Fixing the Broken

Chapter Twelve

You're a calm, cool, and collected person Paisley. Just act that way towards them. Let karma deal with them so you don't go to prison. It’s not like they are bothering you I mean mom even bought you new highlighters and everything just mind your own business. Smile kindly and get to the safety of your bed.

"Why is she with you?" Some snotty girl says from behind her fairly tipsy boyfriend. It’s really smart of them you know going to a party then coming here after Stephen lost his best friend after one. I look at her boyfriend who still stands, barely, in front of her. “God nerd girl wandering eyes much?” That's fucking it Blondie going down! I hardly even glanced at her shirtless boyfriend. Why did they even let him in here without a shirt?

"Guys this is Paisley Cooper, you know her. Well she's been helping in my recovery so you will all be nice to her." Stephen speaks up and I almost faint with surprise. I look at him and he smiles warmly. What the hell just happened; did Stephen Tate just stand up to me in front of his friends? I return the smile not wanting to ruin this moment. “Isabella apologize, now” he says firmly ‘Isabelle’ turns to me and apologizes softly looking to her boyfriend for help he shrugs and gives me a slight wave.

Great now they are gonna wanna like talk to me and crap. “It’s really late. No visitors plus you have no shirt on, you reak of alcohol, and you well you’re just a snotty bitch ‘Isabella’ so get out. Oh, have a nice day.” I say not so cheerfully. Isabella gasps and lunges forward only to be stopped by my fist which may or may not have collided with her petite little shoulder. She makes a point to walk all the way around me while exiting.

Did I mention that it’s like eleven o’clock at night? Well it is and I’m even grumpier when I’m sleep deprived. The whole group files out after Isabella all the girls making a disgusted face at me but whimpering and almost tripping over their heels when I take a step towards them.

“You scared them shitless!” Stephen laughs picking himself out of the wheel chair to which he has no real use for anymore he just likes for me to have to ‘cater to his every whim’ as he put it.

I laugh humorously before looking at him seriously “I’m not even an intimidating person like 5’2” scrawny, brown hair; I mean c’mon I’ve met Chihuahua’s with more fear factor than me.” He laughs looking me over and suddenly feel uncomfortable. He doesn’t mess with me or say anything stupid just nods and walks to his bed climbing in. I do the same not bothering to say anything just turning on the alarm clock radio and flicking off the light.

*******

Sleeping peacefully seems to be something I’m not good at. Every night since I’ve stayed here I either wake up randomly to heavy breathing, the bed shaking next to me, or just weird stuff. I’ve been putting it off and going back to sleep but the heavy breathing and the bed shaking are stronger tonight. Instead of turning on the light I, for once, make it out of the bed alive and on both feet. I tip toe to Stephen’s side as quietly as I can poking his side. He isn’t asleep like I assumed he was instead his whole face is red and blotchy and he clips his hands on my shirt pulling me onto the bed my face smooshed in his chest.

“I had a nightmare about him” he mumbles into my hair and I somehow bring my face away from his chest. I know who he’s talking about so there is no need for a stupid question. I put my lips next to his ear and whisper for him to tell me about it and so he does. “It was about the accident. I convinced him to go, he wanted to stay home and spend it with his sister before she went off to college but I told Adam he should come with me and have some real fun. His sister, Marnie, told him it was fine and she wouldn’t leave until she got to say goodbye to her brother. He drove me there and said to be quick; to have my fun.” He whispers and scoots over a little so I can sit cross legged on the side of the bed. “Our friends ended up talking him into have a few beers and for Adam, who is a light drinker, that was enough to have him drunk and doing shots while dancing shirtless on the bar.” He chuckles through his tears at the memory. “Soon though I was ready to go and we got him calmed down enough and half sober so he could drive while I was plastered. We were doing fine until some swerving old guy came down the road he wasn’t drunk or anything it was just the wind controlling his tiny little car.” He stops to look at me and wipes away some tears that have escaped my eyes. “Adam and I both looked at each as we knew what was coming we whispered goodbye’s and I closed my eyes feeling the car hit. After laying on the pavement and hearing the sirens in the distance I looked back to the car to see Adam’s face smashed on the wheel.” Stephen starts to cry again and I take my position over him cradling his tearful head in my arms. “It hit me fast that I was alive and he wasn’t. I tried to hit myself on whatever was around but it wouldn’t work. I tried to get up and move to him but I couldn’t feel or move my legs. It should’ve been me.” he breaks down again and I lean in closer to hear him mumbles "I might seem strong, but I break."

