Go Away (#TheWattys2015)

Chapter 19: PRINCESS!?

When I opened my eyes I was blinded by a white light. I blinked multiple times and lifted myself up on my elbows, looking around. Before I even saw the bed, the gown I was in, medicines, human body picture and the small window on a door showing a hallway bathed in light on the other side of the room, I knew I was in a hospital. I sat up and felt a sudden wave of nausea. I fell on my side and heaved for a few seconds thanking God that my stomach was empty.

When the heaving stopped I laid back down on my back and stared around the room. I turned my head and gasped. Slumped on a chair next to my bed was Zack. Snoring softly. How long has he been there?
"Hey. Hey Zack. Zack wake up," I croaked. My throat was dry. I tried screaming but only a dull, quiet screech came out. I rolled on my side and reached out to touch him, shaking his shoulder gently. His eyes snapped open and he jumped, falling out of his chair and landing on the floor. He quickly got to his feet, brushed himself off, and sat back down. I bit my lip trying my hardest not to laugh. He took my outstretched hand in both of his and looked into my eyes. I nearly melted in my bed. His eyes were baggy and slightly red. I felt a small stab of pain seeing him look so tired.
He hasn't slept much, I thought to myself.

"Hey there," I croaked, hating how pathetic I sounded.
He smiled. A sad smile, clearly forced. His bottom lip trembled slightly.

"Hey."
His voice was a low whisper. A strand of hair hung loosely down the side of his face. The rest of his hair, I noticed, was a jumbled mess. Even then he still managed to look incredibly hot. I tried to stay calm and I pushed the strand back and mixed it into the rest of his messy hair. It was really soft.
He smiled.
"Thanks."
I smiled back.
"Have you seen my mom? Or Tasha?"
"Yeah they went back to your house to get you some fresh clothes. The doctor said you should be able to leave in a few hours."
"Oh. That's good right?"
He nodded.
We sat there in silence for a few seconds. Then he spoke.
"So, how are you feeling?"
"A lot better but slightly dizzy. What about you?"
My question seemed to confuse him because he stared at me with a raised eyebrow. I tried again.
"You look like you haven't slept in a while. Are you okay?"
"Oh. Yeah I'm fine."
He was lying. I could tell because he turned away from me and looked down at the ground, still holding my hand.
"How long have you been here?" I croaked.
"Just a few hours."
Another lie.
"Zack look at me," I said, making my voice sound as firm and serious as I could.
He looked up and stared into my eyes. He looked sad and helpless and I wanted to throw my arms around him. Hold him tight and tell him it was okay. But I didn't. Wouldn't that be weird?
"How long have you been here? And don't lie," I added as he opened his mouth to say something.
He thought for a second then said:
"About twelve hours."
I felt my eyes widen in shock.
"Tw-twelve hours!? Zack what-"
"I couldn't leave you alone. Friends stick together right?"
I sighed. He stared at me and the sadness in his eyes seemed to intensify as he reached up and touched a large bandage on the side of my head that I hadn't even noticed.
"Does it hurt?" he asked.
"Not really. Zack I'm okay you can go now. Go home and get some sleep."
He let go of my hand and gripped the edge of the mattress, his hands turning into fists.
"I should've been there."
It took me a moment to realize what he was talking about. Memory's of the gym locker room came back in a wave.
I fought back tears.
"Zack it's okay. There's no way you could've known what was going to happen."
I looked down at his fists holding onto the edge of the mattress. His knuckles were turning white and his hands were starting to shake.
"Zack are you-"
"It could've killed you y'know."
I bit my bottom lip unsure of what to say. Why was he getting so upset?
"Well it didn't. I'm okay Zack. Really it's no proble-"
"I should've been there to protect you," he said through gritted teeth. I placed my hand gently on one of his trembling fists and he loosened up a bit. "Zack." He kept his eyes on the ground.
"I should've been there," he repeated. I noticed a small tear slide down his face and it felt as if my heart would shatter.
So I did the only thing I could think of. I slipped my legs off of the bed and stood up, ignoring the pounding in my head and my wobbly legs, wiped away the small tear sliding down his face, leaned over, and hugged him. His whole body went stiff. "It's okay," I whispered in his ear.
He relaxed a little bit and wrapped his arms around me. Tight. As if I would try to run away from him. He buried his neck in my shoulder and held my head in his hand, pressing me against him even tighter.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. I stroked his hair gently.
"It's okay Zack. You didn't do anything wrong." He slipped his hand under the back of my knees and swept me off of my feet, placing me gently on his lap. I felt my face growing hot and my heart hammered against my chest. I tried to keep my breathing steady but I was slowly losing the battle. He held onto me and rocked me back and forth. "Is this okay?" he whispered.
I smiled. "Yeah."
He continued to rock me and I felt my eyelids grow heavy.
"Zack?"
"Mhm."
"Could you please go try and get some sleep?"
He chuckled softly and my heart started pounding faster. If only he could stop being super sexy for a few seconds.
"Yeah I will. As soon as I get you to sleep."
I laughed and buried my head in his chest as he continued to rock me back and forth. I started to drift off after a few minutes and before I slipped away completely I whispered:
"Thank you," softly in his ear.
"Shhh," he whispered back.
"Go to sleep princess."
PRINCESS!?
I was too tired to ask so I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

