Social Experiment

56 | The Awakening

I think this title is pretty dramatic and that's why I like it. Enjoy the chapter and comment & vote!!!
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I all but leap out of the hospital bed when I hear Ty's words, my heart hammering so loud that I could hear it ringing in my ears. I stumbled over my own feet as I followed Ty through the hospital hallways, my mind racing with the endless "what if's" that I had been trying to keep at bay previously.  When he finally reaches a hospital room, Ty pushes open the door and I scramble after him, bursting into the room and settling my feverish gaze on the bed.

Lying there, hooked up to monitors, was Nathan. It was the first time I'd seen him since we got to the hospital, and watching him lay in that stupid hospital bed make my heart skip a beat. His eyes were shut and breathing deep and even, as if he were asleep. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief leave me when I realized he was still breathing, that he was still okay. Slowly, I took a few steps closer to him, examining the gash on his forehead and the medical gauze wrapped around his stomach.

"Is this Miss Collins?" A sweet voice asks from behind me, but I can't take my eyes off of Nathan to examine its owner.

"Yes, this is Lauren," Ty explains breathlessly.

"Miss Collins," The voice says again, and I somehow find it in me to tear my gaze away from Nathan and turn to the source, a plump dark skinned nurse with a sympathetic smile. "I understand you're Nathan's girlfriend?"

"Yes," I choke out, my gaze flickering back to his seemingly asleep body on the bed. "Is he okay?"

When I look back at her, she's smiling softly at me again. "He's actually made progress in the past few minutes. We just allowed Tyler to come in to see him, and after a few minutes of talking to him, Nathan began to twitch his fingers."

My brow furrows. "How is talking to him making him move?"

"You see, when a human body is in a comatose state in this condition, there can sometimes be triggers to help the person fully come to," The nurse explains.

Still, though, I'm confused; and as usual, I can't keep the questions from bubbling out of my mouth. "Where do I come into this?"

She smiles again. "Tyler told me that he had mentioned your name when Nathan showed signs of life. We're thinking that maybe if you speak with him, you could pull him out of his sleep-like state."

My heart skipped a beat in my chest and I looked back at Nathan. They thought that I could wake him up? As I stared at his still body, I thought about how the last time he was awake, we were so happy together. I thought about letting him hold me, and I thought about our final kiss before he went to race, and I suddenly felt determination shoot through me. I needed Nathan back, and if the nurse thought I was the one that could get him back, then I would try.

I look back at the nurse and Ty and nod slowly. "Okay, I'll try."

She smiles wider. "Thank you, Miss Collins. We will leave you two alone, but if he wakes, please buzz the help button immediately. We need to check him for any brain damage as soon as possible."

My heart tightened at the mention of possible brain damage, but I nodded anyway. Without looking at them again, I set my gaze on Nathan and walked closer to him. Hesitantly, I sat down on the chair beside his bed, and faintly heard the door shut behind me. My eyes were burning a hole through his face, grazing over the stitched gash on his forehead to his bruised jaw, ending at his thick lashes that were helplessly shut.

"Nathan," I breathe, and almost immediately, I feel tears spring to my eyes. "God, you look like shit."

I stop for a second, a half laugh, half sob tearing through me. Once I'm semi positive I've regained some type of composure, I open my mouth to speak again.