Overcomer (complete)

Ch. 38 Not What I Expected

Trey Pov*

I was sitting in the cafeteria picking at the food I had on my plate. It's been two days that I have been at the hospital. I went back to my house for a couple hours each day to shower and change. Taylor still hasn't woken up yet. There has been progress in her brain activity and her pulse and breathing has gotten stronger.

Mac (running into the cafeteria, excited): Trey, you need to come, now. The doctors said she might be waking soon.

I jumped up and dropped my lunch into the garbage. Mac and I ran to Taylor's room. Mr. Matthews scowled at me and tensed up more into his chair. He has been better with me today, when he first saw me it took an hour for Mac, Mrs. Matthews, and I to get him to stop trying to kill me. Mrs. Matthews smiled weekly at me and put her hand on her husband's arm. Mallory and Danika were sitting in the corner of the room.

A lot of Taylor's friends have been stopping by now and then, everyday. Most of them used to be my friends too, but they all can't stand that I am back. I feel so hated here in Florence. I have tried to do damage control, but there is no way of controlling the amount of damage I have inflicted on everyone here.

I walked over to Taylor and grabbed her hand.

Danika: Why don't you just leave? She won't even be happy to see you anyway. You'll just break her heart again.

I ignored Danika and kept my eyes locked on Taylor's closed eyes.

Mallory (the only one who forgave me other than Jonny M. and Sammy): Danika, just leave him alone. I think him being here says he won't hurt Tay. They're right for each other.

Danika (standing up): And we all said the same thing when he was dating Natalie, then Sam, then Jordan, and now Taylor! I don't want to see Taylor get crushed like Jordan did!

Mallory: Jordan got over it! She was friends with him again, remember?

Danika: Yeah, until when? Until he got together withTaylor. The what happened? They stopped talking. He a serial womanizer and heartbreaker.

I whipped around and glared at Danika.

Me (furiously): I might've broken a few hearts, but I am definitely not a womanizer!

Danika (challengingly): Oh yeah?

I opened my mouth to speak, but Mac said something.

Mac (quietly and staring at Taylor): Guys...? She's waking up.

I turned around just in time to see her her beautiful brown eyes open. She looked at me and then at her parents, who had come up on the other side of the bed.

Mrs. Matthews (quietly): Hi, baby. How are you?

Taylor (croaking): Water.

Mr. Matthews walked out of the room to get the doctor and some water. I squeezed her hand. She didn't look at me, but she pulled her hand away. I stepped away and let Danika and Mallory see her.

Mac (quietly, standing next to me now): What's wrong? Aren't you happy? You look troubled.

Me (shocked, quietly): She pulled her hand away from me.

Mac (wrapping her arm around my shoulder): You'll be fine. She just wanted to see her family.

Cory (Taylor's older brother, walking in): I got here as soon as I could. How is she?

Mrs. Matthews: She just woke up.

Cory glanced at everyone in the room. His eyes landed on me and lit up with rage. He ran at me and pulled his arm back for a swing. I decided I would let him have the and take it. I deserved a punch like that for what I did to Taylor. He swung and his fist connected with my right eye. I never felt pain, I felt a little sting.

Mac ( hugging Cory's arms to his side in attempt to keep him from hitting me again): Cory! Don't! He came all this way for her! Don't hurt him, Cor!

Cory: You god damn son-of-a-bitch! Stay away from my baby sister!

I stood there taking it all in.

Cory (getting angrier): Fuck! Fight back!

Mrs. Matthews: Cory Matthews! You are in a hospital!

Mac (cutting in, still holding Cory): This is not the place to take your anger out on him. You already gave him a black eye. It's his first one ever. Hear him out. Here come with me.

Mac walked out of the room and Cory followed after glaring at me. Everyone was staring at me, except Taylor. She was looking out the window. It's almost like she was angry at me.

***

It's been 2 weeks and Taylor is finally getting out today. She still hasn't talked to me. Mac did tell me that Taylor didn't want me to come in and try to talk to her anymore. I was at my house getting a shower when I heard my bedroom door open.

Me: Who's there?

No one answered. I finished my shower and shut it off. I grabbed my towel and towel dried my body. I wrapped my towel around my waist and got out of the shower. I went into my room to get into my closet to get some clothes to wear. I almost had a heart attack when I looked at my bed.

Brooke was sitting on my bed...