Walk-Off (A Kris Bryant Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

Jessica's POV

I wake up the next morning in a hospital bed.

Anthony took me to the emergency room as soon as he got back to the hotel yesterday afternoon, and he's been worried sick ever since.

I had to have a minor procedure done to fix the grade three sprain, but I was going to heal fully in about 5-7 weeks, according to the doctor.

They put a light cast on my ankle that I would have to wear for at least two weeks, probably three, but the doctor said that it could have been a lot worse, especially considering that I fell down the face of a rock.

I scrolled through my phone until I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I called, and the door opened shortly after.

I smiled when I saw Kris walk in, flowers in hand.

"Hey." He smiled, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, yourself." I reply as Kris walked towards the bed.

"I was gonna give these to Anthony, but I figured you would like them better. And he was also asleep." Kris joked, handing me the flowers.

"Thank you, Kris. They're beautiful." I say, placing them on the bed next to me.

"So they got you all patched up, huh?"

"Yeah, a few stitches here and there, plus the ankle scope. It'll be a while, but I'll make a full recovery."

"That's all that really matters." Kris says, sitting down on one of the chairs and looking out the window, staring at the Mesa metropolitan area. "So how long until you're out of here?"

"Probably a few more hours until I can get pain medication, crutches, those sorts of things." I explain, keeping my eyes on Kris, who continues to stare out the window.

There's a long pause as the room is silent for a good 30 seconds.

I sigh, and start to finish what I began yesterday.

"I'm sorry." We both said in unison, immediately looking at each other.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" I ask Kris, who smiles wryly.

"Pretty much everything over the last few days. I left you in the gym, I avoided you, and I lied to you." Kris stood up and approached the side of the bed, leaning on one of the rails. "I promise you that you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad that there's someone that you care about, and I promise that I'll be supportive-." I stop him.

"Kris, that boy I was talking about... The one Anthony was giving me a hard time about... That perfect boy..." I start, placing my hand on top of his. "I was talking about you." I say honestly, feeling my heart starting to thump against my chest.

Kris looked completely stunned, not being able to keep the smile off his face.

"Me?" Was all he could say, making me giggle.

"Yes, you, Kris." I laugh. "I just didn't know how you felt, so I didn't want to scare you off by being straight with you, and I knew that it was a mistake." I admit to him. "And for that, among other things, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Kris smiles. "I'm just happy that you feel the same way."

I looked up to the ceiling and laughed, relieved that all of my stress had been for nothing.

I was in love with Kris.

And Kris was in love with me.

I never thought that he'd feel that way about me after what happened, but the world works in mysterious ways.

"Also, I still owe you that day in downtown that we talked about a couple weeks ago." Kris said.

"Yeah, that could be like our second date." I smile.

"What was the first one?" Kris asks, puzzled.

"You carrying me back to the hotel yesterday." I remind him, joking of course.

"Hopefully our "second date" won't involve bodily harm then." Kris jokes, making me laugh.

"As long as we avoid that, it should be better than the first one." I say. Kris just smiled back at me.

His gorgeous white smile.

His perfect blue orbs, looking directly into mine.

Every second, I feel myself falling more in love with this boy.

"What?" I ask him after we stare at each other for a few seconds.

"Nothing. You're just... beautiful." He confesses, pushing a loose strand of my hair back behind my ear.

"You're too sweet, especially when I look like this."

"That doesn't change anything. You always look beautiful, Jessica."

My heart begins to pump faster, but not out of anxiety.

But happiness.

I edge closer to the end of the bed.

Closer to Kris.

Kris begins to move closer to me, our faces inches apart.

I move my hand to the back of Kris' neck and pull him as close as I can as Kris tucks a hand gently behind my ear.

I close my eyes and feel Kris' lips touch mine, tenderly, yet filled with passion.

Time seemed to have stopped in that moment.

Nothing else mattered.

It was such a simple show of affection, yet so magical all at once.

I never wanted it to end.

After what was a solid 30 seconds, Kris pulled away gently.

I opened my eyes to see Kris' sparkling blue eyes staring back at mine with a compassionate smile.

"You're amazing, Jessica." He breathes, kissing my temple.

My hands find Kris' and I pull them into me slowly.

"And you're perfect, Kris."

There was another pause.

But it wasn't awkward and it didn't feel long, but this one was just right.

There was a knock at the door and Kris immediately pulled away from me, quickly moving a safe distance away from the bed.

"Come in!" I call again, as the door opens, the doctor walks in.

He tells me that everything will be set in a few minutes and that I should get ready to leave.

As he speaks, I reach out and grab Kris' hand with mine and tuck it underneath the hospital blanket while the doctor is looking at the computer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kris turn red, smiling wide.

The doctors walks out of the room, leaving me alone with Kris.

"What was that for?" Kris asks, the smile still on his face.

"I just like the way it feels when you hold my hand. They fit together perfectly." I concede.

Kris bends down and kisses me again. The same gentle, passionate kiss that enchanted me that first time.

Without saying a word, Kris helps me out of the bed and helps me onto the floor, where I naturally just lean against his body, listening to faint, steady beat of his heart.

This is what I want.

I loved Kris more than words could explain, and could never feel any happier or safer than I am right now.

But more importantly, Kris loved me.

And I wouldn't give that up for the world.