A/N: So this chapter is a little longer than normal but i hope you enjoy it! thanks again for reading and please please please comment and share!! follow me on twitter too @iwish_foryou :)
Katie’s P.O.V.
“You look pretty tired Katie,” Leah says. “ Are you sure you don’t want to take a nap?”
“No no, I’m fine,” I say through a huge yawn. I’m exhausted, my head aches so badly I can barely think and the pain in my ribs is stronger than ever but I’m determined to stay awake until Liam comes back, that is, if he comes back. “Are you sure he’s still at the hospital? I mean they’ve got a busy schedule, what makes you think they’ll stick around? They don’t even know me.” I say.
“Trust me,” Emmie says. “He’ll be back.”
“But how do you know?” I ask just as the door opens and One Direction walk in.
“See?” Emmie says winking. “Told you.”
Liam walks through the door first, a hesitant expression on his face. He tiptoes in, taking care not to let the door slam against the wall. Once he sees that I’m awake, he relaxes a little and an enormous smile spreads across his face.
I smile at him and quickly look away, suddenly nervous. The rest of the boys file into the room: Harry, Zayn, Niall, and Louis. Niall sneaks a quick glance at Emma, who’s blushing and fiddling with her hair. It’s no secret that Emma is absolutely in love with Niall. I can’t imagine how excited she must be right now, being in the same room as him. Actually I can imagine, since I just shared a smile with my long-term crush, Liam. Leah is rather in love with Zayn and Emmie has adored Harry from the beginning, so it’s quite surprising how calm we are right now.
“Katie! You’re awake!” Louis says excitedly.
“Yep, I am!” I giggle.
“How are you feeling?” Zayn asks.
“Alright…” I answer. “I’ve definitely been better.”
“Well considering you just got hit by a car, I’d say you’re doing pretty well,” Harry says.
“I guess so,” I laugh.
Niall beams. “Thanks so much far saving Liam. If it hadn’t been for you he could be dead right now!” He reaches over and slings his arm around Liam’s shoulders.
“No problem,” I murmur. He’s right. The only reason Liam is walking and talking and breathing right now is because of me. All the pain of the accident seems suddenly worth it. The laughter drains from the room as everyone realizes the truth in Niall’s words. I smile, trying to look cheerful, in hopes of lightening the mood.
A knock at the door interrupts the awkward silence. Louis, who’s closest to the door, opens it and lets in a middle-aged man wearing a long white coat and a nametag that reads “Dr. Goldburg.”
“Hello,” he says looking around the room. “My name is Dr. Goldburg. I assume you are Katie Wilkins?” He looks at me.
“Um, yeah. That’s me.” I say, dreading what he’ll say.
Everyone looks at him expectantly.
“Well then,” he clears his throat. “After examining you’re x-rays and tests I have concluded that you suffer from a mild head injury resulting in a minor concussion, and three cracked ribs on your left side.” That explains the constant headache and the agonizing pain the shoots up my side every time I move. “I’m not sure if you are aware of the procedure for broken ribs, but rather than casting them, we prefer to leave them to heal on there own. However this means that you must be very careful for the next few weeks in order to let the set properly. Any strenuous movement or impact has the possibility of worsening your state, resulting in punctured lungs or worse.” I gulp. “As for the cut on your head, though it is quite serious, it has not been deemed severe enough to require stitching, though extreme care is advised. I am confident in your friends’ abilities to care for you, and give you the attention you require.” He finishes, looking at the boys.
“Actually, they’re not really friends of mine…” I say, but Liam cuts me off.
“Of course we’ll take care of her.” The other boys nod. I’m stunned into silence.
“Alright then, it seems as though everything is in order. It is recommended that you remain here overnight but you will be let go tomorrow morning once your recovery is underway.” I sigh. I had hoped I wouldn’t have to stay the night. “Now if you don’t have any questions, I must be on my way. I will check in with you later Miss Wilkins.” Dr. Goldburg looks down to jot something on his clipboard, then turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him.
A minor concussion and three broken ribs… friends’ ability to care for you… attention you require. Dr. Goldburg’s words swirl through my head as I try to make sense of it all. Leah, Emma, Emmie and the boys are all staring at me, waiting for my reaction to the news. My face turns bright red and my palms start to sweat under the focused attention of everyone in the room. My head is fuzzy and the lights are too bright and it feels like all the oxygen has been sucked out of the air. I need to be alone.
“I have to… I’m just going to… the bathroom,” I stammer as I swing my legs over the side of the hospital bed and stand up a little too quickly. The sudden movement jolts my ribs, sending a fresh wave of pain up my side, and gives me a head rush, making the room spin around me. I try to take a step and stumble forward, momentarily losing my balance due to the rushing in my ears and the pounding in my head. Arms reach out instinctively to steady me, and Liam, who happens to be closest to me, grabs my elbow to help me stay upright. I brush his hand away and limp painfully to the bathroom, locking the door behind me.
I sit down on the closed toilet lid and lower my head into my hands. I focus on forcing air into my lungs, taking deep breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth. I can hear worried whispers through the closed bathroom door, so I plug my ears hum Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to block it out.
After four rounds of the song, I feel my heartbeat has slowed down to a regular rate. I stand up carefully, trying not to make any sudden movements, and walk the few steps to the sink. I twist the tap and let cold water run over my sweaty palms. I let some of it pool in my hands, then bend over and splash it over my face. The coolness of the water has an instant calming effect, and I reach over for some paper towel to dry my hands. I twist the tap the other way to shut the water flow off and look up at my reflection in the mirror above the sink. I barely recognize the girl staring back at me.
I hadn’t noticed but the clothes I was wearing before are gone and have been replaced with a thin white hospital gown, giving me the shape of a twelve year old. My brown curly hair is messy and dirty and hangs in clumps around my face. Lovely. My already pale skin looks even whiter, making my dark eyes seem huge in comparison. I bring my hand up to my face and run my fingers along the cut on my cheek. The blood has dried, leaving it crusty and scabbed over, but it still hurts to touch. Staring at myself makes me realize something. I look so… vulnerable. All the layers of strength and independence I had worked so hard to build up had been stripped away, exposing the weakness underneath. The face looking back at me was not the face of a capable 18 year old, but rather one of a petrified child. The thought makes me sick but I push it out of my mind, determined not to cry. Ah well, there’s nothing much I can do about it now.
I try to smooth down my hair and straighten my unflattering gown, doing my best to compose myself before I open the bathroom door and walk out.
