Always There

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Five:

Bryce's POV

Day one—the day Blossom got into the accident—I was in a state of shock.

Of course, I cried endlessly. I didn't know what to do and I felt as though I was unable to function like a normal human being.

All I wanted to do was lay in that tiny hospital bed with her. I wanted to hold her in my arms and breathe in her sweet scent of vanilla and coconut, just in case I wasn't given the opportunity to do so ever again.

I ended up sleeping in the hospital bed with her, even though I wasn't allowed to. I held her in my arms and I left her head to rest on my chest, just how we usually sleep in our bed at home.

It was the only part of my day that came close to feeling normal.

Day two, I skipped school. I couldn't sit through my classes knowing that my girlfriend might never wake up from a coma. The thought of losing her was just too painful.

I sat in the hospital with her all day after going home to shower and make breakfast for Scarlett and I. I read Persuasion while holding Blossom's hand, sitting right next to her because I wasn't allowed to lay in bed with her.

Kathleen and Johnathon sat at the other side of the room, working, and giving me pitiful glances ever so often.

The second day was also the day that Kennedy, Knox, and Nathan found out about what happened to Blossom. They came to the hospital and met Kathleen and Johnathon for the first time. They hung around until dinner time before they all drove back to Juilliard.

After they left, Kathleen made me come along with her and Johnathon for dinner. I really didn't want to leave Blossom alone, but Kathleen insisted that I had to eat considering we all had already skipped lunch.

When we returned to the hospital, I continued to read my book until all the lights were turned out. To my surprise, the nurses didn't make one of the three of us leave the room for the night, and so Kathleen and Johnathon curled up in their chairs and fell asleep while I stared blankly out the window.

I ended up crying so hard that night that I nearly threw up. For awhile, Kathleen and Johnathon respected my privacy and didn't say anything to me even though I have no doubt that I had woken them both up.

After about an hour of me sobbing, Kathleen approached me. She put her hand on my shoulders and I turned around in my seat to face her, my vision blurred with tears.

"Sleep in the bed with Lexi tonight. We'll wake you up tomorrow morning before the nurses come in so that you don't get in trouble," she told me.

I thanked her profusely through my tears. She just smiled at me, gave my hand a squeeze, and curled back up in her chair next to her husband.

I cried myself to sleep that night while holding Blossom in my arms.

Day three was uneventful. Kathleen woke me up before the nurses came in, as she promised, and I then headed back to my apartment to check on Scarlett.

I found her curled up in bed, wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt that probably belongs to Anders. She was reading a book and eating a granola bar, so I asked her if it would be all right if I showered before getting groceries and making breakfast. She nodded and smiled and so I took a quick shower before heading out to buy some groceries.

I made us French toast, and we ate in silence. I then did the dishes before bidding Scarlett farewell and heading straight back to the hospital.

After their classes were done for the day, Shawn and Ella stopped by to see me. They gave me all the reading and assignments that were assigned, as well as a couple hugs before they said goodbye to Kathleen, Johnathon, and I.