So High School | T. Swift x OC

twenty

Boys Don't Cry by The Cure

It lowkey just gets worse from here

The hospital room was filled with a sombre stillness, the only sounds being the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the soft whispers of concerned voices. Eliot lay in the hospital bed, his body still and fragile, encased in medical equipment and wrapped in the sterile, white sheets. He had been in a medically induced coma for two days now, a necessary measure to help his body heal after the horrific accident.

Eliot's cousins, Noah and Izzie, were huddled together in a corner of the room, their voices low and tense as they debated their next course of action.

"She deserves to know," Izzie insisted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Taylor has a right to be here. She's his girlfriend. She loves him."

Noah sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, Izzie. But we don't know how she'll react. What if it affects her negatively? She has her career to think about too. And- and what if when he wakes up seeing her is too much and it sends him into a frenzy?"

Izzie shot him a look, her eyes filled with determination. "Career or not, frenzy or not, she needs to be here. Eliot would want her to know. He needs all the support he can get, and she's a big part of his life."

After a moment of silence, Noah nodded reluctantly. "Alright, let's call her. But we need to do it carefully. We can't just drop this on her out of nowhere."

Izzie took a deep breath, her resolve strengthening. She pulled out her phone and began composing a message to Taylor, explaining the situation as gently as she could. She knew it wouldn't be easy for Taylor to hear, but she hoped that Taylor would come, for Eliot's sake.

Across the room, Eliot's parents sat by his bedside. Kelly held one of Eliot's hands in hers, her thumb gently stroking his knuckles. Her face was a mask of controlled emotions, her eyes red but dry. She was the pillar of strength for her family, always keeping her emotions in check to support those around her.

Rod, on the other hand, struggled to contain his tears. He sat on the other side of Eliot's bed, clutching his son's other hand, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. The sight of his only son, only child, lying there, so vulnerable and still, was almost too much for him to bear.

"I can't lose him, Kelly," Rod whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I don't know what I'd do without him."

Kelly squeezed Eliot's hand gently, her gaze fixed on her son's face. "He's strong, Rod. He'll pull through this. We have to believe that."

The room fell into a heavy silence again, each person lost in their thoughts and prayers for Eliot's recovery. The beeping of the heart monitor was a constant reminder of Eliot's presence, even though he was unconscious.

In another part of the world, Taylor received Izzie's message. She was in her New York apartment, trying to go about her day but feeling a nagging sense of unease. When her phone buzzed with the message, she read it with growing horror, her heart sinking with each word.

Without hesitation, Taylor called her pilot and asked him to get ready to fly to Kansas City, her mind racing with worry and fear. She couldn't believe this was happening. Just days ago, they were together, happy and in love. And now, Eliot was in a hospital bed, fighting for his life.

Taylor arrived at the hospital the next morning, her face pale and drawn with worry. Izzie met her at the entrance, her eyes red from crying. She hugged Taylor tightly, both women finding some comfort in the embrace.

"He's in a coma," Izzie said softly, leading Taylor to Eliot's room. "The doctors say it's the best way for him to heal right now. But he's stable, and that's a good sign."