Awks. ✓

Chapter 29: I Thought I'd Never Be Called That Again.

No no no no no no no no no no no no. This can't be happening. Not today. I'm not ready. She can't just.. She can't leave me. What if... What if I don't make it in time? What if she.. She...

"Hey, Ria!" Thomas exclaimed, shaking my shoulders, abruptly interrupting my woolgathering. My eyes refocused on him, his chocolate brown eyes staring right back at me. He raised the hand that was on my right shoulder and wiped a stray tear off of my cheek.

"She's going to be okay." He reassured me. "Your grandma is definitely not going down without a fight, so you shouldn't be acting like you've already lost her." He placed a hand on my chin and tilted my head upwards ever so slightly. "Now woman up and show me that killer smile of yours."

I was in a really bad state of mind, but could you blame my frown for turning upside down? Thomas had a way with words and I was very grateful for him being with me at that time. I don't think I could've asked for a better companion for this trip to the hospital.

He had noticed that something was wrong as soon as I ended the call with my dad back at the café. He asked me what had happened. I couldn't even form a proper sentence at the time, only muttering words like 'hospital' and 'grandma'. The next thing I knew, Ronaldo was driving us to Georgetown General Hospital.

We came to a halt in front of the building and Thomas jumped out of the car. He jogged over to my side, opening the door for me and helping me get out. I took his hand and didn't let go as we walked through the main entrance.

It was like the reality of it all hit me as soon as I saw the floor covered with white tiles, the people walking around in different coloured scrubs and inhaled the smell of disinfectant. I began to hyperventilate, looking around and assuming the worst.

"Ellen Evans." Thomas told the receptionist, his thumb drawing circles on the back of my hand.

As my eyes were rapidly traveling from face to face around me, they happened to land on a familiar one. Not even paying attention to the rest of my surroundings, I ran towards him, Thomas' hand still in contact with mine. "Where is she?" I blurted out, sounding as if I had just ran a marathon.

"She's stable now." My dad replied, releasing a sigh of relief. "She's okay."

In the split of a second, I wrapped my arms around his torso and buried my face in his chest in an attempt to cover the few tears that had escaped from my eyes. "Thank God."

"Would you like to go see her?" He asked me as I let go of him. I nodded without hesitation and followed him.

After leading me to her room, my dad told me that he needed to talk with her doctor and that he'd be back in a couple of minutes. He looked a bit strange as he gripped my shoulder supportively before walking down the corridor.

What was with that face he was pulling?

"I don't think your dad likes me much, Ria."

I totally forgot about Thomas for a second! And the fact that my hand somehow managed to find its way back into his after hugging my dad. No wonder he looked shocked. I didn't even introduce them.

"I'll have to fix that later." I sighed.

"I'll be right here when you're done." He said, standing on one side of the door.

"You're not coming in with me?" I asked, shocked.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" He asked back, quite shocked himself.

"Of course I do." I told him. " Grams likes you." The smirk on his face was increasing in size at every word that left my mouth. "Lord knows why she does." I scoffed, deciding to end the conversation there and opening the door in front of me.