Right Place Wrong Time

chapter 21

“Tia, oh thank God you’re here!” Grace breathed desperately, rushing up the white corridor to meet me. Panic started to surge through me.

“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” I spluttered.

“He’s woken up,” she smiled, a grin wider than I had ever seen her wear before, “he’s woken up.”

I walked cautiously towards Millie who was stood still staring into the room. I stood next to her and saw Matt, he looked dazed but his eyes were open. The wires still protruded from every part of his body, but his brown eyes were open and fluttered their gaze around the room, familiarising the surroundings.

“You can go in if you want.” Millie offered quietly. I hadn’t realised until now that my hand was placed on the glass window, creating a cloud around it as it radiated heat.

“No,” I said slowly. I hadn’t seen Blondie since the day she went back with Grace and Millie, but I assumed since Matt had only just woken up, they hadn’t had a chance to talk things over. My mind switched to Jacob, I felt bad having ignored him for so long, he hadn’t done anything wrong but somehow I wanted to punish him. But that was wrong, I decided I had to talk to him, he deserved an explanation, “Millie, there’s something I have to do. I’ll be back later.”

I turned on my heels and started back up the corridor. I pulled my phone out and dialled Jacob. After a few rings he picked up.

“Hey.” He said cheerfully. I hesitated before replying.

“Hey, sorry I haven’t called.” I started weakly, “can we umm meet up? I think we need to talk.”

“Look up.”

I did as he said and lifted my head to see his muscular frame stood before me. I had sort of forgotten how gorgeous he is.

“J-Jacob?” I stammered.

“I figured we needed to talk,” he smiled awkwardly; “I thought I’d find you here.”

“Shall we go sit down? The coffee here is poor but it’s something…” I replied speaking probably too fast.

“I think this should just be as painless as possible.” Jacob smiled in reply, I must have looked confused because he paused a while before carrying on, “Tia we both know that what we had wasn’t made to last, and that was proved when you left that night.”

“I’m sorry.” I mumbled.

“No, you don’t need to apologise! I would have done the same.” He smiled. “I can’t deny that I enjoyed being with you, and I hope you felt the same.”

“But?”

“But I’m not what you want. You’re in love with him Tia, any fool can see that!”

“I’m not in love with him.” I objected sharply. I don’t fall in love. Falling in love was something that naïve people thought they had to do; it wasn’t something that would happen to me. Jacob chuckled at my insistence.

“Tia the other night, we were in bed, I was on top of you and you called his name.”

I felt heat rush to my cheeks; I could not have been more embarrassed. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or run away.

“Jacob, I… I…”

“You don’t have to explain Tia; I know you have feelings for him, even if you don’t want to admit it. Why else would you have stayed next to a motionless body for weeks?” he took my hands in his and smiled gently, “he needs you Tia.”

I turned to look back through the window, I saw Matt lying limp on the bed, and his body looked frail compared to its usual chiselled shape.

Jacob wiped the tear that was making its path down my face and held my face between his hands, gently kissing my forehead. He whispered a goodbye before turning and making his way slowly back down the white corridor.