Hang Up [Unedited]

xlvii1/2

14 September 2014. 3:15am.

An unwavering beeping, heavy breathing, and the pounding in her head, are the only things Jewel can decipher what's surrounding her. The left side of her body feels like shards of glass had ripped through her skin: the right side was almost completely numb, except for the searing pain in her arm and ribcage. What the hell happened? Even her jaw felt like it was going to fall off at any moment, everything hurts. Did she get hit by a truck or something?

The slow, steady beeping becomes faster, her breathing nearly stops, and the pounding in Jewel's head intensifies. It all seemed to come back to her at once, the whole accident. One moment she's on the phone while driving down the street, the next she's being T-boned by a mini van. She had been talking on the phone with Drew and wasn't paying attention to what she was doing. A sickening thought enters her head, and makes her want to cry. She could have died!

"Jewel, can you hear me," a quiet yet masculine voice says.

There's a loud smacking noise followed by, "Of course she can, stupid. She's under anesthesia not in a coma."

"What the, I thought you were sleeping!"

"Stop yelling, idiot. You're making her heart monitor go nuts."

Andrew glares at his twin sister with spiteful eyes. Why did he even let her come to the hospital with him, Jewel and Amanda aren't even that good of friends. Turning back to the girl in the hospital bed, he smiles down at her and shakes his head. Never did he think he'd see her in this condition. How the tables have turned on them. First it was him she saw laying in a worn out hospital gown, with bandages wrapped in various places, now they've switched places.

Looking over at Amanda, he notices that she is sleeping again. A smile cracks across his face and he takes a moment to look away from his twin. She was his back bone, always there when he needed her, and right now he's glad she's here. Returning his focus back to Jewel, Andrew reaches forward and grabs her hand. He'd easily fallen in love with her, but he wasn't sure how it happened in such a short time. It was all just a matter of happenstance.

"Why didn't you listen to me kid," Andrew sighs, stroking Jewel's curls.

"Because I'm stupid," Jewel croaks, her throat dry.

Andrew jumps back in surprise, he didn't expect her to wake up for another hour. The anesthesia must have worn out sooner than expected. As he re-approaches the bed, he notices Jewel's eyes are still closed, she can't seem to open them. He needs to see those big brown eyes of hers, and then he'll have all the reassurance he needs. Maybe she's just talking in her sleep, that's why it had seemed as if she had answered him.

Was she just imagining him being there, or was it actually him. She can't open her eyes, her eyelids felt like lead weights, unbearably heavy. Jewel tries to raise her right arm up, but just like her eyelids, she couldn't lift that up either. The fingers on her left hand wiggle, and then she feels another pair intertwine with hers. A light squeeze is given, and a jolt of pain shoots up her arm, causing her to wince from the unexpected shock.

"Are you okay, boo," Andrew inquires, concern in his voice.

"My hand," she mumbled.

Instantly he lets go of her hand, he had completed forgotten about the bandages on Jewel's hand, all he could think about was touching her. Gently he lays his hand on her arm, and lightly begins to rub her arm, making small patterns with his fingers on the mahogany brown skin. Sitting down on the side of the bed, Andrew moves closer to Jewel. Again he leans in to her, and then places a kiss to her cheek. God did he wish it was actually her lips instead.

"What an eye opener," Jewel laughs softly.

She watches as Andrew scurries away from her to the other end of the bed. His green eyes are wide in surprise, and Jewel continues to laugh in amusement. Jewel had expected her parents faces be the first ones she saw when she woke up, but she was glad it was Andrew's instead. He takes her hand in his and smiles, to which she returns whole heartedly.

"Literally," he huffs.

When Jewel opened her eyes, something inside Andrew had awoken in a burst of flames. With her hand in his, he slowly runs his thumb over her bandages. She giggles at his touch, a sound new to him, and he wouldn't mind hearing it more often. Trailing his hand up her arm, he reaches for her face and cups her cheek in his hand. Easing closer to Jewel, Andrew brings his face close to hers as both their eyes close. Just before he kisses her lips, he opens his eyes, smiles, and then kisses her forehead. He can't kiss her, not yet at least.

Jewel sighs in contempt but doesn't say anything. She shouldn't have expected him to kiss her, it's all in her head. Why can't she make the first move, she doesn't have to wait for him to make a move on her. Again Jewel opens her eyes, so that she look at Andrew again. Plump pink lips pulled over sparkling white teeth, accented by an angular nose and bright green eyes, he's Mr All-American.

"I thought I had lost you," Andrew breaths, burying his face in her neck.

"Nope, I'm right here boo, "she replies, stroking his hair, "and I'm all yours."

Smiling against her neck, Andrew can't help but find bliss in her words. That's honestly all he needed her to say, that she was all his. He places a kiss on her collar bone, then her neck, and lastly her cheek. Rubbing his nose lightly against her, he goes to kiss her lips. Their lips barely brush each other's before the door clicks open.

Both Jewel and Andrew groan in frustration as Andrew pulls away from her. Turning toward the door, they watch as a male nurse enters the room. He seems to be out of breath as he stands with his hands on his hips. As he regains his breath, the nurse slowly makes his way toward them. He rests a hand on the bed and smiles down at Jewel.

Andrew gives the nurse a sideways glance, who is this guy? His hand falls from Jewel's cheek to her hand, and then he looks at her face. A smile breaks across his lips as he stares at her angry face. She's cute when she's angry with other people.

"You can't be my nurse," Jewel huffs.

"Oh, but baby sister, I am," the nurse smiles.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she tries to sit up fully, but a sharp pain shoots through her abdomen. The pain is excruciating and doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. Jewel curses under breath as she falls back against her pillow. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath, but that only increases the pain.

"Don't move so quickly, you could tear the stitches in your side," the nurse warns.

"Marcus, go get my doctor," Jewel murmurs.

"What's wrong," Andrew inquires.

Jewel shakes her head, but doesn't say anything else. A tear slides down her face as she turns her head to the side, she was in so much pain. She had felt them tear open when she tried to sit up. Now blood is soaking through the thin gown she's wearing and into the sheets. Although she didn't want to cry, Jewel couldn't stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks.

Marcus had left already, and Amanda had finally woken up from her nap. Quickly she rushes to the side of the bed, pushing her brother out of the way, she tries to calm Jewel down. She'd have to deal with Andrew later, right now her friend needed her more.

"Hey, hey, Jewel, listen to me sweety. You have to calm down, alright, everything's going to be fine," she coos.

Just then a doctor comes into the room followed by several nurses, one of them being Marcus. The doctor tells both Amanda and Andrew to leave. Helping her brother out of the room, the last thing Amanda sees is the doctor place a breathing mask over Jewel's mouth.

-------------

this is short i know but it's all i could pull out of my ass, so. we only have a few more chapters left, so please stay with me a little longer. also posted an extremely vague snippet of my newest book, hope you like it.