How To Stay Afloat (BxB)

Chapter 74: Let's learn how to swim properly

I wake up when I hear someone walk into the room.

The nurse smiles at me. "Don't be bothered by me. I'm gone in a minute." She says in a hushed voice.

I watch her check some of the fluids in the dropper and then turn off the lights and leave.

Austin is still asleep next to me. He looks really peaceful, but his whole body looks a lot more tense than when he was in a coma, his brows slightly furrowed and his lips pressed together.

I take out my phone and check my messages. I have plenty. Nora, Harry, Carla, Lisa, Caleb, Kevin, they all texted me, asking for updates.

I sigh and write a message for the group chat and then copy and paste it for everyone else.

"Austin is doing great. He's asleep right now, but he's alright. If everything goes right he can leave the ICU and be in a normal patient room in two days."

Even Adam asked how Austin is doing. I also paste the same message for him and then lock my phone.

"Who are you texting?" Austin asks me sleepily.

"Just replied to some messages." I explain. "How are you?"

"Tired." Austin says. "And fucking hungry."

I snort. "What pizza and what cake do you want?" I ask him.

He rubs his eyes and sits up. "I don't know. Tuna?" He says, thinking. "With olives and garlic. And the chocolate cake from McDonald's."

I smile. "Alright, you'll get all that in two hours. Alright?"

He groans. "I'm starving. Can't you see?"

I chuckle. "You won't starve. How can you be so hungry? When I came out of a surgery once I was sick for hours. The thought of food alone made me throw up."

"Yeah. But I'm hungry. I could eat like three pizzas probably." He announces.

"I bet you'd still look cute if you were fat." I say with a smile and poke his cheek. "You looked fucking cute in your childhood pictures. Cheeks like a hamster."

Austin lets out a laugh. "A hamster?"

"Yeah, gosh I love chubby cheeks on people and I love how hamsters always store all their food in-" Before I can finish the sentence, the door to the room opens and Austin's dad walks in with two bags filled with clothes and other stuff.

He smiles wide when he spots us sitting next to each other.

He walks over next to us and sets the bags down on the table. "I've got some clothes for you and your phone and charger." He says to Austin.

"Thanks dad." Austin says. "Can I have my phone right now?" He asks.

Frank hands me the charger and phone and I connect it to the socket and hand Austin his phone.

"A security guard is already here. He's waiting outside and will be in here whenever no one else is around." My dad explains as he also walks in.

Austin rolls his eyes. "I don't understand why that is necessary." He says.

His dad and I sigh at the same time, but don't say anything.

"These are the rules." My dad says. He looks between Austin and me and smiles slightly.

"You look like you didn't sleep at all." Austin points out to his dad.

He smiles. "Yeah, I didn't get a lot of sleep lately." He admits.

"Go home and get some sleep. You don't need to be here." Austin says and then points at me. "I've already got that annoying guy."

I smile at his dad and then shoot daggers Austin's way with my eyes.