whatever it takes - odell beckham jr.

chapter twenty-six

do you know what money can buy? it can get you a private plane in about two seconds flat. i've gone through about a hundred emotions in the last hour. chanel's words had pretty much stopped my heart, about two seconds before causing it to race.

without a single glance back, i managed to find a guy who owned a small plane, and then managed to get my ass across several state lines all in less than sixty minutes.

by the time we land, a car is waiting for me and i'm shuttled towards the hospital.

all i want is for her to be okay. chanel had said that she was, but i can't take her word for it. i have to see her for myself.

i'm tryna overlook the fact ira didn't call me, or that she didn't want me to know at all. even though it infuriates me, after our last conversation, i wouldn't expect her to.

⚭

my head throbs as i try and lift it from my pillow. everything hurts so badly.

i've always heard that in dangerous situations, your life flashes before your eyes. i've never personally experienced it until today. but when i crossed that intersection, with the green light mind you, and saw that truck barrelling towards me–

it may of only happened for a moment, but it happened. everything flashed in front of me.

i saw my childhood with my father. even a glimpse of my mother flashed through my mind. odell's head filled my head, along with that long-lost feeling of what being loved by him used to feel like. and then i saw adonis.

good lord, my mind focused on adonis. where would he go if i died, who would care for him? i don't remember much after that.

the very next thing i remember is waking up here, in the emergency room, with a lot of shouting and bright lights. i remember being poked and prodded in every area of my body whilst my clothes were cut off me.

i could hear all of the voices of the doctors and nurses, furiously working on and around me. however i couldn't make out what they were saying.

finally, i was able to focus on someone. one kind nurse who reached up and gently rubbed my face, explaining to me where i was and that i was safe.

everything's fuzzy again until i arrived here, to this room where the lights were dimmed for my headache.

⚭

"you can't fucking keep me away from her!" i hear shouted, causing my eyes to snap open. and although i'm confused as to my surroundings, i would of recognised that voice from anywhere.

the curtain to the room flies open and he stands there, his whole body shaking as anger radiates off him until our eyes connect.

"sir!" the nurse shouts, trying to jump in front of him. "sir, you can't just come back here!"

he takes two long strides towards me and stands beside the bed, his eyes turning into a stare. "ira." his voice is a hoarse plea whilst his head shakes. "baby, please tell me you're okay."

"i'm fine." i manage, trying to sit up but crying out as the pain shoots down my back.

"sir, unless she says it's okay, you cannot stay back here. you know what? i'm just gonna call security. this is absolutely ridiculous–"

"no, it's fine. he's fine. he can stay."

"are you sure?" she folds her arms across her chest, levelling her gaze with odell. the two of them begin a staring contest, causing the tension in the room to become unbearable.

an exasperated sigh leaves my lips as they both turn to me. "it's fine. odell, apologise to her for acting like an jerk. and then sit down."

"i'm sorry." he mumbles half-heartedly, sinking down in the chair next to me. he reaches out to touch me, but not long before he stops short and pulls his hand back. "i don't wanna hurt you."

"you won't, it's okay. just hold my hand." he grabs onto my hand with his.

i feel his hand shaking as he lightly grips mine, and when my eyes move up to his, i see pure fear reflected back at me. my heart cracks a bit at the look that's evident. and even though i know i need to remain strong to keep my own heart intact, right now i can't.

"baby, what happened?" his voice is barely above a whisper as he leans his face in towards mine, resting it on the rail of the bed.

"i'm not really sure. i had gone to the school today to pick up my books, and then i was on my way home. some guy ran a red light. and then the next thing i knew, i was here."

"i'm so sorry."

"you don't have to apologise. it's not your fault."

he wraps his other hand around our already conjoined ones, before leaning across the bed and dragging it up to his face. his breath is hot against my skin as it leaves his lips in gasps, and he holds my hand tightly, not letting me go at all.

we sit there like that for a long time, long enough that i almost drift back off to sleep. but then his gravelly voice stirs me.

"you should of called me first."

"i wasn't gonna call you. you were out of town–by the way, how did you know?"

"chanel told sterling."

i nod. "is she still here?"

he shakes his head, his grip on my hand still incredibly tight. "no. she was in the waiting room when i got here, but i sent her back to the house to relieve the babysitter. oh my god, what if adonis was with you?"

i swallow hard, clearly remembering the conversation i had heard in the first few moments in the er. "the paramedics said the impact completely crushed the car seat that was in the back. if he was with me–"

"the car!" he snarls, locking eyes with me. "tell me you were in the jeep, and not in that piece of shit–"

i don't respond, there's no need. and frankly i don't feel like fighting with him about this. of course, i was in my car. the jeep wrangler is still parked in the same spot he left it, right in front of the steps still wearing that ridiculous red bow.

i'm not foolish enough to realise that had i been in the jeep instead of the car that i had desperately tracked down after odell towed it away, i wouldn't be as battered and bruised as of right now. and i guarantee the car seat wouldn't of been crushed.

admitting that would mean admitting that i was wrong. and i hit my head, but i didn't hit it that hard. instead, i just shrug with the best of my ability, with the thick neck brace still clamped around my neck.

"i'm not gonna lose my shit." odell mutters to himself. "i'm not gonna lose my shit–"

"good." i croak, before resting my head back and sighing. "my head hurts too much to argue."