Struck by lightning

Chapter 5: Hospital

A/N: I thought I’d make this a regular thing, at the start of my chapters.

First of all, a huge thanks to Mpa123- she was one of the first who encouraged me to keep going, and shared it, which I’m really grateful for her to. Secondly, a big thanks to those who have commented, and been really kind in their praise. :)

Emifaun, I’m really happy you like it. I’ll definitely check your story out.

And as an additional note, I’m sorry this chapter is so short- and definitely not my best. I also apologise for the awful chapter title. But I wanted to try and update it every other day. I’m not guaranteeing I’ll always be able to, but I try.

When we see Andrea, we freeze. In that moment, it’s like a space of time has been frozen, preserved.

“Andrea...It’s not what it looks like,” I gush out, hoping my hurried words will somehow keep her in the dark about my relationship with Danny. Danny sinks down to a chair, avoiding eye contact.

“Oh, isn’t it?” She raises an eyebrow, unimpressed.

I want to rush over to her, grab her hands, squeeze them tightly, and plead. Like I’m down on my knees, a grovelling peasant for a king. “You can’t tell anybody. Anybody. Please, Andrea. You have to understand. This is serious.”

“Looks serious enough,” she drily comments.

While I’m desperately trying to get a guarantee from her that she’ll keep her mouth shut, Danny sits there, head hung, quiet.

I nudge him. “Say something!”

“What can I say?” He asks, his Irish accent thick. “I don’t know what to do. This wasn’t meant to happen, this wasn’t-“ he sighs deeply, and puts his face in his hands.

Surprisingly enough, Andrea promises to keep quiet. Danny’s bad state softens her. “I won’t tell them. Don’t worry. But, Lea”-she touches me on the arm, gently-“I hope you realise you’re playing a dangerous game here.”

Then, she’s gone. No shocked faces. No struggle to grasp the fact we’re a couple. Nothing.

I look at Danny, feeling speechless. “Did that just happen?”

He shrugs, looking miserable. “I guess so. But Lea, this is- ugh. I did not want this to happen. Maybe we shouldn’t have-“

 cut him off. He can’t say that. He can’t wish we were never a couple. He can’t. “It did happen. Okay? It did. And I’m sorry I love you, and that we’re a couple. But there’s nothing we can do now.”

I’m suddenly very aware of what I look like. “I’m sorry what I’ve put you in the past 24 hours. I shouldn’t have got into that mess with Jake, I know. It was stupid of me. Also, I’m sorry I look like this”-I gesture to my hospital gown and crumpled bed sheets-“I’m not a good person, am I?”

“No,” he groans, “you’re not a bad person, Lea. I’ve been worrying about you all night, that’s all. I thought I’d lost you- and then you turn up here, in the hospital-“ his voice cracks. For a minute, I think he’s going to cry. That’s good. I want him to cry. Because it’s exactly how I feel.

“And now Andrea knowing about us...The media would go mad if they knew...I need to be alone, okay?” He pushes his chair as he stands up, and walks out, leaving me behind.

I feel like someone’s winded me with a punch to my chest. I can hardly breathe.

A few hours in this hospital feel like days. It almost feels like a prison. And with no-one with me, I feel even worse. Since Danny left me, I feel like there’s a hole in my chest. My body doesn’t function normally. I feel bruises more intensely. My wound throbs, even harder and more noticeably.

Dr. Coombes visits every hour or so, ‘to check up’ but not even his jokes and charm cheer me up. He even compliments me a few times, but I barely notice.

Eventually, my phone buzzes with a text. I unlock my phone, hoping it to be Danny; but instead, it’s a surprise text from my mum.

Hey sweetie, it starts,

So excited to see you in the Voice in a couple of months. Can’t wait. We’re all missing you back home, and Dad sends his love. Although I think he’s more interested in putting up shelves than worrying about you. Maybe after filming, you could come visit us back home?

Love,

Mum. x

Her text makes me heart ache slightly. Moving away from my parents was hard enough. I’d grown up with them, in my small village on the coast. We knew each other well. Most of my childhood days were spent lazing out in the sunshine and finding secretive places to hide away, reading books. Now I’ve grown up, and moved away, I see less and less of her. My kind mother, with a soft voice and blonde hair. I miss her.

I feel panic when I realise she hasn’t found out I’m lying in hospital with a head wound after drinking and getting high on a splint. I guess I’m not her innocent girl anymore.

I decide not to text her back, after a long inward battle. She’s your mother, one side argues, while the other part of me argues back that she’ll most likely find out about my injury, and panic. I don’t need that motherly stress right now.

I want to be back in my home. I want to be with my parents. I want to be with Danny, I want to feel his touch again. I want- oh God, I want so much. I don’t want to be here.

“You look deep in thought,” my doctor jokes. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” he adds, with a wink. My gaze trails to the white walls of my hospital bedroom. I don’t bother to look at him.

“I’m sorry, you’ll be able to go home soon. Your wound is doing well, healing up.”

I don’t respond, not moving.                                                     

“Lea?” He exhales, and my bed sinks under his weight. “I understand. You don’t like being stuck here, it’s boring. In fact, I hate hospitals sometimes, too.”

My head rolls to look at him. “No. You don’t understand.”

Silence hangs heavily in the air, and our eyes lock: his pitying brown eyes, and my hard brown ones.

“Fine. I don’t.” There’s an edge to his voice, and the charming, humorous young doctor is gone. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

Yet another person leaves my room that day.

I hate hospitals.