044 || I'm here

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"Max?"

I looked up, my eyes hazy. I felt a throbbing headache and let out a soft groan, rubbing my temple. The person who had called me was now just entering the room, a bunch of flowers in his hands. I blink a couple times to try and clear my vision.

"Mate, what are you doing here?" Daniel stopped next to me, his voice filled with concern. What was I doing here? More importantly, where was she? I was sitting in a chair; at least I knew that much. I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear them. Why did my hands and back ache so much?

"Max? Are you okay?" I felt his hand rest on my shoulder. I blinked, my vision finally clearing. I looked around. We were in a hospital room... Why? That was when memories of the crash came flooding back. I closed my eyes, trying to block them out, but they were stronger. The fear, the fire, her-

Her.

"Where's Sabrina?" I stood up, panicking. He almost laughed at me. 

He took my shoulder, pushed me back down into the chair, and turned my head. My breath caught in my throat as I saw her lying there. She had been right next to me all along.

I saw the burns on her hands and felt a wrench of guilt. I could have done more. I slumped back in my chair, wincing a little as I felt the burns on my back hit the back of the chair. I hated this. Seeing her like this. An oxygen mask over her face, pale and vulnerable.

"Have you been here all night?" Daniel's voice brought me back from my thoughts. I glanced over at him as he sat down next to me.

"I think so." I nodded. I wasn't entirely sure, but it did seem that way. The last thing I remember was...

I had come into her room in the middle of the night. I had another nightmare. But this time, she was still stuck in the flames, but no matter how hard I tried my feet just wouldn't move. I couldn't save her. Her screams still rang in my ears. 

I had sat down in the chair and broke down. I finally let myself go. I had buried my face in her blankets, trying to find an ounce of comfort in their midst. I didn't find any. It didn't feel like her. It didn't look like her. It didn't smell like her.

I couldn't feel her.

"You must be exhausted." He placed the flowers in a vase at the bottom of her bed. I watched him tiredly. "You should get some rest."

"No, I have to stay here." I shook my head firmly, looking back at her sleeping form. He sighed and sat back down next to me.

"She's safe, Max. It's okay." He put a hand on my shoulder, his voice calming. Not as calming as hers. Fuck, I wish I could hear her voice.

"I can't leave her." I told him again, my voice quavering. I slipped my hand onto the bed to take her bandaged hand in mine. I closed it between my two hands, stroking it gently. Daniel watched.

"You have to take care of yourself as well." He told me softly. I didn't want to.

"Did you come alone?" I asked him quietly after a pause. He nodded.

"Yeah. Lando wanted to come too, but he got dragged away. He'll be here soon, I expect." He replied. He seemed relaxed. There was another long silence.

"It's strange, isn't it? Seeing her like this..." He began slowly. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. I didn't know what to say, so we just fell back into silence. "You know, in the beginning, I really believed that you didn't care about her. I can see that you do. You really do. So I'm sorry."

"I'm terrified to lose her. And... she's not even mine." My voice cracked a little on the last word. I looked back at him, and he was looking at me, his eyes filled with pity.

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