Strawberry Ice cream

Chapter 27

I wake with a start, my heart pounding and my eyes are heavy as I try to open them.

"Mum?" I croak out, eyes finally flying open to bright lights and white walls. My throat and nose feel funny and it makes me even more scared. 

"Hey, Loubear, baby, it's okay, shh, you're in the hospital, calm down." His slow drawling voice lifts to my ear and I instantly begin to feel calmer. I feel his large hands hug me close to his side and I look up and to my side to see emerald eyes staring back at me, dimples on show. "Hey."

"Hi."

"How you feeling?"

"My nose feels funny." I pout.

"Probably because you have a breathing tube down your nose." He pokes the tip of my nose. 

My heart hammers. "B-breathing tube?" Shit am I dying? Do I have leukaemia too?

"Shh, it's okay, you blacked out and had difficulty breathing because of Ashton, you're not dying or anything... not yet anyway." 

Relief washes through me and I sigh, slumping back. "Was it that bad? Does it look bad?" I ask. 

He grimaces slightly but masks it by rubbing at his nose. "You look sexy as always baby."

A doctor comes in at that moment and my cheeks dust red. He raises an eyebrow and grins. 

"Hey Louis, nice to see you awake. We got your test results and fortunately there is no permanent trauma to your throat. There will be a little bit of bruising and slight swelling but we'll prescribe you with some medication to reduce the swelling and pain. I'm going to remove that tube from your nose now, you'll be able to go soon if all goes well once it's removed." He comes over and his ice cold fingertips brush against my cheek unintentionally. He pulls the tube out my nose and I feel the little tips that were in my nostril tickle my nose hair making me sneeze slightly. 

"Bless you," Harry mumbles with a giggle. 

"Thanks," I say with a slight stuffy sounding voice, sniffing and wiggling my nose. I begin breathing perfectly normal which is surprising. 

"It says on your chart that you have recently been prescribed with antidepressants? I must warn you that the medication I'll be giving you can stub the effects of the antidepressants, meaning they may not work as well to calm you down as originally meant to. But do continue taking them, they're perfectly fine to take whilst on this." The doctor looks at a clipboard and slides it back in its slot at the end of the bed. 

I wave him off. "They're still giving me hell so it won't make much difference if I'm completely honest."

"I'll let you get changed. Your prescription will be waiting for you outside." With that, he leaves, leaving me and Harry alone.

"Lou, I can see your bum." Harry gives a snort whilst I'm bent down inside a little drawer to grab my clothes. 

I wiggle it in front of him teasingly. "You love it really babe."

I quickly get dressed and we walk hand in hand out to the front reception where my prescription is waiting.

"Thank you," I say with a weak smile, taking the box and Harry leads me out the room. 

I see Zayn's car parked outside but no Zayn in it.

"He said he'd be here," Harry points out and he chews his lip, grabbing his phone out to send Zayn a text.

"Vas happenin!" He calls from across the road, holding up a brown paper bag with the famous golden arches on the front. "Got us some maccy D, hope you two are hungry. We're gonna head to Niall's house, he wanted McDonald's too." He gets in the car and I clamber in the back with Harry. "I'm gonna pick Liam up on the way. How you feeling Lou?"