Between the desks

Chapter 78

Amren's POV

Everything hurt. My entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck—because it had. My mind was a haze, the fog of pain and disorientation making it hard to focus on anything clearly. But when I finally managed to force my eyes open, the first thing I saw was Professor Olsen. I blinked, struggling to comprehend that she was really here, sitting by my side, her hand warm and steady in mine. She wasn't just a blur in my fractured thoughts. She was real, and she was here.

Her presence was grounding, something solid amidst the chaos in my head. The look on her face—so filled with relief and something else, something deeper—made my chest ache in a different way. She leaned forward, her voice soft but full of emotion as she said, "We can figure this out, Amren."

I didn't have the strength to say much, but hearing her words, seeing her sitting there, made me want to believe it too. I wanted to work this out. I wanted so badly for us to find a way, no matter how impossible it felt.

I was more awake now, though not fully present. My thoughts moved sluggishly, like I was swimming through thick water. But I was there, at least. Professor Olsen hadn't let go of my hand since I'd opened my eyes, and her touch was the anchor keeping me grounded in this moment. Everything we had just shared—our unspoken confessions, the weight of emotions—was still hanging in the air between us, raw and real.

"Can you call Lily?" I rasped out, my voice rough like sandpaper. It hurt to speak, each word scraping at my throat, but I needed her. I needed to hear Lily's voice, needed the familiarity of my best friend to remind me that this nightmare was ending, not continuing.

Professor Olsen nodded immediately. "Of course." She reached for my phone and handed it to me. I barely had the energy to hold it up, so she helped, guiding my hand to unlock it with Face ID. My grip was weak, but she took over, dialing Lily for me.

She put her on speaker, and the phone barely rang before Lily's voice exploded into the room.

"BITCH, YOU ARE NOT DEAD!" Lily's shout echoed through the sterile hospital room, and despite the ache in my ribs, a smile tugged at my lips. Her words, her tone—God, it was the most comforting thing I could've heard.

"No," I croaked out, trying not to laugh because I knew it would hurt, "you know what they say about me, weeds don't perish."

Lily didn't miss a beat. "Only your dad says that."

"Facts," I whispered back, though the effort of talking left me wincing. But hearing her, knowing she was there, made it worth the pain.

"I'm on my way!" Lily practically shouted into the phone before hanging up without waiting for a response.

Professor Olsen handed the phone back to me and hesitated for a second, her eyes studying me closely. "I should go then," she said softly, her tone full of understanding. She must've thought Lily and I needed some time alone.

But I wasn't ready for her to leave. I wasn't ready to let go of the small comfort her presence had brought me.

"Please," I whispered, my hand tightening weakly around hers, "can you stay a bit longer?"

There was a softness in her gaze as she smiled at me, the kind of smile that sent warmth rushing through me despite the pain. "Of course I'll stay," she said, her voice gentle but unwavering. She gave me a playful wink, and even though I was too weak to move, too hurt to act on the feelings swirling inside me, the butterflies in my stomach took flight all the same.

I wanted to kiss her, to pull her closer, but my body wouldn't allow it. The pain was too much. But she was here, and that was enough for now.

A few minutes later, the door flew open, and Lily rushed in, her face pale and streaked with dried tears. She took one look at me and then practically launched herself onto the bed, wrapping me in a tight, fierce hug.

"Ouch, Lil," I groaned, wincing as pain shot through my chest and ribs. But despite the discomfort, I couldn't help but be glad for her embrace.

"I thought I lost you," she sobbed, her voice cracking as she buried her face in my shoulder. "When you went out the second time, I thought..."

"For once in my life, I was lucky," I said, trying to reassure her as I gave her a teasing grin, though it was strained with pain. "I'll wear these scars with pride."

Lily pulled back, wiping at her eyes, and glanced between me and Professor Olsen. Something flickered in her gaze—an awareness, maybe, or just the relief of seeing both of us there.

The weight of what had happened wasn't gone, not by a long shot. My best friend, my forbidden love, and the complicated mess we'd found ourselves in... it was all still there, unresolved. But in that moment, with Lily's protective arms around me and Professor Olsen's hand still holding mine, I felt, for the first time in what seemed like forever, that maybe everything could be okay.

Maybe, somehow, we could make this work.

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Hi Guys,

Do you like the story? Amren and Lizzie are finally getting some where. I took 78 chapters to handholding. I have a lot more coming for you. Please let me know what you think!

x Chase <3