The Bad Boy's Sweetheart ✓

10.Her

Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.
-J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)

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Listen to the shape of you by Ed Sheeran

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I felt a surge of strength within me as the tears of pain formed a huge puddle on the bathroom floor. I refused to cry out for him anymore; my howls became silent and my racing heart gradually calmed down after the mental exhaustion I had put myself through. He was going to leave, sooner or later, and I had to regain my composure.

Taking a deep breath, I rose to my feet and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were swollen, and my face was flushed, but I refused to let him have any more power over me. I washed my face with cold water and took a few more deep breaths before leaving the bathroom.

As I walked back to my desk, I knew that I was stronger than I had ever been before. I wouldn't let anyone control me or bring me down. From now on, I was in charge of my own life.

"I tried so many times to hold onto him, just like I did with my mom, but he still left." I thought to myself as I stared blankly at the wall. He never wanted anything to do with me in the first place, and I was slowly coming to terms with it.

"We've been looking everywhere for you," the nurse said as she grabbed my arm, startling me out of my thoughts. "Come with me, dear." This time, I didn't resist. I complied like the obedient child I was trained to be.

She didn't ask me what was wrong or pry into my state of mind. Instead, she silently guided me back to my room and helped me lie down on the hard hospital bed, just as my mom had always told me to do when I felt overwhelmed.The darkness of the night sky outside the window only added to my unease. I couldn't stop thinking about the man who had tried to harm me, and the nagging doubts I had about his possible connections to Ryson's gang. Despite everything, I didn't want him to get hurt. That man was dangerous, and if it wasn't for Ryson, I might have been killed or worse.

I stared up at the ceiling, lost in my thoughts until a shadow caught my attention and I quickly averted my eyes to the door. My heart rate spiked with fear until I saw that it was Alexa. She rushed to my side, concern etched on her face as she took my hand.

"What happened to you?" She asked, her voice soft and gentle. I wanted to push her away, to keep her from getting too close to the mess that was my life, but her warmth and care were too comforting to resist.

"I had a panic attack and forgot my inhaler." I answered automatically, my mind still caught up on the name "Evange" that had been whispered in my ear. I struggled to focus on what she said next, my thoughts consumed by the possibility that Ryson might be involved with dangerous people.

Alexa's concerned voice brought me back to the present. "Do you need me to get you a new inhaler?" she asked, her hand still holding mine.

I shook my head, feeling foolish for letting my anxiety take over. "No, I'll be fine. Thank you, though." I said, trying to sound reassuring.

But deep down, I knew that my worries went far beyond my forgotten inhaler. I couldn't shake off the feeling that something dangerous was lurking in the shadows, threatening to harm Ryson and anyone else caught in its path. She kept ranting on and I zoned out, my head banged terribly.

"....your dad." She finished and I nodded with a poker face. I was literally out of it.

"You're not fine," Alexa replied, her eyes filled with concern. "You just had a panic attack and you forgot your inhaler. You need to take care of yourself."

I looked down at my hands, feeling ashamed that I couldn't even take care of my own health. "I just don't want to burden my dad anymore." I admitted quietly. She patted my shoulder in comfort and I gave her a smile as I remembered Rys.

His fingers danced over the keys, producing a melody that flowed through the air and into my soul. The way he let out a smile once in a while when he played the piano was enchanting, and his eyes held a peacefulness that was stunning to behold. It was as if he was transported to another world when he played, and I was lucky enough to witness it.

"You're not fine." She snapped, and Ryson's smile faded as my eyes took in the concern my best friend was feeling. Her forest green eyes looked almost foreign in the bright yellow hospital light that illuminated her face.

"Alexa, dad doesn't need to be worried and neither should you," I stated, "the annual winter is in two days and I am better now." I explained to ease her worry.

The steady beeping of the heart monitor and the numbness of the needles in my pale hand kept me anchored in the clinical room. I wiggled my toes, grateful for the conditioned air that relieved the sweat from my skin. The cool air blowing on my face was a welcome sensation amidst the sterile environment.

"I won't call your dad," my stressed shoulders sagged in relief to Alexa's surrender until she talked again, "unless you tell me what happened." I huffed at how annoyingly nosey she could be and decided to tell her.

"A man tried to kidnap me while I was walking home," I revealed, and Alexa gasped audibly at my confession. "Ryson saved me and brought me here when I had a panic attack because of the incident." I added, watching as Alexa's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"Oh my God, Ryson, the bad boy," she squealed, "saved you." Her laughter was contagious, but I couldn't help feeling annoyed by her narrow-mindedness. Just because Ryson had a reputation for being a troublemaker didn't mean he couldn't do something good.

"Yeah, he did," I replied with a hint of irritation in my voice. "And he's not as bad as everyone thinks he is. He's actually quite different from the image he puts out there." I couldn't help but defend him. Despite his tough exterior, I had seen a softer side of him.

Alexa's expression softened, and she placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just can't believe it, that's all."

I nodded, feeling a mix of emotions. Part of me was grateful to Ryson for saving me, but another part was confused about my feelings towards him.

"Yeah, I was just as surprised as you are." I admitted truthfully. The way Ryson had looked at me was so raw and passionate that it had taken my breath away. I realized then that I had been too quick to judge him. Despite his tough exterior, he was capable of genuine emotion, and I had to remind myself that everyone had their struggles.

"When are they letting you out of the hospital?" Alexa asked with frantic eyes, her worry palpable. I knew that my dad would be bombarding her with questions until she told him the truth.

"I'll be discharged in an hour." I responded, trying to sound nonchalant. The clock on the wall read 8 pm, and in just an hour, I'd have to face the memories of the previous unforgettable events. I didn't want to relive them all over again.

Alexa stayed by my side for an hour, chatting about our future plans and reminiscing about old memories. Even though we were complete opposites, our friendship was unique and special to me in its own way.

"I hope you feel better later." The nurse that brought me in earlier reappeared and wished me luck when she told me I was going to be let out.

"Thank you." I breathlessly said with a smile. I was aching to go back home and read even more about how to have piano control and the basics.

As we walked out of the hospital, my eyes involuntarily scanned the area where Ryson had left earlier. I couldn't help but wonder where he had gone and if he was okay. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, knowing that I shouldn't care about him after what he had done in the past.

Alexa noticed my distraction and put a comforting arm around me. "Hey, you okay?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. We made our way to the car and I settled into the passenger seat, still lost in my thoughts.

As we drove away from the hospital, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was going to see Ryson again soon. And I wasn't sure if I was ready for that.