Undeniable Chemistry

Chapter 40 | I'll never forgive you

Tyler POV

"I f*cked up, Margie."

She looked at me, empathy lining the wrinkles on her face as she consoled me. I hadn't bothered to pull up a chair as I sat on the floor, my head on her lap. 

"It's been five days, and she still hasn't woken up." My chest hasn't stopped hurting since the call, and I was fortunate that I had finished all my finals so I could stay here and visit Sophia, Margie, and now Bella.

"Have you seen her yet?" Margie's soft voice spoke, and I shook my head.

"I keep picturing her body lying there, and I don't think I can handle that, Margie. I can't." I've already lost my mother and my sister is barely hanging on; I can't.

"You said it was the same when Sophia first got admitted, right? But look at you now; you see her every day. Your mind will never be at ease unless you take the first step, and in my experience, that can help. She may not be able to tell you how she feels, but i reckon if she knows that there are people still waiting here for her, she will fight harder."

"If that were the case, Soph would be awake."

"She may not be up, but that doesn't mean she isn't fighting to wake up. It takes time."

After leaving Margie and Sophia's room, with renewed determination, I march towards Bella's room. The others hadn't arrived yet; her father was home doing something I don't know, and Sloane, the doctor, was tending to her other patients. 

I place a hand on the door and take a deep breath. "You should really go in you know." 

My head snaps to Patrick, who was holding takeout food. He sits down and starts taking them out. "What happened between you guys?" 

"None of your business." I snap.

He nods and takes a bite. After a few seconds, he says, "You're right, but that girl lying in there? She is my business. She's been abused since she was thirteen years old. She lost her mom, her brother, and in some way her father; she was raped by multiple men and starved for days at a time; she's slept on the streets, in my home, in Sloane's home, and in our old school, and yet she's never once given up, so if she was hurt badly enough to want to kill herself, it is my business."

I hear shuffling and look to see Tyler, Ethan, Dylan, Alison, and Tessa, each with drinks and food in hand, and by the look on their faces, they heard everything he had to say.

Ethan steps forward and sits beside Patrick, taking his food out and wordlessly handing me some

"We thought she had been lying to us the entire time, but it turns out it wasn't her." Ethan spoke vaguely, and by the look on Patrick's face, he had no idea what Ethan just said.

"A group of girls threatened to expose her father unless she hurt me badly enough so we never talked again. All because one of them liked me. When the others thought Bella had hurt me,

"You decided to hurt her." Patrick cut me off and nodded in understanding. "June has always had a soft spot for her friends, even more so than her father. You hurt her, and she relived losing her mother and brother all over again, and then she relived the early days of her father's abuse. No wonder she snapped."

He said nothing more and the others sat silently either on the floor or on a chair outside Bella's room. I looked towards the door and with a final exhale, I pushed it open and entered for the first time.

She was there on the bed, pale skin, pale lips, almost lifeless. I take a breath and take enough steps to touch her, but I keep my hands planted firmly by my side. "Isabella June Evans, if you never wake up, I'll never forgive you. You hear me? If it's forgiveness you seek, then wake the hell up; if not,"

My voice broke, and I grasped her hands. "If not, it means I never told you I love you, Bella, please. I know you probably hate me, I know I hurt you, and I know you paid my sister's bills, so let me thank you. Let me earn your trust, but please don't leave me."

When she doesn't move, I start pacing around the room, "I saw you in the car that day, Bella You were crying and all I wanted to do was hug you and say, it's alright." Her body doesn't move, and I storm out of the room, suddenly needing air. 

I hear the others calling for me, but I pay them no mind and run to the washroom. I lock the door and pace around the room, feeling my chest constrict.

Your mother is dead.

I hurl the trash can across the room.

Your sister is barely alive.

I punch the mirror over and over again before I slide to the floor and bury my face in my hands. Time passes but I don't move. A man who was hiding in a stall scurries past me, unlocking the door. Others enter but leave when they see me, but I don't move; I stay there and pray that she wakes up.

*****

"Tyler, wake the f*ck up!"

I spring upright and see Ethan standing at the door. "What is it?"

I'm already following him: "It's Bella; she woke up twenty minutes ago, and she's been asking for you."

I sprint, leaving Ethan behind as I run up the stairs and burst the door open, running down the hallway to Bella's room. I see Sloane and Thomas speaking; the others are all gone. "There you are, she's been asking for you, the others are in search of you." 

"How is she?"

She nods her head and says, "see for yourself."

Once again, I'm unable to move. Will she hate me? Will she forgive me?

I close my eyes and open the door and standing outside the bathroom door, all wide-eyed and surprised, is Isabella June Evans.

"Tyler?" She whispers, tears brimming her eyes.

"Bella." I sigh in complete and utter belief.

A/N

Heyyyyyyy, shorter chapter today, but the next one will be in Bella's POV (and longer). How did you enjoy Tyler's POV? I'm thinking of another scene in which I could use his POV, so let me know!

Bye y'all!!!!