Keep Me Together

“Where am I?” Elenia slurred and tired to open her eyes. A warm hand brushed over her forehead.
“Shh… It’s okay, Elenia,” Seth said to her softly. “You’re safe.”
“Where am I?” she asked again and tried to sit up, but she fell backwards against soft pillows again. “I’m tired,” she slurred and fell back in sleep.

~~~

Seth lay with his arms around her. Elenia was resting her bandaged head on his chest. He could feel her breath and the beeping of the heart monitor reassured her she still was there. Paul was sleeping in a chair next to the bed and looked older and more tired than Seth had ever seen him.

He played yesterday inside his head; he still hadn’t figured out what truly had happened. He’d stood behind Elenia when they were at the beach – he wanted her to know that he would keep her together; he’d been prepared for tears, for pain, for hatred and incomprehensible talking. What had happen was the last he had expected.

Elenia was telling him what had happened; he thought he was going to hear the story for the first time ever, but she stopped when it started blowing around them. She said Olivia was there – he thought she meant Olivia was in her heart, but she’d removed his hands before she walked out in the cold water.

Seth was puzzled and only stared after her. And he hadn’t reacted before the water reached her knees; Elenia slipped in the water, a stone, he suspected. She had fallen backwards and hit her head on another rock, a sharper one.

The water was colored red by her blood and he’d hastily picked her up and rushed her back to the beach. He’s almost freaked out when she didn’t respond to his pleas. Seth called an ambulance; Paul and Elia had turned up by then and went with her to the hospital. Seth was left alone on the beach, frozen in place and terrified for his love.

He saw something move at the corner of his eye, and when he turned to look out over the open sea he heard the wind whisper in his ear; the sweet sound of a princess’ laughter.

It had snapped him out of his trance and he had walked to his car, driven to the hospital in a daze and found her parents in the waiting room, looking gray and old with worry. Elia took a hold of his hand, and held onto him like life depended on it.

~~~

“Where am I?” he heard her slurred voice yet again and was brought back to present time. She was upset this time.
“You are okay, Elenia, your at the hospital. You injured yourself when you slipped at the beach. You got a concussion,” he explained to her slowly, hoping she would understand him this time.
“Ho-hospital?” she stuttered and tried to sit up.

Seth carefully held her down with one hand. “Don’t try to sit up, Leni.”
“Why- Where am I?” she asked again and looked around.
“You are at the hospital, in Forks. You fell at the beach. You got a concussion.”
“A concussion? Am I gone be okay?” she asked him worriedly.
Seth smiled lightly. “Yes, you are, my love.”

“I’m so tired,” she whispered and grabbed onto his t-shirt.
“I know, baby, just go back to sleep, I’ll be here when you wake again,” He said and brushed his hand over her hair.
“Okay,” she said and drifted off to sleep again.

~~~

Elenia opened her eyes slowly and tried to look around. She was disoriented, but realized she was at the hospital when she saw the heart monitor. Seth was sleeping by her side, and she believed it to be early morning, because of the light.

Her head was throbbing and she was aware of a heavy pain; she felt bandages on her forehead when she lifted her hand. She wondered what had happened, but then she remembered falling. Why had she injured her forehead if she fell backwards?

Olivia. Olivia had pushed her away, but that didn’t mean she’d fallen backwards in reality.
Reality. Was Olivia only a dream, a mere picture of her imagination? No, Elenia had felt her warm skin. It had happened.

All the thinking hurt her head and she tiredly rested her head back down at Seth’s chest. He stirred in his sleep and stretched his long body. His eyes widened when he opened them; surprised to see her awake yet again. He waited for her questions.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said apologetically. She tried to lift her hand to touch his cheek, but she missed and hit his nose. Elenia started at her hand in confusion.
“You got a concussion,” he said slowly, as if speaking to a child. “You fell at the beach and hit your head. You are at the hospital.”
“I know I’m at the hospital,” she responded slowly, “What’s up with all the info?”

“Are you really awake now, Leni?” he asked her.
“What do you mean?”
“This is the fifth time you’ve woken up since you were admitted,” Seth told her.
“Oh,” she said the feeling of disorientation growing even more.

“It’s okay,” Seth said and brushed his fingers over her cheek. “Darin said it might happen. Dizziness, disorientation, lack of balance and motor coordination, confusion, slurred speech and concentrating problems.”
“Please don’t use big words, Seth,” she whispered, noticing a growing headache.

“What happened to you?” he asked instead.
“I fell?”
“No, I mean, why did you enter the water? You are terrified of it,” he explained to her.
“I was in the water?” she asked in confusion. “I don’t remember…”
“You started telling about the Olivia’s death before you stopped, said she was here and walked out in the water.”
“I’m tired Seth, can we please talk later?”

“Of course, Elenia, I love you,” he said and kissed the side of her head.
“I love you too,” she sighed and snuggled closer to him. “Don’t leave me.”