the Player's Girl

Black with Heavy Stars - Chapter 4

Alexis' POV

I hear my father's voice repeat in my head: I'm your father, Nathan Button, and at that moment all I see is a black and starry night.

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I wake up dreary to see I'm in a hospital bed, white sheets and surrounding me Chloe, Kaden, Luna, my aunt and uncle jump up.

"What happened?" I ask as I look around more at my surroundings.

"You fainted, you don't remember?" My uncle asks standing up. I think back and sit up.

"Get up slowly please, my sweet." Kaden says with a reassuring look on his face. He looks tired, as if he hasn't slept in days. I hope I didn't cause that. He walks over to me and puts his hand on either side of my face, checking out every piece of worry in my brown eyes. I remember and instantly jump. "What's wrong, my love? What worries you?" He asks with a hint of sorrowfulness in his bright blue eyes.

"I remember why I fainted, my father called me." At the moment I said it, I felt tension blaze through the air.

"Your father?" My aunt says, her raspy voice clings onto the walls as she speaks. I nod and she looks down with her hands together in her little lap.

"I need to call him back." I nod, Kaden looks down at me.

"Are you sure, doll?" He says putting a hand on my wrist and helping me out of the bed. When I look down I realize I'm in a hospital gown. It's light blue and white strips guide down my body, very faint stripes as if they've been through a lot. I walk out the door and Chloe and Luna follow me, they both shake off Kaden and tell him to wait in the room with my aunt and uncle.

I dial his number, my finger shake as I type the numbers in. The phone rings a few times and I hear a voice.

Alexis, you decided to call me back, I was worried sick about you.

Dad? Why would you be worried, it's not like you worried those years you weren't here for me. I scoff on the phone.

I was still worried, Alexis, I never was meaning to hurt you or your mother, your life would've been bad with me in it.

But at least I would've had a dad. I sigh, letting out any bad energy I could. Chloe puts a hand on my shoulder and I nod at her. Chloe turns to Luna and leads her back into the hospital room to leave my dad and I alone.

Come live with me, Alexis. I'll make it up for all those years I wasn't here. I hear his voice mellow, and I contemplate moving.

Where do you even live, dad? I don't want to move a thousand miles away from the family that didn't leave me.

You won't move too far, I live in Tampa, Florida, Alexis.

Is that why mom left me too?

She moved in with me at the beginning of the summer, we wanted to tell you but I wanted to tell you on my own time.

So at the end of the school year? Almost a whole year? I slightly yell, my tone of voice tensing up. Kaden walks out of the room and hugs me from the side.

"Are you okay?" He whispers into my left ear, I shiver at his voice and nod into his chest.

Yes, so please come live with me and your mother, we can give you the life you never had. He says his voice coming to a sweet whisper.

I can see, but I'm not promising anything. I have to go, bye dad. I end the call with a click of my finger. I move my head closer to Kaden's chest and I hug him tight as he kisses my head. I look up to him and smile.