Bad Dreams // c.t.h

14.

"I love you."

We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. My heart was racing in my chest as Calum's gorgeous eyes watched me, waiting for a reply.

I opened my mouth but no words came out. I was too shocked to speak. Calum loved me.

Calum loved me.

Calum fucking Hood loved me.

"Calum, I-"

The door opened and a nurse walked in. My gaze left Calum's as I turned to look at the nurse. Calum coughed and scratched the back of his neck. I could see the blush rising to his cheeks.

The nurse smiled at me. "Aoife, we better get you off for some more tests." She turned her attention to Calum. "You can wait here, I'm sure she won't be long."

Calum nodded but didn't look at me.

The nurse wheeled me out of the room, much to my dismay. I could have eaten her for having such bad timing.

The check up only lasted about half an hour and soon enough, I was being wheeled back to my room on my uncomfortable bed, Calum being the only thing keeping me sane right now.

But when I got back he wasn't there.

"Um, do you know where the boy that was here is gone?" I asked the nurse as she fixed my bed for the night.

She smoothed down the bedsheets and walked to the door. "No, but I'm sure he'll be back tomorrow," she replied before she left me on my own for the night.

But Calum never showed up the next day.

I was reading a book in my room in the afternoon when Luke and Michael came in.

"How are you feeling?" Michael asked as he sat on the chair beside my bed. Luke sat on the other side of me.

"I'm good," I answered, hoping for Calum to walk in after them. "Is Calum with you?"

Michael and Luke exchanged a glance. "No," Luke said. "But I'm sure he'll be in tomorrow."

That's exactly what the nurse said last night, but Calum never visited the next day either.

And he didn't visit at all after that. The  last time I had seen him had been the night I was brought in, and that was five days ago.

On my last day, Jess came in to pick me up. She had visited every day, bringing various treats and pick-me-ups with her. My room and bin were full of magazines, DVDs, sweet wrappers and chocolate bar wrappers.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked, linking arms with me and walking me out of the room.

"Do you know where Calum is?" I asked, getting into the taxi waiting outside the hospital.

"No, why? Have you not seen him?"

I shook my head, sighing. I wasn't going to tell Jess about what Calum had said, because so far, he didn't seem like he really truly meant it. He would have visited otherwise, wouldn't he?

I leaned my head against the window, the condensation cooling my face and making me feel better.

"Are you really ok?" Jess asked suddenly. "I didn't realise how bad you were."

I closed my eyes. "Jess, I was drunk and my emotions were everywhere. I didn't know what I was doing." I paused. "I'm really sorry."