I had enough and started balling tears flowing down my face landing on the bed sheet separating our shaking bodies. “That’s enough Stephen. Remember what I told you the last time we were in this position?” he nods lightly looking a little brighter than he was minutes ago. “If God wanted you he would have taken you damn it. Now shut up about it. You’re alive and Adam has passed nothing would’ve happened if it wasn’t meant to.” I slap him and then kiss his tears away. My phone vibrates on the bedside table and I peer over to see who it is. When I see Jace’s name my stomach doesn’t flutter I don’t feel like singing with the birds. Instead I turn away to look at Stephen getting a reaction I wasn’t hoping for.

Butterflies.

*******

After Stephen’s dream and my little sign of affection I had climbed off going back to my own bed. As we sit at our table in the hospital cafeteria in silence I realize we are both feeling a little uncomfortable so being the chatty person I am I start a conversation. “You didn’t have to stand up for me yesterday.” Way to go Paisley talk about yesterday how about the part where when he looked at you it was like you were going to fly away, oooh or the part where he makes you feel more special than your own boyfriend. Why don’t you share that?

“It’s cool Isabella is a bitch anyway. I sort of wanted you to break her nose.” Stephen says over his waffles and looks over my shoulder to the door. When I swivel around I see Jace heading our way a happy go lucky look on his face. “I’m gonna walk back to the room. See you later?” he mumbles and I nod watching him walk away. He’s doing so much better on walking it’s crazy.

Jace kisses me softly on the lips and I feel nothing, absolutely nothing. When he kissed me yesterday it was like the fucking Fourth of July now it’s like a party for a person that is eighty years old and it’s their twelfth day in the nursing home.

Boring and completely pointless.

“Can’t stay long mom insists on touring my college one more time to make sure I’m absolutely positive I want to go there.” He laughs and I chuckle less than humorous. “I just wanted to stop by and see my girlfriend.” He whispers and grabs my hand leading me back towards room 146. We get there fast and he opens the door for me spinning me around to kiss me sweetly on the mouth. I urge it on seeing if tongue would make the fire spark but he pulls away giving me a disappointed look. “Bye Bud” Jace whispers turning to walk away.

I mumble a goodbye and turn around only to bump into a hard chest. I look up into the eyes of Stephen and almost jump back in alarm. He wraps an arm around my tiny waist and peers into my eyes. “I could kiss you better than that.” He whispers his hot breath on my face as he starts to lean in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOM!

And scene! Okay so I'm like REALLY sorry I haven't updated. I had no ideas. My writy mind had no words to write (not that anyone could comprehend anyway)

So here is the lovely chapter that I typed up in the last twenty minutes. I was in the shower and thought of the ending and BOOM chapter thought of. Now it was going to be like one page and just a filler but I thought of the excellence and another BOOM completed.

Like I said before I'm SUPER sorry I didn't update, but I love whoever stuck with this. Seriously I love you bro!

Over to the right ------------------> is the quote Stephen says "I might seem strong, but I break." yeah it's from Pretty Little Liars but hey it fit sort of, kind of, ANYWAY here you all go. There is no song because I couldn't think of one my mind is worn out from the chapter writing in such a fast speed.

Again I freaking love you all! BOOM love goes out to you! (I'm in a good mood and BOOM is like my word of the day!)