Scars. |✔️|

Chapter 24: Love

Wednesday, July 24
Los Angeles, CA
3:36 PM

"Okay I get it," I groan. "Can I go home now?"

"Yes, is someone picking you up?" Dr. Benson asks for the hundred time.

"Yes, you've asked me that a thousand times. James is outside. Now can I please go?"

"Okay, okay I just want to make sure you are safe. And yes you can leave, just sign-"

"Here. Here. And here. Yea I know," I say rolling my eyes.

"Stay safe Aaliyah. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"Okay whatever. Bye."

I don't know what it is about Dr. Benson but I just can't stand her. She's always talking to me like she's my mom or like she genuinely cares. And over the years I've learned that doctors only care about getting their patients out of the hospital so they can move on to the next. More patients, more money. 

I walk out of the hospital and spot James leaning up against his car. He jogs over to me and helps me walk to the car.

"How you feeling?" he asks kissing my forehead. 

"I'm fine, I mean the stab wounds still hurt a little because they aren't fully healed, but it's nothing I can't handle," I say kissing James.

"Well that's good. You hungry?"

"Um yeah. Starving actually," I feel my stomach growl and realize I haven't eaten all day.

"What do you want?"

"Pizza!"

"Of course you do," he laughs.

"Come on! You don't love pizza?"

"I do love pizza, but do you know what I love more?" he smirks.

"What's that?"

"You."

My cheeks redden and I smile. I lean in and grab his chin, giving him a kiss.

"I love you too."

~~~

I step out of the shower, happy to be back in my own place instead of a hospital. As I wrap a towel around my body, I hear a knock at the door.

"One second!"

I watch the door knob rattle and laugh at James's attempt to get into the bathroom. You'd think he know by now that I always lock the door when I'm in here.

"Good luck with that. The door's gonna stay locked," I giggle.

"I need to get my charger." 

I look around the bathroom and his charger is nowhere to be found. 

"Your charger isn't in here. Look in the room or you're gonna have to wait."

"I need it now," he groans.

"Nigga you gonna have to wait. Sorry," I laugh.

"Fine," he says mimicking a child.

Once I hear his footsteps trail away from the door I reach for his sweatshirt. Suddenly, I heard a loud thump coming from outside the door.

"James, are you okay?!" I yell, my voice full of concern. When he doesn't respond, my heartbeat escalates and I walk out of the bathroom.

"James?"

I feel strong arms wrap around my waist and start to tickle me. I laugh uncontrollably as I try to run away from James. I swat his hands away from me and jump on the bed. He does the same, landing next to me as he pulls me back into his grasp. He tickles me again and I grab a pillow, hitting his bare chest. He falls on his back and pulls my leg over him, causing me to straddle him.