CAN'T GET ENOUGH! nico alexander

CHAPTER FIVE, falling in love

Things have been a bit awkward ever since Alaina and Nico almost kissed. They're still close and friendly, but there's an underlying tension between them that wasn't there before. They're both avoiding talking about what happened, but they know it's inevitable. They can't ignore the elephant in the room forever. But when one day Alaina accidentally hurt her ankle and is at the hospital longer than planned, they end up having a heart to heart, finally putting all the cards on the table. And maybe, just maybe, getting the happy ending they deserve.

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(alaina's outfit for this chapter is above) 

Alaina did something so stupid today. She got hurt. She was running late to meet him. She was trying to hurry. She tripped and twisted her ankle. She cursed as she fell. She was limping, trying to get to the hospital. She was almost there when Charles stopped her. He had been walking near the lobby when he noticed Alaina limping towards the door so he went outside to check on her.

"Alaina?" He asks, making her look at him. "Girl, are you okay?" Charles asked in concern, his eyes wide as he walked over to her.

"Charles," Alaina gasps in relief, relieved her friend was nearby. "I twisted my ankle... I was trying to rush...I'm late to meet Nico." She explained between gritted teeth, her face contorted with pain.

Charles frowns, his concern deepening as he saw her discomfort. "Hold on, let me help you," He said, stepping closer to support her. "You shouldn't be trying to walk on that. Let's get you inside and get some help." Alaina nodded gratefully, leaning on Charles for support as they made their way back towards the entrance of the hospital. She winced with every step, but having Charles by her side eased some of the pain and anxiety.

"Alaina!" Noelani smiles when she noticed Alaina with Charles, but then her smile fell at seeing Alaina was hurt. "Oh, no, what happened?" She questioned, walking around the counter to meet them.

"I was running late to meet Nico, my clumsy self tripped and fell." Alaina grumbled. She felt embarrassed by her own clumsiness.

"You literally fell for him." Charles realizes and he laughs at his joke, but grew quiet after seeing the look on the girl's faces. "Right, sorry. Too soon." Alaina rolled her eyes, though she did have a small smile on her face. She did ignore how her face had turned red at Charles' comment. Despite the pain, his presence and attempt at lightening the mood with a joke helped distract her momentarily from her embarrassment and discomfort.

"Let's get you checked out, Lainey." Noelani suggested. Alaina nodded in agreement and she followed Charles and Noelani to a room, still leaning on Charles for support.

"How's the pain, on a scale of 1 to 10?" Charles asked Alaina as they settled into the room, concern evident in his voice.

Alaina winces slightly as she tried to find a comfortable position on the bed. "Probably a solid 7." She admitted, feeling the throbbing ache in her ankle intensify with the movement.

Noelani nods, jotting down notes on a clipboard. "We'll get you some pain medication and ice for that ankle. It looks swollen, we might need to get an X-ray to see if there's any serious damage."

Alaina sighs, feeling a mixture of frustration and relief. Frustration at herself for being so clumsy and causing this inconvenience, and relief that she was finally getting the care she needed. She glances over at Charles, offering him a weak smile. "Thanks for being here, Charles. I don't know what I would've done without you."

Charles smiles warmly at her. "Hey, that's what friends are for, right? Just glad I was nearby to help out. And hey, it'll make for a good story later on, once you're all healed up."