The Streets Higher Stakes

7. Waking

I opened my eyes, seeing nothing but white once more. I groaned at the brightness, closing my eyes once more and slowly opening them. When I opened them, a woman and a man were looking down at me. A moment later she was reaching towards me, grabbing something that was on my face and then gently pulling. I felt something move in my mouth and I opened it, seeing that she had removed a tube.

"Cole? Can you hear me?" The man asked. My hearing coming back to me. 

"Yea. I can hear you just fine." My voice sounding hoarse. My throat was dry, I was in desperate need of some water.

"It's good that you're awake. You gave us a good scare. We'll come back later to talk about your condition, you have some recovery time." He gave my leg a pat and he left along with the woman.

I sighed, closing my eyes once more. The pain when I had got shot was intense but now everything was numbed down, making me feel drowsy. I opened my eyes, turning my head seeing that I wasn't alone. Trish was curled up in a small chair, looking uncomfortable. Her elbow was propped on the armrest, her hand keeping her head lifted. Her hair was wild as if she couldn't be bothered to brush it and her beautiful eyes were regarding me.

"Hi." I said weakly.

She didn't say anything but just continued to look at me. We stayed like that, her looking at me and me looking back at her. She moved her hair away from her face a few minutes later as I saw her eyes become glassy.

"What's wrong?" I asked, she was sitting just out of arm length so I couldn't reach over and touch her.

She looked down, pressing her lips together and composing herself. "Nothing. I'm just glad you're okay." She said as she looked back up and gave me a wobbly smile.

"Come here." I replied. I couldn't remember the last time I had touched her. Was it at the restaurant? I don't know, but all I want to do is touch her. I watched her stand up and walk the few paces to me and grab my hand. I sighed, as I felt her skin finally against mine.

"Your hand is warm again." She commented while looking at them. I furrowed my eyebrows at her and she shook her head, not answering my unspoken question.

"Lay with me." I begged. Holding her hand isn't enough, I wanted to hold her in my arms. But she shook her head, pulling her hand from mine.

"You're too injured Cole." She crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips together.

"Please." I begged again.

"You died Cole! I watched you fucking die with my own two eyes. I also watched the doctors and nurses bustle around you and try their best to save you." She said angrily.

I died? I suddenly remembered the black gates and the angelic voices as I got closer. I must've died when I was border line with the gates.

I shook my head, looking back at Trish. "But I'm not dead. I'm going to be okay. Now just come here." I said forcefully. Her lip wavered but she listened to me. She pulled down the guard rail on my right and slowly laid down on her side beside me. I put my arm under her waist and over the other side and pulled her to me. I placed a long kiss on her forehead as I began rubbing my fingers over her back. She started to shake in my arms, crying. I felt her hot tears on my neck as I whispered comforting things in her ear. I continued until she stopped shaking, her breathe now even, indicating that she had fallen asleep. I pressed my cheek to her forehead closing my eyes in content. It felt good to touch her again.

I heard the door of my room click open and shut. I sighed, wishing I had more time to be alone with her but I opened my eyes.

My father, looking older than his thirty years was leaning against the wall looking at me with haunting eyes. I looked back at him before weakly saying once more "Hi." He let out a breath he must've been holding before coming to the side of the bed Trish wasn't on.

"How you feeling, kiddo?" He asked in a shaky voice.

"I'm okay, dad. I'm numb from the medicine so I can't feel much of anything." I said, wanting to reassure him. After seeing Trish cry, I didn't want to see him cry either. But he nodded, positioning himself in one of the other chairs in the room.

"She's never left." He spoke quietly looking at how Trish and I were positioned. I tightened my grip around her waist and breathed in the smell of her. She isn't exactly a cuddle type of girl, so having her pressed against me was a relief.

"What do you mean by that? I haven't been out that long, have I?" I asked.

"Three days. She's barely eaten and she's refused me and a few other of your friends that have been here. She's stayed over night all three days but she doesn't look like she's slept much, besides now." He explained to me.

 If I knew anything about her, I would've thought that she would be trying her best to find out who did this. Not only because she cares for me but because this was a blindside none of us had expected.

"But I've got to say, these guys don't look like the usual crowd you hang out around." My dad said with a raise of his brow.

"I know. That's one of the reasons why I like them so much."