who is...she?

thirty

?GF? pov

the first few days after surgery felt like a dream, or maybe more like a nightmare. i floated in and out of consciousness, trapped in a haze of pain, exhaustion, and the steady beeping of machines. i couldn't move much, and my body felt heavy, like it didn't belong to me. everything hurt—my head, my neck, even my chest ached with every shallow breath.

alexia was always there, though. every time i opened my eyes, even for just a second, i saw her. sometimes she was sitting beside me, her hand gently holding mine, her face tight with worry but trying to hide it behind a forced smile. other times, she'd be talking quietly with the doctors, her eyes flickering over to me every few seconds, like she was afraid I'd disappear if she looked away for too long.

the doctors said the surgery was a success—that they'd gotten the bullet out and that I had a chance at recovery. but they also warned us that it wouldn't be easy. there could be complications—swelling, infection, memory loss, motor function issues. the list went on and on, and the more I heard, the heavier the weight on my chest became.

-----

the first full day after surgery, i could barely stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. every time i drifted off, i'd wake up in a panic, my body trembling, not sure where i was. but then 

i'd see alexia, her voice softly reassuring me that i was safe, that i'd made it through.

i couldn't talk much, my throat dry and sore, but she seemed to understand. she brought me water, adjusted the pillows behind my head, and sat with me in silence, letting me rest.my thoughts were slow and jumbled, like pieces of a puzzle that didn't quite fit together. flashes of what happened before the surgery would come to me in bursts— the club, the gunshot, the feeling of falling. but everything else was a blur.

-----

by the third day, the fog had started to lift, just enough for me to stay awake longer and start piecing things together. the pain in my head was still sharp, but the doctors were managing it with medication. they said i'd need physical therapy soon, to help me regain strength and mobility. i wasn't sure how i felt about that yet—everything seemed too overwhelming.

alexia was still there, of course. she'd hardly left my side, her eyes tired, dark circles under them, but she always smiled when i opened my eyes. i could see the worry she tried to hide, though. it was there, in every glance she shot toward the door when the doctors walked in, in every hesitant question she asked them about my condition.

i wanted to tell her not to worry, that i'd be okay, but i wasn't even sure of that myself.

"how do you feel?" she asked gently, her hand stroking mine as i lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"tired," i whispered, my voice raspy. "everything hurts."

her face softened, and she nodded. "you're doing so well. the doctors are really hopeful. we'll get through this together."

i nodded, not entirely convinced, but grateful for her words. she made me feel like i wasn't in this fight alone.

-----

on the fifth day, they brought in the physical therapist. he was kind, patient, explaining the exercises we'd need to do in small, manageable steps. it started with just sitting up in bed, which seemed ridiculous at first—how could something so simple feel like running a marathon?

but when i tried, it hit me how weak i was. my muscles trembled, my head swam, and the pain flared up behind my eyes. alexia was there, holding my hand, encouraging me to take it slow, to breathe. with her there, i managed to sit up, but i was exhausted after just a few minutes.

"you're stronger than you think," alexia whispered, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. 

"we'll take it one step at a time."

it was humiliating, how broken i felt, but her words gave me a small sense of hope. maybe i could do this, if i took it slow. if she stayed with me.

-----

a week had passed since the surgery, and things were starting to improve, bit by bit. i could sit up on my own now, and with help, i could stand for a few minutes. it was exhausting, but it felt like progress—like my body was slowly remembering how to work again.

the doctors said i was doing well, that i was defying expectations, but i knew i still had a long way to go. sometimes the pain would spike out of nowhere, sending me spiraling back into that foggy, heavy place. but each time, alexia was there, pulling me back, reminding me that i wasn't alone in this.

"you're doing so good," she said one afternoon, sitting beside me while i rested after a therapy session. "i'm so proud of you."

i looked at her, my heart swelling with gratitude. i wanted to say something, to tell her how much it meant to me that she was there, how much i needed her. but the words wouldn't come, so instead, i just squeezed her hand, hoping she understood.

-----

by the tenth day, i was finally starting to feel a little more like myself. the pain was still there, but it was manageable. i could walk a few steps with help, and my mind felt clearer, more focused. the doctors said i was healing well, that with time and therapy, i could make a full recovery.

alexia was still with me every step of the way, her faith in me never wavering, even when mine did. her presence had become the thing that kept me going, the reason i pushed through the pain and exhaustion.

we talked about the future sometimes, in quiet moments when the hospital was calm. it felt strange to think about anything beyond this room, beyond these walls. but slowly, we began to imagine what life would look like after this.

"we'll get through this," alexia said one evening, her voice soft but firm. "we'll take it one day at a time, but you're getting stronger. and when you're ready, we'll go home."

home. the word felt like a distant dream, but it was one i held onto. i wasn't there yet, but with alexia by my side, i knew i'd make it. i would get back to my life, to our life, piece by piece.

and i would survive.

a/n

hey! so this book is slowly coming to an end, i think about 10 or so more chapters which is unfortunate:( stay tuned though

anyways vote a star if you enjoyed and stay tuned for the next one!