Sequel to "Life With Boys". Read that first!
Life as a teenager with a famous football playing dad isn't easy for Raelinn Emerson and her younger brother, Ashton. Raelinn's dad, Ryder Emerson, just got traded to the Denver Bronco's. When the Emerso...
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"Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart." — José N. Harris
Song: Hotel Ceiling by Rixton
****GRAYSON'S POV****
What the hell is wrong with me? Why didn't I just tell her I love her too? Because I do! I do love her, more than I've ever loved anyone. But me being me, I was stupid and told her I couldn't say it back.
I could blame my messed up relationships in the past, but that's no excuse for how I hurt her.
With a sigh, I plop down onto the couch, and flip the tv on. In an instant, I'm standing again. TMZ is on and the headline and footage they're airing has all of the air leaving my lungs.
"We have live footage of the accident which reportedly took the life Raelinn Emerson, daughter to NFL Wide Receiver, Ryder Emerson. Her car rolled down an embankment, before catching fire. Her death has not been confirmed yet."
My phone starts to ring in my hand, and I answer without checking the caller ID. "I... hello?"
"Are you watching TMZ?!" Jessie yells through the phone.
"Yeah. I am. I... oh my god." There's another call coming through, and this time I see its Rae's dad calling me. "Rae's dad is calling. I'll call you back."
"Let me know what he says!" I agree and we hang up.
"Mr. Emerson? Please tell me it isn't true." I plead, answering the phone.
"It isn't true. She's alive, but she's in bad shape. Get to the hospital now." With that, he hangs up, and I'm grabbing my keys and calling Jess back.
"What did he say?" She asks immediately, as I hop in my car.
"She's alive. I'm coming to get you. We're going to the hospital."
"Shit. Okay. Liam is here too. Is she okay?" She asks as I speed off towards Jessie's house, which is en route to the hospital.
"That's fine. And no, she's not. I'll be there in five." I hang up my phone, in case Rae's dad tries to call again.
A few minutes later, I pull up to Jessie's house, and Jess and Liam quickly hop into my car. I speed off, heading towards the hospital.
"Have you heard anything else?" Liam asks.
"Not since I called Jess earlier. You saw the footage. It was bad." My stomach is churning and I feel like I'm going to get sick. "I didn't say it back."
"Say what back?" Jess asks, looking at me confused.
"She told me she loves me. I didn't say it back."
"Don't. Don't you dare go there, Grayson Nathaniel Taylor. Yes, you should have said it. But you'll have a chance to tell her. Don't go there." Jess scolds me. I let out a sigh, running a hand through my hair.
"I should have told her! I'm so damn stupid. What the hell is wrong with me?"
"Your past relationships have messed with your head, but Rae isn't them. Just don't think about that right now. You will tell her. I believe in that." Liam says, patting my shoulder.
We get to the hospital, and have the valet park my car. We all rush into the hospital, and over to the reception desk.
"How can I help you?" The older lady asks with a kind smile.
"Raelinn Emerson. Where is she?" She types on her computer, then looks up at us.
"What's your names please? Her parents have a list of people who can know this information."
"Grayson Taylor, Jessica Kane, and Liam Asher." I tell her quickly.
"Okay, Mr. Taylor. She is currently in surgery, but her family is on floor five, in the private waiting room." I thank her, and we rush towards the elevator.
Once we get to floor five, we find the private waiting room. I knock on the door, not wanting to intrude their family time. The door opens, and Mr. Emerson greets us.
"Gray, Jess, Liam. Come on in." He opens the door wider, and we step in. Mrs. Emerson and Ashton are also in the room.
"Is there any news?" Jess asks softly, hugging Mrs. Emerson.
"From what we've heard so far, she's not in good shape. She has a broken leg, her ribs are bruised pretty badly, she has a major concussion, and the worst part is... some of the glass from the windows smashing has embedded into her stomach. They're working on removing it in surgery now."
"Oh my god." I barely whisper, closing my eyes.
"Hey, sit down man." Liam directs me to a chair, and has me sit in it.
The door opens, and my parents walk in. "I finally got ahold of those stupid TMZ punks. They're taking the footage down and retracting their earlier message." My dad says, sitting next to me.
"Thanks, Garrett. We really appreciate that." Mr. Emerson says.
"I need to let Austin know what's going on. Have you called your family, babe?" Mrs. Emerson asks her husband.
"Not yet. I wanted to know more before I say anything." He sits next to her, and hugs her tightly. I hear him whisper to her, "This isn't a repeat of your parents, baby."
"I know." She sniffles, breaking my heart. I almost forgot her parents died in a car accident when she was Rae's age.
——
The next couple of hours are spent in complete silence, other than the noises of the tv, phones, and the occasional whisper from one person to another. Nobody knows what to say, we all just are waiting.
Finally, around nine at night, the door swings open, and a doctor steps inside. Everyone is on their feet in an instant, needing to hear what he has to say.
"Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, and family. I'm Dr. Galen, I was the lead doctor on your daughters surgery. She has successfully pulled through the surgery, and is in the ICU resting."
The most amazing words I've heard since this morning. Now, I get the chance to say what I need to say to her. To tell her I love her.
