Handle With Care

Three

"Love Me" By Yiruma is up top. It's the tune Winter is singing in this chapter. Lord have mercy on me, I have not uploaded in a long time! SORRY!

Winter

I couldn't help but wonder, was it fate bringing us back? Why now? Why after three solid years? Watching the plain white ceiling, memories start to pour in:

"Blair!" He turns around and flicks his black hair. "Blair!" I yell once again. He spots me through the crowd of sweaty bodies and hugs me.

"You never told me Jesse invited you to his party!" He says in surprise. I shrug and grab him to dance. Both of us danced so hard and in sync that we didn't notice that everyone was watching us.

I blink my eyes once again and there comes another:

"Baby, I realized that I can only heal by being with you. I realized that there is no other way of saying this, so I'll give it to you straight," I gulp, staring at his lips. "Winter Alicia Maeve, I love you." My jaw hangs open for a couple of minutes and I could swear saliva was pouring out; dripping. He rubs the back of his neck and stands there gazing into my icy blue eyes. Tears came down my cheek as I stretched my lips in a smile, "Blaze Sands, I am in joy to say that I will be there for you till the end, even after graduation. I will be here as I did promise you forever and Blaze?" He nods, gulping, "I love you more."

I scoff, loving me will heal him? I see the result of it now. The dude basically made my promise look like it were only a mere words. Nothing more, nothing less. A nurse comes in and checks my vitals. Not once did she look at me. She just stared at the clipboard the whole time. I look the other way after getting bored of staring at her face.

A while later, she puts the board down and says, "Well Mrs. Maeve, you can be discharged today."

***

I step into the hospital's garden and breathe in the scent of fresh crimsons, candy striped, orange, yellow roses. Walking around, I hum "Love Me" by Yiruma. Engrossed in humming, I didn't realize Blair was standing there with his arms folded. It was only when the door clicked behind me, I turned around and my voice vanishes. I couldn't bring myself to talk to him, I couldn't bring myself to walk towards him and as if he knew what was happening to me, he starts walking towards me. Closer and closer, I can smell his cologne which brought nostalgia to my heart.

He stops, "Hey," I nod, gesturing him to go on. "I heard you got discharged. Just wanted to see how you were doing."

Just wanted to see how you were doing. After three goddamn years, he wants to see how I am doing? Oh I don't know, maybe insomnia for the first year, then numbness to emotions the second and finally after fully recovering, he wants to see how I am doing. He clears his throat and I come out of my inner rant. "I'm doing well. At least better after some people left my life." That was harsh. In his eyes, I could see hurt, pain, heartbreak, and... regret? But with a small smile, he nods.

I look at the ground, observing my shoes and I wasn't ready for what was next, "Blair, why have you come back? You should've left as soon as you admitted me to the hospital." Taken aback from my question, "I'm an officer, Winny... er Winter. I had to give in an account of what happened." My eyes stung as soon as he said my nickname but I blinked back the tears. Not now and especially not for him.

"What happened to me?" I ask. He sighs and the way he did, it showed he was hesitant. "You were shot, Winter. In the shoulder," Yeah Captain Obvious, that's why I felt pain in my shoulder and not anywhere else. "We also found the shooter."

My eyes look up at him and he looks away. "It's Sergio. Sergio Morales and he's back."

My breathing hitched in me and I stumble back a few steps. He looks back at me and a frown settled on his face. I couldn't say anything. Not a sentence... not even a word. Minutes passed and I remained stiff.

It can't be.