Bruises

8| Intent

Chapter 8: Intent.

"WHAT THE F*CK HAPPENED TO HIM?!" Mr Malik raged, his eyes a burning heath.

"Dad, it's my fault, I shouldn't have fought," Ashton said, raising his arm to block out the white light of the hospital.

"Maybe I should start with you then, you willingly disobeyed the doctors orders and got worse," Jaxon Malik scolded his son.

I stood there quietly, standing between Alex and Justin, my eyes darting from Ashton to Jaxon.

"I'm sorry dad," Ashton apologised, "I f*cked up, okay?"

"You better be, I called your friends five times, your mom is right out there, worried as hell, she can't stand to see you like this," he fumed.

Jaxons eyes shifted to me with disdain. "And what is she doing here?"

"I– I'm Maddie," I fumbled for a reply.

"I didn't ask who you were, I asked what you're doing here?" He said. "Weren't you the girl who sprained his leg? You seem to be everywhere he gets hurt."

"It's not her fault, dad," Ashton spoke.

"Are you sure about that cause I spoke to the security and they mentioned you entering the arena with a ‘certain ugly girl’."

I knew he was just quoting what the security said but it still hurt to hear that, I hated the fact women were only validated for how beautiful they could be, it was almost sickening.

"I'll be leaving now," I managed to say, fighting back tears.

"Stay away from my son or you're really going to lose that job of yours," Jaxon threatened.

"Dad, that's enough," Ashton warned but winced from the effort.

The doctor finally stepped in as I left the room, tears finally running down my eyes.

"What's the matter, honey?" I heard a certain voice speak.

I found a woman seated in the waiting room, her eyes clearly reddened from equally crying but she still threw me a comforting smile, gesturing for me to come to her.

This was Ashton's mom.

She had his soft blue eyes, her smooth blonde hair hung on one shoulder, littered with grey that made it almost look like a highlight, she seemed to be atleast in her forties. She wore a visibly expensive dress, patting down on the seat beside her for me to sit.

I took a seat beside her, sniffling away my excess snot. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine... Was someone hurt?"

She probably thought I was here to meet a loved. one

I nodded. "Someone was hurt... And it was all my fault."

I didn't expect someone in the Malik family to be this warm and kind to me, she pulled me into a hug.

"Did you mean to hurt them?" She asked.

I shook my head, I didn't mean to hurt anyone but I always did, maybe I was actually a bag of bad luck.

"Then that's all that matters," she said, patting down my hair. "Sometimes, it isn't the action that matters but the intent."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled to her, I couldn't bring myself to tell her I was the reason her son had a sprain just because I couldn't work.

"Don't apologise, you have nothing to be sorry for... To be honest, my son is also in there," she said. "He's my life and I'm so scared he won't be able to walk if this gets worse. I'm scared... I fear for my boy." She too began to cry, pulling me closer into her warm embrace.