Roses and Thornes

Chapter 17

It was getting late and Haylee's recovery was very exhausting, Abby had stayed the whole day, but was planning to go home that night too. Haylee started to feel her eyelids get heavy "Hey Abby I think I'm going to go to sleep I'm exhausted.", Haylee said as she slowly closed her eyes. "Okay for sure I was planning on going in 5 minutes anyway.", Abby said collecting her things. As soon as Abby gave Haylee a hug and went out the door, Haylee's phone started to ring. It was Noah. Haylee answered the phone "Hey bubs". "That's new where did that come from calling me nicknames now?", Noah said with a small chuckle, "I was just thinking since you have a nickname for me then I gotta call you something". Haylee said feeling red in the face. "I will tell you one thing right now, I will not be called 'bubs' I refuse." "Then what am I supposed to call you?", Haylee sighed feeling dumber then ever. "My name?", Haylee could sense his smile behind the phone. "but that's boring.", Haylee said sarcastically. "That's a you problem I guess, anyway I called to tell you that we are expecting a major heat wave." "Really? How hot?", Haylee asked. "it says that it's going to get to at least 105 degrees, almost hotter than you.", Noah joked. Haylee went red, he joked like that all the time so it wasn't anything unusual. "Almost.", Haylee joked back. "I was actually about to go to sleep, but I was so rudely interrupted.", Haylee said with a smile. "Really? I am so sorry I will go, good night I L-", Noah hung up. Did he just say what Haylee thought he said? Or was it her mind playing tricks on her? Haylee put her phone down and shut her eyes.

She rolled to her side and felt sand on the side of her face. Haylee woke up to a beach and sound of waves. Surrounded by a forest. Haylee sat up the moon was reflecting against the water. She heard someone behind her. Haylee quickly shot up and turned around to see herself. Except she was different, it was her before the surgery, she was pale, blood on her clothes and hands. Haylee was startled and started to run. Whoever was chasing her was much faster then her. "Stop! Please leave me alone!", Haylee said as she was running through the broken trees. It grabbed Haylee, Haylee felt a darkness, overwhelmed, scared. Gasping for air she opens her eyes to find that it was just a dream.

What was that? Haylee thought. Haylee looked at the clock next to her hospital bed. 8:02, Haylee got up and went into the bathroom to wash her face and get ready for the day. She didn't want to tell Noah or Abby, they would over react. Haylee remembered Noah's call last night and how he got cut off. Could he actually like me? Haylee thought as she looked at herself in the mirror above the bathroom sink. No, Haylee thought, he was joking it was a joke, it had to have been, right? Haylee hears a knock on the door, and the door opens. It can't be Noah he doesn't get up this early ever not for anyone. Haylee said as she wobbled around the corner to see who it was. It was Noah "Hey what are you doing here? It's not visiting hours!", Haylee said at a loud volume. "Shhhh I snook in.", Noah said as he gently closed the door and smiled at Haylee. He smelled so good. "I have bad news.", Noah said as he helped Haylee climb back into bed. "Oh no! what happened is everything okay?", Haylee asked generally worried. "Yeah everything is fine, I just have to go for a week, my grandparents are getting really old and we don't talk very often at all, I think they might die before I see them again.", Noah said sitting on the side of Haylee's bed. "The ones on the farm? With no internet?", Haylee asked. "They would be the ones.", Noah said with a frown on his face. Haylee and Noah would always either FaceTime or call when she lived in Montana. There would be some days where they would forget a day or two but that was the longest she had ever gone without talking to him. "A full week?", Haylee asked "Yeah, I know I'm gonna miss that cute face of yours.", Noah joked "I don't know if I am going to stay the full week though, my grandparents weren't very nice to me as a kid", Noah said as he looked down at his feet. "Hey, I'm sorry.", Haylee said as she stroked his arm for comfort. "It's okay, but I got to go so I can get out of there as soon as possible. I won't be able to take you home.", Noah said still with a look of disappointment. Haylee was getting checked out in 2 days. "FaceTime me when you are on your way back and then we can talk.", Haylee suggested. "Oh yeah absolutely.", Noah said with a slight smile. "Go have fun, I'll miss you tons." Haylee said with a soft smile. Noah gets up and bends over and gives her a hug. "I'll miss you more.", Noah said softly. Haylee could feel his chest rising and falling it was calming she felt warm and safe. Noah let go and went out the door. Hopefully he was going to come back tomorrow she couldn't bare standing a week without talking to him.