Love, Hate and the Line

Chapter 15

Anna's POV

The first thing I felt when I woke up was Ben and Owen lifting me in a seated position. I tried looking down to inspect where the blood on my torso was coming from but my neck didn't allow it. The stinging pain in my neck caused me to drift away from consciousness again, barely noticing that Owen was trying to keep me hydrated by keeping a bottle to my mouth.

I shot awake when I felt someone touching me and instinctively, I backed away. The proceedings of what happened last time someone touched me were ingrained in my head. In the back of my mind, I heard Ben saying calming words and for some reason, I didn't back away from his hands inspecting the gaping wound on my stomach.

They were talking quietly and I did my best to block the pain, remain conscious and hear what they were saying. For the second time, I woke when I heard them talking about calling an ambulance.

My heart started beating faster in my chest while I nervously fiddled with the hem of my shirt. I continued to protest as fiercely as I could against going to the hospital, but they didn't listen.

"Please, don't take me to the.. don't take me there," I begged, although Owen had already called it in.

Ben frowned. "You need to and you're going to, Anna. Why don't you want to go?"

My face reddened in an instant. I didn't want to tell them, it was embarrassing. But I knew from experience when David had to be admitted that medical bills are ridiculously high. We had gotten him health insurance when it was clear he was going to need a lot of care after his fall, but we had to pay a lot every month and it didn't even cover his medicine. My dad would never be able to afford the ambulance ride, let alone me being admitted to the hospital. Still, he'd try his best to pay for all of it which would obviously send us into debts yet again. I couldn't do that to my family.

"Nothing, I'm just, principally, discordant to counterproductive and ineffectual transportation through archaically designed ambulances with the deluded perception of a hypothetical victim being assisted medically faster rather than making it compulsory for every adult to acquire a First Aid diploma."

"What the.. what?" Ben said.

Owen chuckled. "She does that, using all the big and fancy words I mean, when she tries to manipulate someone into doing what she wants. It's not going to happen this time, you little sociopath. You're going to the hospital."

I felt my resolve weaken as my physique did. "Yeah, well, you're stupid, " I retorted pathetically.

The last I heard was Ben laughing at my feeble attempt at an insult while he - and his giant thumb - stroked some hair out of my face, his hands lingering on my cheek for a millisecond.

The last I felt, however, was the fact that I wanted his hands to linger on my face for just a second longer.

A/N

I'm sorry, it has been a while. I've been incredibly busy with school and a lot of other, sucky things but I desperately hope you all haven't left me. To apologize further for the long wait, I'll get started on a new chapter right away.

Love and sorry,

M