Fragile

“Next time you won’t get away. Next time there won’t be anybody to save you.”

I woke with a start, my hands twisted in the sheets around them. A sweat broke across my forehead as I panicked, looking about me at the unfamiliar room. Everything was white and blinding. The only color came from a green plant by the window. I heard monitors and saw wires around me. The scent of death and bleakness hung in the air.

I tried breathing, but my lungs offered no air. A loud beeping pierced through the room. Then, I felt a warm hand against my arm and shied away from it, crawling under the sheets. I stared up into a pair of tired blue eyes.

“Diana. Diana, love. It’s alright; nobody is here to hurt you. I promise that you’re safe. Just breathe. Come on, you can do it.”

I did as I was told, taking in breath after breath. My body started to relax and I tilted my head to see the blue-eyed boy again. The incessant beeping ceased.

His clothes were wrinkled as if he had been wearing them for a few days and his face was covered in light stubble. My heartbeat quickened as a man’s face flashed through my memory. It made me sick just thinking about what almost happened. I should have known better than to go out at night, yet I did it anyway.

I felt a dull pain on my legs and I realized I was clawing at them. A pair of hands moved mine out of the way and held them securely.

“Don’t do that,” he said pleadingly. The bed shifted slightly and I felt him sitting beside me. He was hesitant as if I would break at any second. If I was honest, I wasn’t yet sure of how much I could take. My mind was in a whirlwind of thoughts, bombarding me with hurricane worthy winds.

“Where,” I cleared my throat, “where am I?”

The boy, Louis, grabbed a glass of water from the side table and placed it in my hands which were slightly shaking. I graciously took the water and drank it in seconds. My throat felt like parchment, hoarse and dry with every word.

I looked at the boy and realized he was trying to formulate his words as to not scare me. His mouth opened and closed until he finally spoke.

“You’re in the hospital. I brought you here after… after I found you. The doctor said that you were fine except for the broken wrist, which she set back into place. It should heal properly so long as you are careful and follow the doctor’s instructions,” he said as he looked down at a fixed point on the bed.

There was something more he wasn’t telling me. However, I didn’t care; all I cared about was what that bastard did to my wrist. Sure, I hit him, but his face didn’t need to be as hard as a steel door. I needed the use of my hand. It was the one thing I couldn’t live without, especially when this year was one of my biggest years. I didn’t realize I was crying until Louis’ thumb brushed over my cheek and wiped away the tears.

“How am I supposed to write? How am I supposed to take my exams? I’m useless without the use of my hand! This isn’t fair! My art portfolio needs to be finished and I have no way of finishing it. I’m fucking screwed. That son of a bitch ruined any chance of me getting into University next fall. I just… it’s just…why does it have to be me? It’s as if someone is up there watching me and creating ways to make my life a living hell as if it amuses them to no end. I’m done. I’m completely and sufficiently done.” I felt the tears stream down my face as the anger started to dissipate.

I felt arms wrap around me as I sobbed into my hands.

“No need to cry, love. It’ll all be fine. I’m sure everyone will understand. There are always alternatives.” I lifted my head up and he smiled at me, flashing his brilliant smile; it was by no means perfect, but it was perfect to me- perfectly imperfect.

“I hope you’re right.”

“I hope I am too,” he mumbled.

“I looked at my wrist and lifted the new weight placed on it. It didn’t hurt as much as before, but that could change.

“Wait…how-how long have I been here?”

Louis’ eyes widened and he pinched the bridge of his nose. I figured it was what he was keeping from me when he sighed.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t ask that… three days.” He looked away and dropped his arms which were still wrapped around me. I felt cold and alone when he let go, as if he held all of the warmth in the world in his arms.

“Th-three days?! That’s not possible! How long have you been here?” I was in disbelief, but I knew the answer to the last question; he was waiting for me to wake up, just by his disheveled appearance. He was waiting for me for three days.

He blushed violently and rubbed at his face.

“Why did you ask a question you already knew the answer to?” His blue eyes pierced into mine.

“Why don’t you answer the question without a question this time?” My voice remained unwavering as I continued to stare into his eyes.

He broke away and sighed. “I was here all three days. I’m pretty sure the nurses know my name. I couldn’t sleep knowing you would be alone. I wanted to keep my promise of bringing you someplace warm and safe. Well, I succeeded on the safe part, but this place freezes me to the core. I hate hospitals.” He shivered in disgust and gave me a little smirk, his cheeks still red.

He was wrong though. He did find me someplace warm: his arms. They were safe and strong.
I rested my head against his chest and felt my eyelids grow heavy. I wanted to sleep and forget everything that happened, but I knew that was impossible. Nightmares would mar my every dream, leaving pain and horror in its wake.

Louis rubbed at his temples, causing me to look up.

“Are you okay? I guess that’s ironic of me to ask since I’m the one in the hospital, but you’ve been watching over me for the amount of time I’ve been in here, so I owe you.”
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and let out in a weak voice, “Yeah, just a headache. I probably need some sleep. Though, it could be a migraine. Either way, I’m getting sick in a damned hospital. Oh, and those freaking things they put on the corners of the walls so that the trolleys don’t get stuck in the corners? Well, I don’t give a fuck if they are convenient, in fact screw convenient! I nearly killed myself after trying to turn a corner. You better believe how hard I sassed those floors.”

I burst out laughing at his absurdity.

“Louis, you can’t sass the floor. It doesn’t care…”

He interrupted me, “We had a hardcore sass battle.”

He looked at me seriously as if this were an everyday occurrence.

I rolled my eyes. “Of course you did.”

He yawned loudly and stretched his arms above his head, a series of cracks echoing around the room.

I was desperately trying to stay awake, but my eyes had other plans. They began to close, but not before the events of that day flashed before my eyes.

Suddenly, I seemed to relax. Louis wrapped his strong arms around my shoulders and his warmth radiated through me. I felt safe. A small snoring sound was coming from Louis. I smirked at him and allowed myself to fall into a dreamless sleep in his arms.