Blue Flower

Chapter 25

-Chester-

My eyes swung open.

I could see the blinding white light before me, pondering if I was dead, or in heaven maybe. Its pure color almost totally shut my eyesight. As I tried to look around me, I couldn’t see any person. I found myself lying on a soft ground. Closing my eyes again, I convinced myself that I was dreaming.

And when I woke up, I was lying on a hospital bed.

Naomi was sitting alone in a chiar near the door. Her gaze was on the floor, and she look depressed. I called her out.

“Chester!” she exclaimed and walked up to me. I gave her a waek, exhausted smile.

“I’m so glad you woke up. I really thought you’re gonna die.” she added.

That put me down a bit, but the fact that she was glad cheered me up. I tried to move and reach out to her. I felt a sudden pain my body.

“Don’t move. You’ve been beaten up, remember?” she ordered.

I stopped for a minute to think back of those things strings of events. This morning, the front tire of my bicycle got hit by a speeding car. It threw me on the ground. I had a sprain on my ankle and a big wound on my forehead. I got beaten up by Robert and his friends. And then Andrew saved came by to help me. Then I passed out.

I looked underneath my hospital clothing, and what seemed like a million archipelagic bruises put me into shock.

“Oh my god…” I mumbled.

“By the way, I brought something for you.” She went back to her chair and took out a cup of vanilla ice cream.

“Here’s your favorite!”

A joyful smile lit up my face. Vanilla ice cream was my favorite since I was a child. It eased a little bit of my burden and emotional pain.

“Thanks.” I said and sat up. I started eating when she put a hand on my knee.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I know I should have stood by your side. Whether you believe it or not, I was afraid. I’m really sorry, Chester.” she said sincerely and cried. Though I was disappointed of her sudden absence,I tried my best to understand her. She had been with me, hiding somewhere to catch me when I fall down.

I smiled. I couldn’t stop the tears from falling while I was eating my ice cream.

“And no matter what it takes, I accept you as who you are. We’re best friends, right? We’ve been through a lot. Thick and thin, rain and shine, you’re always by my side. So it’s time for me to be your angel.” she added.

“Thank you.” I mumbled. “Thank you so much, Naomi.”

We were talking comfortably in the next fifteen minuteswhen the door suddenly banged open. We both looked at who was coming.

Andrew.

I felt my heart race with my blood circulation as he approached my bed. He had a worried look on his face.

“How are you, Chester? Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for bringing me here.” I said.

I was thankful, very thankful. If Andrew didn’t bring me here, I could have died inside the school grounds. A sweeping round of gratitude warmed my heart. I smiled at him, and he asked Naomi some time for us to talk alone. I insisted that we should talk outside, not here in my room. Andrew handed me my crutches and we walked outside.

We sat on a bench down the hallway, with all the patients, nurses and doctors walking here and there in front of us. Silence seemed to take up most of our time. I finished my ice cream while he stared at nothing. I looked at him, feeling the unbearable pain in my heart. Despite what happened, he still had the heart to save me.

He met my gaze, and he smiled at me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he suddenly asked.

I uttered the words I’ve been dying to say.

“I’m sorry.”

He instantly got what I said, and he put an arm around me. Before he could say anything, I continued speaking. I looked at him straight in his eyes, to end this hiding of my feelings for him.

“I’m sorry but I love you, though I wasn’t supposed to happen. You treated me as a friend, but I wanted more than that. I’m crazy, and everytime I see you, I always don’t know what to do. All the kindness I showed to you were sincere, and please don’t doubt it.”

He fell silent for a minute, and then removed his arm around my shoulders. I started to cry again, feeling so awful and sorry to myself for this brave confession. It took all my guts out of me.

“Chester…” he called.

“Yes?”

“Thank you. I owe you a lot, and if you want, I could give you a list of what you’ve done for me. I know words are not enough, and when this crap came out, I don’t know how to deal with you. I never expect you to feel that way to me. It kind of freaked me out.”

More tears came out from my eyes, streaming down my cheeks. I finally realized what big trouble I had caused.

“I saved you, just to give back all that you’ve done for me. I don’t want to see you get killed by those jerks.”

I smiled, in spite of my tears. One question ran into my mind, and it would be too late if I didn’t ask him.

“Andrew, if given by chance, if Reese isn’t your girlfriend, would you love me back?”

The answer was very quick.

“No.”

That made my heartbreak more painful. I was the only one loving, and I could never be loved back.

“You’re important to me, Chester. As much as I love Reese, I love you too. You’re my best friend, and a brother as well. I’m so lucky to meet someone like you.”

I managed not to respond to what he said. The fact that he loves me as a friend eased and consoled me. I was his best friend, and I clung on to that thought.

He engulfed me in a tight hug. I was speechless at first, but I gave the gesture back, as tight as I could. This may never come again. I mgiht not have the chance to hug him like this. In his arms, I felt safe, warm, and comfortable. No one could judge me and put me down. Right now, all I had to do is accpet that we were just friends, nothing more, nothing less.

But somehow, I got used to the thought that FORBIDDEN LOVE IS ALWAYS FORBIDDEN.