.......

I woke up feeling rested and the throbbing pain in my head was gone. I realized that I was back on the mattress with a small stab of sadness. Zack was gone. I yawned and immediately Tasha's big brown eyes and giant nostrils were inches away from my face. I screamed and backed up. She jumped and covered her ears.
"Bro! Chill it's me! It's me!"
I sighed.
"Don't do that."
"Sorry. Feeling better?"
I nodded.
"Okay good cause we still have a demon, monster, whatever you want to call it, to kill so rise and shine princess."
I smiled uncontrollably as I remembered what Zack had said.
"Go to sleep princess."
Tasha saw me smiling and she smiled back.
"Mhm I saw you guys. Walked right in. You should've seen your face when he called you princess. Your eyes were like, huge!"
I threw a pillow at her and she dodged it.
She came over and hopped onto the bed and wrapped her arm around me. "Y'know he smiled at you when you fell asleep on him right? It was adorable it was like he was a kid in a candy store."
I laughed.
"Really?"
"Yup," she said, popping the 'p.'
"He wouldn't even let you go. I told him to lay you back down on your bed and he made me promise not to leave you alone before he left. I'm telling you Daija, that boy has a thing for you."
I shook my head trying to hide my growing smile.
"Nah we're just friends."
She rolled her eyes.
"Sure. If you say so."
Picking up a bag off of the floor, she unzipped it and threw some clothes at me.
"Get dressed I'm taking you home. You might want to stay with your mom. She's pretty shaken up."
I nodded. "Okay."
I resisted the urge to slap myself. Of course she was shaken up. That creature, monster, demon thing gave her a bloody nose and put me in the hospital. Again. Tasha went to a corner of the room and turned her back to me as I got dressed and practically ran out of the room. She followed after me and we headed for the exit, where her mom was signing papers. She saw us and embraced me in a hug.
"Oh thank God you're okay."
"Yeah I'm fine."
She checked my bandage and I laughed.
Tasha's mom was always like a second mom to me.
She was always there.
"Alrighty lets rock and roll ladies."
We headed out and I grabbed Tasha's hand and stopped when I saw a lady holding her IV, walking around the hospital. She had bandages on her right hand and on her neck, hiding what looked like to be a red rash peeking out from one of her bandages. Her head snapped to the side and she looked at me. Straight into my eyes. It was the nurse from the school. I waved but she didn't wave back. "Oookaay," Tasha whispered.
"C'mon lets get out of here." She grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "You're all gonna die!" the lady shrieked out of no where. "You're next!" She pointed a sickly white bony finger at Tasha. She snorted.
"Don't listen to her Daija she's crazy. C'mon."
We walked away quickly leaving the screaming lady behind. She repeated the same thing over and over.
"You're next! She's next! And there's nothing you can do about it!! NOTHING!" Some nurses came out and held her down. One male nurse came by and jabbed a needle filled with clear liquid into her neck. Her body relaxed and she was out cold. We ran out of the doors and Tasha's mom was waiting outside with the car. We hopped in and Tasha screamed
"DRIVE!"
I couldn't blame her. I wanted to get out of there too. And I wasn't even the person that the lady said was 'next.'
.........

A/N Hey guys!! I hope this chapter was longer. I know it wasn't all that great but hey, I try. And it's important for another part of the story so please stay tuned, keep reading, and being awesome!! Love you guys! Stay flawless!!