To Slow a Treacherous Heart ✓

31| A Depressing Departure

Date Published: 21st May, 2019. Tuesday
Chapter Thirty One: A Depressing Departure

A Day Later

Aditya pressed his fingers on the door handle; hesitant. He pushed down on it, unbeknownst to the emotional turmoil that wrecked carnage within him. He didn't know if his best friend was awake yet; he only pleasured himself in the sound of each resounding beat that his heart uttered.

He took a deep breath before pushing down on the door handle. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside—quietly and as unobtrusively as possible —and closed the door behind him.

At his entrance, Ryan blinked. "Aditya?" He whispered, his voice husky from disuse.

Aditya felt an extremely persistent urge to curl himself into a ball and bawl his eyes out. "Hey. Want since water? Or anything?" he whispered sheepishly, noting May's slumbering figure at Ryan's side.

Ryan waved him off but followed his gaze and saw his hands entwined with May's, her head pressing itself above them—and started—a look of unadulterated panic crashing across his face. "What is she doing here? Is she okay? What about her injuries?" He looked expectantly at his doctor.

Aditya resisted the urge to laugh—but gave in to a chuckle. "She's fine Ryan. And her wounds are healing well." He said. "Honestly, the way you guys worry about each other is endearing."

"Shut up," Ryan shot, playfully. He then turned to May, his face turning a shade paler.

Something was going through his mind—Aditya could almost feel it. An ominous chill crept down his spine.

The way Ryan was staring at her, he looked almost scared.

More like horrified.

Why?

Aditya opened his mouth to speak, but May began shifting in her sleep.

"I'll give you two a moment, but there's an officer here to take your statement. I'm afraid I can only spare you between five and ten minutes,"

A grim line settled across Ryan's lips. "That should be enough,"

Aditya hesitated. "Ryan—" but he trailed off. Then a startlin revlation desceneded upon him. "Don't do anything harsh bro. She's been here all along. Taking care of you. I—"

Ryan gave him a soft smile. He said nothing.

He crept out of the room, preparing himself to reassure everyone in the waiting room that Ryan was going to be just fine. And hope that the lovebirds would work everything out by the time he got back.

But unbeknownst to him, a storm was roiling, just beyond the horizon.

***
May blinked.

Ryan's piercing grey eyes were looking into hers, a foreign emotion etched into the confines of his pale, drawn visage. An odd, sinking sensation crept into her heart. "You're awake," She whispered, giving him a timultuous smile.

Euphoria encrusted her in a cocoon that made her impulsively press her lips on to their joined hands.

But the guilt in her heart ate at her too.

"Hi," He said, his face was as unreadable as a man going to battle. He slowly began pulling away; hands zinging. "Thank you for being with me and helping me, but I'm going to need you to leave."

May shot off the chair, pulling her hands with her. A dizzying sensation crept over her and her right thigh screamed at the sudden exertion. Her heart constricted painfully. But she wouldn't budge. "Excuse me? You're crazy right?" She said, incredulous. "I can't leave. Y-you're-"