Songs Unsung - Book One

Chapter Twenty Nine

Dedicated to ayemsweetiehoney - Welcome! I hope you enjoy the story! X

I paced back and forth within the sterile corridor of the hospital awaiting any word on Chase's condition. "Annabelle" Lacey yelled as she ran toward me, engulfing me in a hug. I burst into tears as she rubbed my back in comfort.

"I don't know what happened!" I cried into her shoulder as she tried to hush my cries. "Don't let him die! Please don't let him die!"

Lacey pulled me away, looking into my eyes as she did. Through tears of her own she wailed "We are not going to let him die! Do you hear me?! He's going to be okay" she pulled my face back to her chest as she repeated in a soothing tone "He's going to be okay. Shhhhh He's going to be okay."

Lacey moved to take a plastic bag from her purse and handed it to me "Here, I thought you might need a fresh set of clothes."

Whilst wiping my tears from my face, I thanked her before taking the bag of clothes to the bathroom to change. As I looked in the mirror at my mascara lined face, I noticed the Tiffany Diamond sitting safely around my neck. At that moment, I wished we had lost the heavy thing like we had joked about earlier in the day instead of possibly losing the most important thing in my life to date - Chase.

The tears rushed from my eyes again as I thought of Chase lying on the surgery bed being poked and prodded by Doctors and Nurses as they tried to save his life.

Anger filled my body as I looked at the diamond in the reflection before me. "Stupid diamond!" I hissed as though I was blaming it for the events of the night.

Reality hit me like a wave as I imagined never being able to hold Chase again. Never having his eyes look deeply into mine. Never having his warm lips press on my forehead. Never holding his hand...

"Ahhh" I screamed as I hit the mirror in front of me. Large sobs escaped my lungs as I fell back, hitting my back against the wall whilst I clutched my aching stomach with my hands. I slid down the wall, clutching the pain as traces of it fell from my eyes.

Now lying on the floor, gently rocking as I prayed for Chase to be okay, I remembered the first time I met him in the office. I let out a small laugh as I remembered him tease Bernadette about my accent. Memories of him picking me up and attempting to throw me in the bin and his voice as he obnoxiously called me 'nutcase' caused me to laugh through the tears. I must have looked like exactly that as I lied on the cold bathroom floor laughing through bouts of tears - but I didn't care because in that moment, I was with him, enjoying him in my memory.

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It was as if time stood still as the hours passed slowly. The loud ticking of the clock echoed through my brain like a dripping tap in the middle of a restless night as each second slowly tortured me as it passed.

TICK ... TICK ... TICK

"Ahh! I'm going to throw that clock across the room!" I yelled in frustration.

"It's okay, it won't be much longer I promise" Lacey soothed as she moved to rub by back again in comfort. "Why don't you take a walk and get a coffee? I'll call you the minute I hear anything" she said with smiling eyes, although I could see the sad that sat behind them.

"You're right, I'm so sorry Lacey. I'll go and clear my head for a minute." I replied, embarrassed by my outburst.

"Don't be sorry Sweety, I'll be right here if you need me. Take your time." she replied sympathetically.

I nodded before turning to make my way up the corridor to the cafeteria.

I sat my cappuccino on the cafeteria table and took a seat whilst looking at my phone in search of Mia's number. As I dialed, her phone gave the 'engaged' signal causing me to hang up.

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Text to Mia: "I need you :("

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As I sipped my coffee, I looked at the notifications displayed on my phone.

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"3 New Notifications from Google Alert"

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Hesitantly, I pressed on the Google Alert Notifications which opened a screen in my internet browser.

"Chase's Mystery Woman Revealed as Belle of the Ball" The headline read making me curious to read more. I pressed on the headline to reveal the entire news reel.

"Chase Thomas' mystery woman has finally been revealed as Belle, an Australian beauty who works as a Production Manager - a close source to the couple has explained.

I pressed the back button on the browser, shaking my head in confusion as to who the 'source' could be. Another headline highlighted my screen.

"NEWSFLASH Chase Thomas Stabbed in Brawl"

What?

I opened the news reel, only to be exposed to more lies.

"Chase Thomas has been stabbed in an alleged brawl at the Beverly Hilton tonight. It seems our Prince Charming was defending his new Princess' honour as the brawl broke out with a member of Scarlett Simm's entourage...Belle should know not to mess with Scarlett"

I slammed the phone down on the table, rolling my eyes in frustration. "Chase was right - don't believe everything you read." I thought to myself as the grim reality aggressively hit the forefront of my mind again. "Poor Chase" I whimpered as I let my head fall into my hands as tears rushed down my face once again.

I awoke from my moment of solitude to a loud buzz from the table. I watched as my phone pranced on the tabletop, vibrating with a ring. "Mia" I smiled as eagerness overwhelmed my body.

"Belle, are you okay?" Mia asked, obviously worried from my text message.

"Chase isn't" I replied, starting to cry again in the instant that I heard her voice.

I explained what had happened to Mia as best I could through heavy sobs.

"Oh my gosh Belle, I wish I was there with you right now!" Mia exclaimed

"Me too" I whimpered down the phone

"Will he be okay? What have they told you?"

"Nothing!" I shrieked in frustration "I don't know anything and its killing me. This feeling in my stomach and chest is like something is ripping its way through my body and trying to escape through my skin!"

"Oh Belle" Mia soothed "You love him don't you?" she asked

"More than anything!" I replied, partially yelling down the phone as the pain filled my entire body in response to her words.

"Right, I'm coming there right now!" Mia said sternly

"No, don't drop everything and fly across the world M, besides, who will look after my house?" I said with a slight smile.

Mia's Lease had expired a month after I left for LA which tied in perfectly with my need for someone to live in my home.

"It will be fine for a few days Belle. I'm coming to be by your side whether you like it or not!" she demanded

"M, seriously, there's nothing you can do here. I'll be waiting around, waiting for any word on him. You'll be bored"

"No, I'll be by my best friend's side as she worries about the man she loves. I'm leaving on the next flight. I'll call you once I land. That's that Belle, I love you"

Filled with gratitude for having such an amazing friend, I let a smile fall over my face. "Thank you M, I love you." I replied before ending the call and returning to Lacey's side.