Between Us [Spaces Sequel]

f i f t e e n

After some tests and some more waiting, the doctor finally came to us. Harry was nervously playing with my hand and I could tell how worried he was. I felt so sorry for him. I never meant for any of this to happen nor did I want him to worry.
The doctor sat down on the opposite side of the table and looked down at his notes. "We have discovered a large inner bleeding in your abdomen. Is there anything that happened to you recently that could've caused this?"
"I fell down the stairs at university," I lied. Harry's hand squeezed mine. He knew I was lying. My father did this.
"Alright," the doctor replied, looking down at his notes again. "You need to have a surgery which we should schedule as soon as possible."
"Surgery?" Harry mumbled.
"It's nothing too big," the doctor tried to calm us down a little. He put down a few papers in front of me. "You have to sign these before the surgery."
"Do I really need to be operated?" I asked. Hospitals always scared me and I had never had surgery before. Just thinking about it made me feel nauseous. The last time I had been at the hospital, had been because of my abusive father. It felt like déjà-vu. 
"We would really recommend it as your state is really urgent."
"That means I will die if I don't get the surgery?" I asked him.
"Yes, exactly."
I nodded, as if it was the most normal conversation to have when it really wasn't. My lungs were burning and there was a huge pressure on my head that begged to be relieved.
"I'm gonna leave you two alone now. If you have any further questions, I will see you again later," the doctor said, getting up while giving me a reassuring smile.
"Thank you," I mumbled, as he left the room.
As soon as the door shut, I exhaled in relief. Tears came running down my cheeks that I had been holding back.
"Scar," Harry whispered, pulling me close into his chest. I let the tears stream down to stop my head from pouding, to stop my lungs from burning. We remained like that for a while, just me crying into my boyfriend's chest. I could've stayed there all day, to enjoy his warmth, his company.
After some time, I sat up straight again and wiped my tears. "I want it to stop. I want him to stop ruining my life."
"I know," Harry said, the sides of his mouth slightly going up, forming a weak smile as he brushed a strand of my hair out of my face.
"No, nobody knows. I have lived fearing this man, who calls himself my father, for years. And just when I thought I was free, he comes back into my life," I said, shaking my head. "For days I have been bleeding into my stomach and I could die any second, because of him. Because my father thinks he's God and can just make desicions over my life. I'm not letting that happen anymore."
Harry just nodded. He didn't know how to react to this kind of conversation. I didn't even know how to handle the situation myself.
I picked up the papers and scanned them real quick. How ironic, you could die in the surgery, but you would die without the surgery. I scribbled my name on the papers and put the pen away.

I spent hours in a hospital bed with Harry. I wore one of those weird gowns they put on you before you go into the OR. Harry had held me for what felt like an eternity and still I wanted more. I never wanted it to stop. Just thinking about the surgery made my heart rate race up. With my head on his chest, I felt Harry's heart beat faster than usual. He was nervous, scared. He probably never expected our day to end like this, but neither did I. He slowly stroked my hair, relaxing my body a little.
"I'm scared," I whispered, closing my eyes to focus on the steady beat of his heart.
"I know," he replied, kissing my forehead. "Me too."
"If I don't make it-"
"Shut up," he interrupted, his body suddenly all tensed up. "You will make it, okay? You managed to make it through all these years and you will not die on me. That would be the worst breakup ever."
"Okay," I simply whispered. "I wish I could stay here with you."
"I will be with you until the surgery begins and by the time your beautiful eyes open up again, I will be sitting by your bed. I'm not going anywhere. Never."
"Thank you," I replied, a slight smile forming my lips.
We remained calm for a while until the door to my room opened up.
"Miss, are you ready?" A nurse asked. I lifted my head from Harry's chest, sitting up, wincing at the pain that was constantly radiating from my abdomen.
"Yes," I replied.
I got an OR cap and they brought me to the operating room. Harry walked by my bedside as for as long as he could. When we reached the door to the OR rooms, he leaned down, gently kissing my lips.
"I swear if you pull some shit in that room, I will kill you," he whispered. "I need you. You don't get to die."
"Okay," I whispered.
"I love you," he said. "I'll see you afterwards."
They rolled my bed through the doorway, to an OR room. As I watched Harry look after me, I noticed what had just happened. He had told me he loved me.
My heart was pounding so quickly, it felt like it would jump out of my chest. He said it. Harry loved me. All this time, that was the only thing I needed to hear. It took away some of my fear.
I closed my eyes, knowing I would fall into a deep slumber, knowing I could tell him that I loved him as soon as I woke back up again.