shouldn’t worry, but you’re sitting in a hospital bed. I’m worried, Rachel. I don’t know why you won’t accept my help.”

She was silent. I could feel her short breaths on my cheek and her eyes stayed locked on mine. Her chest was rising and falling quickly and unevenly. “You care too much, Louis,” she finally whispered. I shook my head.

“No, I think you just care too little.”

“About what?” she asked defiantly.

“About yourself. You care too little about yourself and you’re afraid that I care at all because you think I’ll find out something I won’t like and leave you. Well I’ve got news for you, Rachel…I’m not leaving,” I insisted. We were in kissing distance at this point and her blue eyes were wide now.

“Stop,” she mumbled.

“I’m not leaving because I care about you. I care about you more than I expected to, but that’s okay. Because there is nothing I could find out about you that would make me leave. I think I – ”

“Stop,” she said firmly, cutting me off. I waited for her to regain composure. “You can’t say those things, okay? Not if you want to be my friend.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because I don’t like it, okay? I’m not a feely person, so please don’t say those things to me. Please,” she pressed. I frowned, feeling myself getting angry, but I didn’t say anything else. I leaned back, away from her, and she seemed to breathe again.

“I’m not sorry,” I said, looking her in the eye. She nodded.

“I know you’re not.”

We sat in silence for a moment, staring at each other. I didn’t understand her in the slightest – she seemed almost terrified by me at this point. I didn’t want to scare her, she was the last person I wanted to be afraid of me.

To save us from a prolonged silence, Tessa, Cher, and Kara walked into the room, chattering loudly. Tessa handed her a pile of clothes and told me to get out so Rachel could change. I left without another word, leaving the girls to it. Rachel would be home by the afternoon.