The Beauty Underneath

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Decisions

I was making my essay about gravity when I received a phone call from Josephine.

“Look, I’m at school and my teacher is giving me the bad eye—”

“Winston’s awake!” Josephine told me, her voice filled with joy and happiness.

My mouth dropped open. Mr. Martez, my Physics teacher, was still glaring at me, his eyes daring if I should put down my phone. I didn’t even pay any attention to him. All I could decipher was that Winston was awake, and I’m supposed to be by his side.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I said and hung up.

“Where are you going, Ms. Maxwell?” he asked, as I stood up and began clearing my things.

“I have to go to the hospital. He’s awake and he seriously needs me right now.”

“Whatever is that could wait, Ms. Maxwell. Finish your essay and then you may go.”

I glared at him. “I’m not going to finish any essays, Mr. Martez. I have to go right now!”

“Erin—”

I grabbed my paper and pen from the table and threw it at Mr. Martez’s direction. There was a collective gasp and I looked down at my hands in horror. What have I done? I have just thrown my things at a teacher. He stared back at me, his expression surprised. I bet he didn’t expect that from one of his best students.

“Ms. Erin Maxwell, I’m afraid you have to go to the Principal’s office immediately,” he said, smoothing down his polo shirt.

I smiled apologetically. “No time, Mr. Martez. Goodbye!”

And with that, I dashed off the classroom. Mr. Martez called my name repeatedly, but I refused to look back. Winston’s awake and I know he wants to see me and I know he needs me this instant.

And I have to say something to him – something very important.

***

I slammed the door open. Josephine was sitting down on a chair beside Winston’s bed. She was talking to him in a low voice. Winston, was still lying on his back, but I could see him moving his hands while talking to Josephine. As soon as I went inside, they both stopped and looked at my direction.

Josephine smiled. “Erin, dear, Winston’s been looking for you as soon as he woke up.”

I closed the door behind me. With shaking hands, I walked slowly to the bed. Winston still looked tired and weak but that didn’t stop him from smiling at me. I suddenly recalled why he was here in the first place. He was driving because he was mad at himself with cheating on me.

“Hello,” I said quietly.

“Erin,” he said my name and took my hand to his. “I missed you.”

“I’ll give you some privacy,” Josephine said and stood up from her seat. She left without another word.

I sat down on her seat and took a deep breath. I’ve always wondered what to say when Winston’s going to be awake but now when the moment had come, I had forgotten what to say. He didn’t let go of my hand.

“Winston, look, now that you’re awake, you have to hear what I’m going to say.”

“What is it, Erin?”

“I… I want to break up with you.”

Winston frowned and looked down at me questioningly. “What do you mean? You want to break up with me? But, Erin, I love you!”

“I love you, too, but that doesn’t erase the past. That doesn’t erase the fact that you kissed Wendy.”

“She kissed me first!”