Strength |✔️

thirty-one

Alisha

Right when we all got in together to give each other a hug, a nurse burst out through Neil's room. My heart started to beat really fast. Is it good news?.... Bad news? Oh shit, I'm so scared. I really hope he survived. 

I look at Neil's family as I see the anxious looks on their faces. We're all anxious to see how Neil is doing. The nurse needs to speak faster.

As she finds the correct words to say from her mouth, she says fast, but also slow, "He has recovered and he wants to meet you guys." A smile forms on her face.

My heart leaps with joy, excitement, and anticipation. He's alive! Oh, thank God. But, what if he hates me? What if he hates me for bringing him into this situation and almost getting him killed? Oh lord, I'm such a bad girlfriend!

As Neil's family runs inside, Sanjay looks back at me and says, "Why aren't you coming, Alisha? Come! Neil's okay!" He says happily. I nod my head and walk inside the room.

The first thing I see is Neil, smiling and acting as if nothing has happened, that he totally did not get shot in the chest by James, and that it's all perfectly normal. But, before he looked so weakened out and barely alive. Now... he looks so alive, so amazing, so... Neil. The small dimple shows up as he smiles, exclaiming that he made it and his parents and Monika just won't stop hugging him. And here I am, frozen, staring at Neil, admiring every single inch of him.

Finally, he looks towards me. Neil immediately smiles even more and his face lights up with joy. I feel my heart melting and my limps weakening, just exactly how I felt when he put his hand on top of mine at the assembly at the first day of college. Just exactly how I felt when he hugged me so tight, so tight I legit forgot all of my problems. Just exactly how I felt when he kissed me that night, and fireworks immediately lit up everywhere. There are so many other reasons why he makes me feel butterflies, but him himself is the main reason of all.

"Alisha?" He says quietly. Just him saying my name also makes me end up getting butterflies. Sanjay blurts out, "Um, I think we should leave you guys alone." I look over at Sanjay, who reassures me that everything and everyone will be fine, and now it is just me and Neil in the hospital room. Alone.

I clear my throat awkwardly and walk myself over to Neil, who is laying on the bed covered in tubes and machines everywhere. I can see the amount of weight he has lost and the weariness on his face, but his skin still glows like the sun. Then, I look at myself and see that I probably don't look the best right now, since my Indian outfit is falling apart and there's probably lines of mascara running down my face. But, I can tell by Neil's face that he doesn't care how I look like; he's that sweet and he's that amazing. Oh, how I've missed him.

My heart leaps even more as his eyes drill at my body. I pull up a chair by Neil's bed and place my hand on his hand. "Neil," I say, my voice cracking, "I am so-"

"Alisha, don't you dare say you are sorry," he says nonchalantly. I try to interfere, but he cuts me again. "You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened." Even his voice sounds so different. "I don't like it when you blame yourself for things that aren't even your fault."

"But this is my fault," I reply. "I am the one who brought you into this mess. I bet if I hadn't even came, then this wouldn't have happened in the first place."

He scoffs. "Hey, listen." He squeezes my hand and I gulp. He hasn't held my hand for what feels like a whole year, even though it's only been couple of hours. A lot can happen in that time slot. Neil continues on speaking. "You have been through hell and back. You lost your mom, due to your dad. You've had PTSD, and you've recovered. And you're still going, right?" He looks at me desperately for an answer. "Right?" I nod my head. He then sighs. "Exactly. And, what happened this morning, is definitely NOT your fault. It was just a bad timing, bad timing for when I came in, and this is not your fault, Alisha. This is his fault."

"But you almost died," I say, a tear rolling down my cheek.

He smirks, his beautiful and sexy smirk. "But I didn't." He chuckles and wipes the tear that fell down to my cheek. "Don't cry, okay? You've cried enough. But, back to what I was saying." He takes a deep breath and looks even deeper into my eyes. "All these incidents that you have survived... that's all due to your strength. Your mental strength... this played a huge role in your recovery. You literally kicked a lot of ass, Alisha." I laugh. He chuckles again. "You have a shit ton of strength."

"And it's all due to you," I say. He shakes his head. "Nah, it's not me." I look at him confusingly. He answers again, "It's all you." Neil grabs my hand and squeezes it again, interlocking our fingers together, the way he always holds my hand. "Only you." I caress his cheek and sit right next to him on the bed. He makes space for me as I curl into a ball, wrapping my arm around his waist as he twirls his finger on my back. I look at him and acknowledge everything, every beautiful feature of his that I am seeing. His warm, and huge brown eyes that can make every girl melt right on the spot. His lips that are so kissable, that I go right in and kiss him. I release right after. It was a short and sweet kiss and he smiles and kisses my forehead. Neil whispers into my ears, "I love you so much, Alisha Dave."

And I whisper right back, "I love you more, Neil Shah."

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A/N:

Omg, I'm not crying, YOU ARE.

Okay, the ending is a bit cheesy, but PLEASE tell me you did not enjoy it I DARE YOU.

And also, the next chapter is the last chapter, technically. Chapter thirty three will be the epilogue, and I don't want to go into much details for the epilogue just yet, but I guarantee it that you guys will enjoy it VERY MUCH. ;)

Stay tuned for future chapter(s).

-ru<3