Chapter Twelve

The sterile smell of the hospital hits me like a slap in the face. Em was admitted into a room, immediately. The nurse complaining under her breathe about how ridiculously hot restaurants think their coffee needs to be. Swallowing is a challenge, a lump has formed in my throat. Images from the last time I was in the hospital flood into my mind, I can still feel the tenderness in my ribs. The lights are glaring, and painful. I can practically taste the sickness in the air. 

Somehow, Evan and I end up sitting, not nearly close enough in the crowded  waiting room. The couple inches between us make my chest ache. My hands are shaking, my leg bouncing nervously. I feel so bad, like I should have prevented this. Like I could have prevented  this. Evan’s watching me with a worried expression on his face, and I want to run away. I can’t just sit here while Em is being treated, while she’s hurt. I can’t sit in a waiting room with Evan staring at me like I’m about to break. I can’t be putting all this weight on his shoulders right before he leaves.

“Hey, you’re alright. Em is gonna be just fine. She’s a fighter.” Evan smiles looping his hand through mine. I close my eyes and try to breathe. Em is sitting in a hospital room. She’s being treated for burns. She has the burns because some girl thought it would be a good idea to dump her hot coffee on her head. She’s probably aching physically. I know she’s hurting mentally. She’s a people pleaser, I don’t know anyone that hates Em. It just doesn’t seem fair. She tries so hard to make things good for everyone else, and then something like this happens.

An hour. It takes a whole hour for Emily to come out to the waiting room. She’s holding a bottle of pills, and a piece of paper. She’s got shiny salve over the burns on her face and chest.

“I hate doctors.” Em sighs stretching her arms above her head. She hands me the paper and stretches her arms above her head. The burns are slightly pink, but with the salve they look a lot less dangerous.

“So, what’s the verdict?” Evan murmurs.

“I’ll live. The burns are all first degree burns. I’ll be fine. She gave me a painkiller and a prescription for a salve if they don’t go away in a couple of weeks. She basically said to drown the burns in Neosporin.” Em shrugs. I can tell she’s uncomfortable by the hospital. I’m relieved to leave as well.

The car ride is silent. Em has announced that she’d like to go home, and I can’t really blame her. I give Evan the directions, while Em sleeps soundlessly in the backseat. We pull up outside her house, and I’m not sure what steps to take. Evan solves the problem by wordlessly getting out of the car, opening Em’s door and scooping her up in his arms. She doesn’t even shift in her sleep. He carries her like a baby up to the door. I knock hesitantly. This is going to be a great one to explain. Her father opens the door. He’s an older man with a kind face and wire rimmed glasses. A look of confusion crosses his face. 

“Hello John. There was an incident today at the coffee shop, I took the liberty of taking Em to the hospital. She’s fine, but a little sore and really tired. She said she wanted to come home so…” I explain. Her father nods wordlessly opening the door wider, Evan steps in balancing his weight awkwardly. He walks into the living room and directs for Evan to set her down on the couch. He obliges, and I can just sense how uncomfortable he feels. A quick summary of what happened, and a promise that Em will call me when she feels better and Evan and I are back in the car. He starts it wordlessly. We’re driving on a street surrounded by trees when Evan pulls over. He turns the ignition off and we sit for a moment in silence.

“I’m so sorry you had to be put through that.” I whisper finally breaking the silence. And I do, feel bad.

“Oh, hush. Stop apologizing. You’re good enough.” Evan smiles. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he leans over and kisses me flat on the mouth. And that kiss says so much more than words possibly could

Author's Note

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Reviews

[eatmills]

Em's father John feels uncomfortable is that because of the situation or is it that Aiden is there in the house? Questions for later chapters, maybe.

I liked the lead up to the kiss.