The Neighbor

Finished Waiting

Blade followed closely behind me. "Hey, are you sure you're okay?"

"I will be." I didn't want to keep lying and saying I was fine. I wasn't, but I would be soon enough. 

   "I'm sorry." Blade held an ice pack to my face. After all the times I nursed Nikki back to health, it was nice to have someone taking care of me. This wasn't even the first time he'd took care of me. I remembered our first kiss, him wrapping my bloody foot. There's no doubt that being a doctor was this man's calling. He's the most nurturing soul I've ever met. It breaks my heart that he was kicked out of med school for something that completely out of his control. I desperately wanted to get him back in, I would fight for him the way he's always fought for me. Since the moment I met him, Blade has been my rock. He's never left my side and I will never leave his. 

I looked at him like he was crazy. "Why are you sorry?" He'd been nothing but amazing to me, I can't fathom he could believe he's done anything wrong. Unless there's something he hasn't told me. After our long talk the other day though, I didn't think there was.

He looked into my eyes. "I should've never left you alone." He must have lost his mind if he thinks any of what happened was his fault. It was all on Landon. "He wouldn't have hurt you if I was there." 

  "I'm a grown woman, it's not like you ditched me. He attacked me at a public party with like a hundred people, I don't think he cared who was there anyways." I took the ice pack and held his hands in mine, something I was starting to enjoy more and more. "Don't you dare blame yourself."

 He seemed less upset when I grabbed his hands. "I'm just glad you're okay." He squeezed my hands. "I don't know what I would've done if something happened to you."

   "I'm okay." I watched his yellow eyes staring at me, full of concern. It made me feel wholesome. "I've never had anybody care about me the way you do." As I said it, I knew it was true. 

He smiled. "That's because I'm the one who's supposed to. It's my purpose."

He always knew what to say. "You have way too many talents for taking care of me to be your purpose."

He put the ice pack back on my face. "None that I'm as passionate about."

   He once again rendered me speechless. We sat in silence for what felt like a lifetime before either one of us spoke again.

"Does it feel better?" He asked me, looking at the huge red mark on my face.

"Much, thank you." I smiled at him. I had almost completely forgotten about it.

"You don't have to thank me." He laughed, removing the ice pack. "You must be exhausted."

"Not really." I moved away from him, looking off into the distance.

"But you told Nikki...." He started; his eyebrows raised.

   "I didn't want to answer a million questions. I love Nikayla, but she always asks so many questions." I let out a deep breath.

   "I see your point." He paused. "But you should probably try to get some sleep. After the day you've had, I'd say you've earned it." I didn't want go to bed, I was far too awake to sleep right now, but I did want to lay close to him. I need his warmth to calm the storm inside me. 

"Will you lay with me?" I asked, feeling vulnerable.

   He came up behind me. "It'd be my pleasure." We went back to my bedroom. I reached in my drawers and searched for a nightgown. I sighed as I realized I was behind on laundry and only had one left, my most scandalous one. I'd only wore it one time. It was basically a blood red lacey bralette and shorty shorts. I had no choice but to wear it. I guess laundry wasn't a priority when we were trying to escape a psych ward. I shiver as I remember Clementine's.