Uncharted

After being fully awake and stuck in a hospital bed for just one day, I was ready to leave. I just wanted to go back to my flat and have some peace and quiet. I didn’t want to hear the nurses talking in the hallway about how gorgeous one of the new doctors was. I really didn’t want to hear the woman across the hall screaming about how she was being neglected. Honestly, I wanted the quiet of my own home.

Des was sitting in a plastic chair at the side of my bed, typing like mad on his phone. From what I gathered by watching his facial expressions it was either a very heated argument he was having with someone or a very amusing conversation. Either way, he didn’t seem to notice the way I was studying him out of the corner of my eye.

There was an afternoon talk show on the television which wasn’t holding my interest at all. I didn’t know who any of the guests on the show were and I had no idea what any of them were talking about. To be honest, the doctor had told me multiple times not to watch TV because it would only make my head hurt worse but I was so bored that I turned it on anyway. I couldn’t blame Des for tuning out everything around him. It wanted to tune everything out as well but unfortunately, I wouldn’t get any pain killers for another fifteen minutes.

“I want to go home. I’m so bored.” I whined . “This is so boring.”

“Mmmyeah.” Des commented at least a minute later, still texting like his life depended on it.

That’s when I gave up on communicating with Des, realizing he was already too caught up in another conversation. Instead I closed my eyes and waited for a nurse to come in to give me my pain pills. The constant tapping noise of Desmond’s rapid texting faded into the background and the only thing I could focus my attention on were the rain drops rolling down the window.

Secretly, I was wondering who Des was texting. I wanted to know if it was Moira. I wanted to know everything about Des and Moira. I kept thinking about the night Des openly admitted to liking me in a more than friendly manner, a way more than friendly manner. It was almost like every day since that night, Des was always on my mind. I guess he always had been on mind 24/7 and I never noticed until he burst through the door, pinned me against a wall, and kissed me like I’d never been kissed before.

It was killing me. I wanted to know if they were still dating. I wanted to know everything about Des. I wanted to know all of the secrets that he was probably keeping from everyone. I wanted to know his interests. I wanted to know what he liked and what he disliked. I had known the guy for months and somehow I still barely knew anything about him and it was driving me crazy. Mostly, I wanted him to willingly tell me these things. I didn’t want to risk getting my face torn off by asking.

It was like Des was reading my mind because he suddenly stored his phone in the pocket of one of his usual black hoodies that had some band’s name plastered to it. He leaned forward in his chair, looking at me quickly before letting his eyes drift over to the clock and then back to me. I pretended not to notice. Des sighed and then leaned back in his chair like he decided not so say something.

“Do you think I’ll be allowed to go home tomorrow?” I asked a nurse as she made her way into the room with my pills and a small cup of water.

“I don’t know, we’re still waiting to see what the doctor says but I think there’s a good chance you will be.” She said with a smile which made me smile in return before I took my pills and she walked out of the room going around to the rest of the patients.

I layed back down on my bed, I was hoping on falling asleep so I wouldn’t have to be aware of the awkward silence between Des and I. Things had always been awkward between us and that only intensified when he psychopath girlfriend pushed me down the stairs. I guess that’s expected though.

Des leaned forward in his chair again, I only noticed because of the scraping sound it made against the floor. I wasn’t focusing on much at that point because the pain pills I had taken a few minutes previous were taking effect. My head felt like it was floating a good foot above my skull. I kept rubbing my hands on my face, I don’t know why. It’s something I always did when I took pain medication.

“Ol, be careful. You have stiches.” Desmond’s voice rang through my fuzzy head which made me smile and drop my hand.

“Alright, bud.” I laughed and resisted the urge to rub my hands all over my face again.

“Annnnd you’re high.” Des commented without any emotion, he squinted his eyes at me like he was trying to decide if what he had just said held any truth.

“I’m not. “ I lied. I was a little high. But only a little. “In like ten more minutes, then I’ll be high.” I smiled lazily at him.

“Ollie, I think we really need to talk about something. I don’t want to do this when you’re high as fuck but I really need to say some things to you and if I don’t say them now I don’t know if I ever will.” Des said in one breath, his eyes were locked on mine.

“Okay.” I said slowly, trying to figure out if what he was about to say was going to be something good or something bad.

“Okay.” Des said calmly. “I have a lot I need to say so just don’t cut me off because I really need to get this off my fucking chest. Please?”

“Alright.” I agreed.

Des took a deep breath but whatever he was about to say got cut off. “I swear to God, Olivia. You scared the living shit out of me!” I turned my head so fast that pain shot through but I didn’t care because right there in the door was the one and the only Eleanor.

I screamed. I just straight screamed at the top of my lungs because I was so excited to see her. She was the last person I expected to see. Elle ran at me, her five inch heels clicking against the tile floor as she did so. She threw herself at me but hugged me very gently, being extra careful to not hurt my bruised body.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, I was smiling so big that I’m sure I looked ridiculous. Then again, Des was the only one who was around to see it. I realized Des never got a chance to tell me what he wanted to. I turned toward the chair to tell him we could talk later but he wasn’t there, confused I turned toward the door to see the back to him disappearing into the hallway.

“Cooper called me to tell me that some mental case pushed you down the stairs. What did you expect me to do? Stay in London? I don’t think so. “

“Elle, what about work? You can’t just like…fucking jet off to Ireland because I got a few cuts.” I tried to reason, not that I wasn’t thrilled that she was there.

Elle shot one of her famous looks, this one I recognized as the ‘drop it’ look. “Listen, Nicole loves you. Nicole loves me. We’re here girls and she takes care of us just like we take care of her. Okay, everything is perfectly lovely and taken care of. Nothing to worry about.” Elle said referring to our boss.

“I’m happy you’re here.” I said finally.

“Good…because I’m crashing at your place.” Elle said.

“Fine by me.” I smiled at her. I was so happy to have my best friend back.

I couldn’t help but feel that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, the one which usually accompanied guilt. I had literally forgotten all about Des as soon as Eleanor appeared. I knew he probably wouldn’t be around for a while. That’s how he was, if things didn’t go his way he avoided them. If I wanted to hear what he had to say, I’d have to go him. I’d have to be the one to start the conversation.

The thought of that was utterly terrifying.