Hospital waiting times were tedious, even for Alicia who didn't have one impatient bone in her body.
The nurses had taken Tomi as soon as Alicia had helped him through the doors. They had lowered him onto a bed and ran through the double doors to emergency, leaving nothing behind them but the sound of sneakers squeaking on linoleum. That was the last time Alicia had seen Tomi that night.
Someone was shaking her. Alicia moaned groggily, rolling onto her back, into a solid figure.
"Alicia, wake up," a male voice murmured. "Tomi's awake, and he's asking for you."
She peeled her eyes open, blinking hard until her vision focused and enhanced. Leaning over her was Jonas, his face half-shadowed from the bright, pale sunlight filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
"Hey Jonas," she yawned, sitting up from her uncomfortable place across the plastic chairs. Her neck, back and shoulders were stiff, protesting angrily as she stretched. "Have you heard from Rob?"
He nodded, backing away to give her space. "He's alright," he replied nonchalantly, his tone clipped. "He's asked me not to inform you of anything he does, for the time being."
"Of course he has," she muttered to herself, pulling herself to her feet. "What about Tomi? Is he okay?"
As Jonas opened his mouth, a nurse approached them both, clutching a faded clipboard to her chest. "Mr Luoma has been asking for you, Ms Stellar."
She looked no older than thirty. Her glistening blood red curls fell over her forehead, just above lively green eyes. Her ivory skin was transformed marble white under the illumination of artificial lights. She flashed Alicia a beautiful smile, before turning on the spot and heading down a long corridor.
"Is he okay?" She asked, following the nurse, Jonas by her side. "My boyfriend got into a bit of a tussle with him, that's all. I tried to stop him as best I could."
The beautiful young nurse turned into a large room fitted with four separate beds. In the left-hand corner, sitting up reading The Hunger Games, was Tomi.
A crooked line of black stitches stood out against his pale skin, starting at his lip and ending at his jaw, where dry blood crusted his sideburn. A loose blue gown covered his body, but failed to conceal the bruising on his stomach from where Robert had taken his rage out.
Alicia shuddered, almost buckling at the knees in tears. Swallowing against her tight throat, she padded over to Tomi, combing her fingers through his unkempt waves.
"Hey," he croaked, closing the book in his lap. His throat sounded sand dry. "I'm glad you're here."
"Why wouldn't I be?" Alicia whispered, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders. His hair tickled her arms, but Alicia didn't complain. She felt reassured by his presence. "I'm sorry Robert hurt you." She sighed, drawing back reluctantly. "If I hadn't kissed you..."
"I enjoyed our first kiss as much as you did," he smiled softly, his hazel eyes sweeping over her face as if trying to memorise every molecule. "But we won't be doing it again anytime soon. I overstepped the line, so it's my fault."
Alicia took the seat by his bedside, folding one leg over the other. An oxygen tank was attached to the side of his bed, the tubes up his nostrils giving him breath. She wondered why, but promptly remembered his poor breathing after she had punched Robert off him.
"Mr Luoma will need to stay in here for at least a week," the nurse spoke from behind Jonas, moving over towards his chart. She picked up the blue folder, her thin fingers flicking through page after page. "He suffered a punctured lung during the fight you described to me. He has received surgery, now all he needs is rest, so his body can recover."
YOU ARE READING
Beyond Good and Evil
FanfictionAlicia Stellar has been a Machinae Supremacy fan ever since she first heard them in 2005. After attending their album launch concert, she soon discovers more about Robert Stjärnström than she bargained for. The frontman finds Alicia after they meet...