healing hearts

Chapter 24

Alexa's POV

Everything is moving in slow motion. I haven't spoken a word since I told Ben what happened. I don't have energy, i'm in so much pain and i'm so tired, but Ben wouldn't let me fall asleep because of the bump on my head, he's afraid I might have a concussion, or worse.

I've barely stopped crying.

Ben called my parents, they're meeting us at the hospital.

When we get there, James drops us off at the entrance to the emergency room and leaves to go park the car. Ben helps me walk in and finds a nurse.

I don't even look at her, barely paying attention to the conversation.

"Honey, can you come with me? I need to run some tests and check you out." She says.

I look at her and cling to Ben tighter, I shake my head. I don't want to go with her, I don't want to leave Ben. I'm terrified still.

She looks at Ben and then back to me, Brooke and James come up behind us.

"Can you wait for her parents out here? When they get here, come find me." Ben says to James. James nods and sits down with Brooke in the waiting room.

"I'll come with you, okay? Is that okay?" He asks the nurse. The nurse nods, "of course, come with me."

Ben follows the nurse as she leads us into an exam room. Ben sits me down on the table but stays close to me.

I feel like i'm moving on autopilot. I sit there silently, looking down, playing with the rings on my hand as the nurse asks me questions.. questions that Ben answers for me, if they're more complex than a shake or nod of my head. After all the questions, the nurse takes my blood pressure.

She hands me a hospital gown and asks me to change. I nod and Ben helps me off the table.

The nurse steps out and Ben grabs my cheek to make me look at him, "James texted me and said your parents are here. I'm gonna go talk to them really quick and then i'll be right back. I'll be right outside the door baby." He says and kisses my forehead.

I don't know if he can see the fear in my eyes or what, but before leaving, he says, "you're safe, i'll be right out here." Then closes the door behind him.

I stand in the room, holding the hospital gown in my hands. I'm still shaking as I slowly undress and put it on. I slowly get back on the table, wincing in pain as I do and wait for the nurse and doctor to come in.

Ben's POV

I shut the door to Alexa's room and stand there for a second, running my hands over my face. I can't believe this is happening, I'm trying so hard not to spiral but it's so hard, she hasn't spoken a word since she told us and I don't blame her, but I need to hear her voice. I need to know what's going through her head.

I look up when I hear fast footsteps coming towards me. Alexa's parents. James must have told them where I was. They look scared, tired and worried. I can't blame them.

"Ben, what's going on?" Alexa's mom asks.

This is it, I tell them everything that Alexa told me. They knew about what happened the weekend we started dating. But still, this is worse than we could've imagined. By the time I finish, her mom is crying and her dad is furious and they are both distraught, at a loss for words.

"She's in the room, but she's not talking. She hasn't said a word since she told me what happened. Not even to the nurse, I had to answer all the questions and explain to her what happened. She told me she would be right back with a doctor who could perform a rape test and check out the rest of her body for any injuries." I choke on my words, finally breaking down after keeping it together for Alexa. But, she's not here right now, so I let it out. I slide down the wall in front of her room and sit there and cry.

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have told her to go. It wasn't safe even if James and Brooke were watching her." I say through tears.

Her mom kneels down and pulls me into her as she cries too, her dad holds my shoulder with his hand, his eyes glassy. "It's none of your faults Ben. None of you could have known. It wasn't good for her staying in the house like that anyway. We wanted her to go too," he says.

As I start to calm down, I hear the door to Alexa's room slowly open, the three of us look and see her standing in the doorway. She's in the hospital gown but her hair is still knotted, makeup still runny and her busted lip crusted over with dried blood. Her eyes are puffy and red from crying and the bruise around her throat is more prominent.

Her mom and I stand up and I wipe my face quickly, I don't want her to see me break down, not right now. I watch with her dad as her mom takes a gentle step towards her. "Alexa? Honey, come here." She says through tears as she slowly takes another step towards her and hesitantly wraps Alexa in her arms. I watch Alexa closely, she doesn't seem to react but she lets her mom cry into her shoulder, barely wrapping her arms around her mom, she winces in pain.

Her dad is the next one to hug her, still, there's no emotion from her. As her dad lets go, the nurse comes back with a doctor.

"Sweetheart, this is Dr. Matthews, she will be doing some tests on you if that's okay?" The nurse says gently. Alexa nods and reaches for me and I look at the doctor. She nods and I walk over, wrap Alexa in my arms and walk her back into the room, the doctor following behind us.

She says something to Alexa's parents and closes the door behind us as I help Alexa back onto the exam table. I stand next to her and watch her, she's watching the doctor set up and get ready.

"Okay, honey," she says in a gentle and quiet voice, "i'm gonna need you to take off your underwear and sit back in the chair for me." Alexa looks at me and I nod, "i'm right here," I remind her.

Once she removes her underwear, I put my hand on the small of Alexa's back and help her lean back. Once she's settled I remove my hand and watch the doctor set up the stirrups, my heart is racing. She puts gloves on and sits on a stool in front of Alexa and gets some things that she'll need.