Things Not Said

Chapter 14: Kyle

Short/boring chapter over here. Promise the next ones will be more interesting :) 

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Kyle

Walking into Allie’s room, I see her reading the book I’d brought her the other day. I can’t see her face properly from this angle so I knock on the wall and lean my head in. When she lifts her head, I see how pale she is.

The bump on her head looks like it’s throbbing and she has a new bandage on the cut across her chest. I wonder why she needs one. I also notice something below her head and I frown at the neck brace. Why a neck brace? My heartbeat runs at impossible speed and I find myself at her bedside in a flash.

“What happened? Are you alright? Allie, look at me, are you okay?” I say, the words tumbling out in a torrent. The nerves are eating me away and I can feel the fear in the pit of my stomach.

I see some colour rush back to her face as she whispers, “I’m alright.” I can see how painful it is for her to smile and I quickly grab her in my arms. As she winces, I pull away suddenly with questions in my eyes.

“Something happened,” she says.

“No shit, Sherlock,” I say, angrily, “Tell me what happened Allie.” When I say her name, my voice breaks and she takes a deep, painful breath.

“Yesterday I was sleeping and I just…” she does a tumbling gesture with her arms and I suck in a breath, sharply.

“You fell of the bed?” I say, my voice filled with fear.

She nods and winces, grabbing her neck.

“Well are you gonna be okay? What hurts?” My voice won’t slow down and I panic at the thought of her getting injured again.

“Just a couple broken ribs and a twisted neck,” she whispers, brushing it off.

My eyes widen and I jump up quickly.

“I’ve got to get the nurse, you need to get a check-” I’m interrupted by Kathy, walking into the room.

“Hey gal, how’re those rib- oh well, hello there Andrew! Now what did I tell you about lunch times?” We went through the same routine everyday. But today, something is different. Allie.

“What happened? Is she going to be okay? With her ribs and her neck?” I ask the questions that have pilled up in my mind.

“Slow down, cowboy. You’re maiden’s gon’ be fine. She just needs a little rest and a checkup from the doctor more often. It’ll just take a few more days to get her outta the hospital.” Seeing she’s not making me feel any better, she tells me, “She’s gon’ be fine, pumpkin.” I let out the breath I’d been holding, but the fear still lingers.

“Alright.”

Kathy brings out Allie’s table and sets her lunch on it. She does a small check on Allie’s neck and leg, leaving the ribs to a doctor. As she’s leaving the room, she gives me a pat on the shoulder.

“She’s gon’ be fine.”

We hear the door close and Allie pushes her food away.

“I brought you a salad,” I tell her, setting the plastic container in front of her. She smiles weakly at me and picks up her fork. She plays around with the lettuce and moves the bacon bits around as I pick up her guitar. I start playing and she hums along, bringing a leaf to her mouth. She chews slowly, still humming and two bites later, sets the fork down and pushes the salad away.

I stop playing and she looks at me, wanting me to keep going.

“You’re not going to eat?”

She looks at her salad and I can see a sick feeling wash over her face.

“That bad?” I mock. She smirks and leans back on her pillows. I play softly for a few minutes before asking, “Should I call the nurse?”

She shakes her head and keeps her eyes closed but smiles feebly as if to say, I’m alright.

I wish she’d open her eyes so I could see the beautiful green and the love. But they stay closed and I pick up the playing again. The sadness and sickness hangs in the air. I want to say something to make her think about anything other than the fact that she’s hurt, and sick.

While playing I say, “I submitted my art to the studio by the way. Don’t know if they’ve accepted it yet, but I really hope so.” I keep playing, but feel Allie stir against me and I look up. Finally I can see her eyes.

“You submitted your art?” I see colour rush to her face and a sense of pride fills me, as well as joy.

I nod and I hear her squeal, “That’s amazing Kyle, I’m so happy! How come you didn’t tell me earlier?”

Because you were too busy falling out of your bed, I think.

“I wanted to tell you in person,” I say, smiling lightly. Her smile spreads wider across her face and I think for a second that, maybe, just maybe, nothing’s wrong and she’s feeling better. Much better.

But as soon as the thought passes my head, her face pales again and my heart drops.

“Are you sure everything’s alright?” I ask for the fifth time since I’ve entered the room.

She closes her eyes for a second before opening them up again and whispering: “I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me Kyle.”

Easier said than done.

I smile at her and reluctantly tell her I have to go.

She nods her head. I can hear from her breathing she’s quickly falling asleep. I pick up my bag and swing it on my shoulders taking one last look at her curled body before saying, “See you later Allie.” I wait for her response but she’s fast asleep.

I walk out of the hospital trying to ignore the fact that she hadn’t had the energy to say what she normally would.

I’ll be right here.

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VOTE VOTE VOTE

Tell me if you liked this chapter :)

-Readingandstuffs-