𝗚𝗿𝗲𝘆'𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝟮

Even the most robust coffee could not cure the haze blocking Jenna's rationality.

Her hands trembled as she brought the cup near her lips all the while thinking how close Maddox lingered to death. How his red blood during surgery coated her white gloves. How his heart rate dropped to the point Jenna was terrified the machine would stop beeping altogether. 

His presence had thrown her off-balance. So much so, she was here drinking the most bitter, hot coffee hiding near the staircase. Jenna needed to get herself together but questions kept floating everywhere in her head.

Why was he here? 

After all these years, why did he have to lie injured in front of her of all people?

It wasn't like their past—

"Emergency! Emergency! Patient from Room 34 is leaving the premises!"

Her tongue burnt and she hissed slightly gulping the excruciating hot coffee at the same time announcement blared through the speakers of their hospital. For a moment, her heart started pounding. It echoed through the drums of her ears so loudly, Jenna could hear nothing but screeching silence in her head.

Room 34. Maddox was in there.

It meant that he was up.

The man who she shared a past with, was up and about walking somewhere in the same hospital as her after a godsdamned surgery. For all she knew, he could be very well coming towards the stairs.

She didn't wish to find him. 

Let him leave. Let him take whatever memories he served for her. 

As the speaker's voice looped again, and again, Jenna hid in the darkness of the edges. She walked backward until she could no longer be seen.

Five years and she had never healed. After everything, she never contacted any of them ever again. 

"Emergency! Emergency!"

Jenna shut her eyes tightly as memories started flashing in the back of her mind. His voice was clear as a day even in those memories.

Let me. 

If you need a shoulder badly, you can borrow mine. Only once a week though, I am a busy man.

Donuts, really?

"Emergency! Emergency!"

The styrofoam coffee cup fell from her hands onto her coat, drenching the edges around her torso. It burnt. Really burnt, like her eyes as a tear fell from her eyes tracing the curve of her cheeks.

Don't cry. Your nose looks runny.

She sniffled a sob, keeping her wrist on her mouth tightly.

I don't know how to stand here when you keep breaking down in front of me.

"Emergency! Emergency! Code Red. Second floor."

Jenna opened her eyes this time. Before she knew it her legs were moving towards the second floor. Wiping her eyes from the back of her sleeves, her body switched into autopilot. All thoughts were locked tight inside her, deeper and deeper, all she could hear was the blaring alarm. The consequences of it lingered more inside her soul than on the whole floor. 

Opening the back door, she came across a group of people shouting. Lots of shouting. Patients, doctors, nurses all of them had made a crowd. For a patient undergone surgery a few hours ago, Jenna was sure all of it would add to Maddox's agony. He should be lying down peacefully, recovering from the after-effects of anesthesia.