Lines We Cross

Chapter 27

The minutes ticked by with a hollow, agonizing rhythm, the silence in her apartment growing heavier as the night wore on. Elizabeth stared at her phone, willing it to light up with a call or a message from YN. She'd told herself YN was just delayed by the storm, that it was nothing more than icy roads and careful driving holding her up. But that comforting thought was slipping through her fingers, replaced by a gnawing dread she couldn't ignore.

The last thing YN had said was "I'm on my way back," her voice soft but laced with something heavier, something Elizabeth couldn't quite pin down at the time. They'd talked so often about breaking free from the expectations her family held, about finding her own path. But tonight, YN had sounded... defeated. And now she was nowhere to be found.

Elizabeth called her again, holding her breath as the phone rang. It rang once, twice, then clicked over to voicemail. The familiar automated message felt like a punch to the gut, a harsh reminder of the silence on the other end. She let the phone slip from her hand, her heart pounding as she paced the room, every nerve on edge.

Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, her body slumping down on the couch. Her mind was racing, but her eyes grew heavy, her head drooping as she drifted off into an uneasy sleep, haunted by worry.

She didn't know how long she'd been out when her eyes snapped open, her heart pounding, her surroundings still a blur. The morning light seeped through the window, the storm over, leaving a crisp, icy calm in its wake. Her phone vibrated, the sound jarring in the early silence.

She grabbed it, blinking to clear her vision, her breath catching when she saw Nina's name on the screen. Her stomach twisted, a nauseating dread flooding her veins as she pressed "answer," barely able to force out a greeting.

"Nina?" Her voice cracked, her throat dry, her mind bracing for the worst.

"Elizabeth," Nina's voice was quiet, calm, but there was a tension there, a weight in her words that made Elizabeth's heart plummet.

"Where's YN?" Elizabeth's voice was barely a whisper, as though saying the words too loudly would make them real.

There was a pause, long enough for the silence to press in on her, suffocating. "Elizabeth," Nina began gently, "YN's in the hospital."

The words hit her like a punch, each syllable sinking in slowly, painfully, until her mind could barely process it. "The... the hospital?" Her voice was distant, as if she were listening to someone else speak. "Is she—"

"She's stable," Nina interrupted, her tone gentle, almost soothing. "But she was in a car accident. There was cranial bleeding. They've put her in a medically induced coma to help with the swelling. It's... serious, but she's stable for now."

Elizabeth sank back, her hand covering her mouth as the world tilted around her. Her mind was spinning, barely able to grasp the gravity of Nina's words. YN was in a coma. Her YN—who was supposed to be here with her, safe and warm—was lying in a hospital bed, fighting to heal.

"Where... where is she?" Elizabeth's voice trembled, a mix of fear and determination. She could hardly breathe, but she knew one thing with absolute certainty—she needed to be there.

"She's at St. John's," Nina replied softly. Then, a beat of hesitation. "Elizabeth, her parents are there. Maybe it's best if you—"

But Elizabeth cut her off, her voice firm, laced with an unyielding resolve. "I don't care. I have to see her, Nina. I can't just sit here. I need to be there."

There was a pause on the other end, then a resigned sigh. "Alright. I just... wanted you to be prepared."

Elizabeth ended the call, her hand still shaking as she grabbed her coat, hardly aware of the icy chill outside. The drive to the hospital was a blur, her hands gripping the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her mind was blank, her heart racing as the reality of it settled in—YN was hurt, she was in a coma, and there was nothing Elizabeth could do but go to her.

When she arrived at the hospital, the fluorescent lights felt harsh, almost blinding after the quiet darkness of her apartment. She pushed through the doors, her gaze sharp, seeking out any sign of where YN might be. A nurse approached, her expression kind but cautious.

"I'm here for YN Sterling," Elizabeth managed, her voice barely steady.

The nurse gave her a gentle nod, her gaze softening. "She's in the ICU. Family only, but..."

Elizabeth took a breath, her gaze unwavering. "Please. I need to see her."

The nurse hesitated, something in Elizabeth's tone making her pause. After a moment, she nodded, leading Elizabeth down a long, sterile hallway that smelled of antiseptic and the cold, clinical scent of the hospital.

When they reached YN's room, the nurse paused at the door. "She's stable, but... it may take time."

Elizabeth nodded, her chest tight as she pushed the door open, stepping inside.

The sight of YN lying in the hospital bed took the breath from her lungs. YN looked so fragile, her face pale against the white of the pillow, her dark hair spread around her like a shadow. The machines around her beeped in a steady rhythm, a mechanical reminder that she was still here, still fighting.

Elizabeth sank into the chair beside the bed, her hand reaching out, trembling as she brushed a strand of hair from YN's face. "Hey," she whispered, her voice breaking. "It's me. I'm here."

She took YN's hand in hers, her fingers curling around it, desperate for any warmth, any sign that YN was still with her. Tears pricked her eyes, a soft sob escaping her lips as she leaned her forehead against their intertwined hands, the weight of everything she hadn't said pressing down on her.

"Please," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please come back to me. I... I need you, YN. I need you to be okay."

The door opened softly behind her, and Elizabeth looked up, her vision blurred by tears. Standing in the doorway was Claudia, her expression a mix of shock and confusion. Her gaze flicked from Elizabeth to YN, her brow furrowing as she took in the scene.

"Elizabeth?" Claudia's voice was quiet, laced with an undercurrent of disbelief.

Elizabeth stood, her hand slipping from YN's, her heart pounding as she faced Claudia. "I'm... I'm here because I care about her. I needed to be here."

Claudia's gaze softened, a flicker of understanding passing over her features, though her expression remained guarded. "You're her professor. This... this isn't appropriate."

Elizabeth's jaw clenched, a fierce protectiveness flaring in her chest. "I'm here because I love her," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but filled with a determination that left no room for doubt. "And I'm not leaving."

Claudia looked at her, her eyes searching, as though trying to reconcile the person she thought Elizabeth was with the one standing in front of her now. After a long moment, she nodded, her gaze drifting back to YN.

"She's all we have," Claudia murmured, a crack in her voice. "She's... everything."

Elizabeth's heart ached, her own pain mirrored in Claudia's words. She moved back to YN's side, her hand finding hers again, her grip firm. "Then we both want the same thing," she said softly, her voice steady. "For her to wake up. For her to come back."

They stood in silence, the quiet beeping of the machines filling the room, each of them lost in their own thoughts, their own grief. For now, nothing else mattered—not the boundaries between professor and student, not the expectations of the Sterling family. All that mattered was the girl lying in the hospital bed, the one they both loved in their own ways, the one they were both desperate to have back.

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