Halfway Dead

Chapter Four

                                                                                    Ryker's POV

"I'm serious. You don't need to be in the hospital with a broken back from these shitty hospital chairs. Or you could go home. You look like you want a shower."  Amelia said with a bitter sweet smile. I wanted to laugh but it wasn't something I should be laughing at. But because it came from Amelia, it was funny. Instead of doing anything, I didn't say anything, I just walked out of the door. She probably thinks she made me pissed or something. But I didn't know how to respond, so I got nervous and walked out.  Now I feel bad but I wasn't thinking. I will try and get back as soon as possible. I walk to the elevator and press the down arrow. Currently I'm on floor 7 but my cousin Kate works as a nurse on floor 5. The elevator dings open and luckily it's empty. Once I step into the elevator and press the number 5, I hear a girl. "Wait, please hold the door!"  The girl called out. I really want to pretend I didn't hear her, but since I already feel bad, I go ahead and hold the door and wait for her to enter. "Thank you so much! I have to get home." She said in a kind toned voice. "Mhm." "So... I'm Grace. And you are?" I let out a quiet sigh, one so quiet I can barely hear it. "I'm Ryker." Grace took a step closer and stuck out her hand. "Nice to meet you Ryker." I let her shake my hand, but I made sure it was quick. Thankfully the elevator doors opened at my floor. "Well thanks again, see you around?" Grace said as I started walking. "Sure, maybe." I replied. I felt something touch my ass. I turned around. "Oops. Didn't see that there." Grace said with a smirk. I turned back around and walked away as fast as possible to the break room. 

"Knock knock." I said as I walked up to the break room. "Oh hey Ryke? How is she?" I sigh again. "Well she's doing well enough to make weak insults. And to drink her coffee." Kate chuckles. "What insult did she hit you with?" She stares and waits for an answer. "Well sorta an insult. She said, and I quote, '"I'm serious. You don't need to be in the hospital with a broken back from these shitty hospital chairs. Or you could go home. You look like you want a shower.' Then I walked out." Kate is laughing now. "What did she scare you away? Do you stink?" I roll my eyes at her. "Ha Ha very funny. I was actually going to ask if I could use the break room showers. I just need to take a quick one. And I don't want to go all the way home just to come back." Kate stops laughing long enough to say, "Damn, you must really stink then." And starts laughing like hell again. "Again, ha ha very funny." She finally stops laughing after a good 2 minutes. "Go shower you stink ass." We both let out a small laugh as she throws me a towel. "Thanks Kate." I started walking towards the showers. I started to take my shirt off as I heard noises, which sounded like kissing. I walked around the corner behind the lockers and there was Grace, and some guy that looked twice her age. "Oh, uh- sorry. Wait, weren't you supposed to be going home?" I said backing away. "Oh yeah, not anymore, but it's okay Ryker, wanna join Mike and I?" Uh What did she just say? I'm pretty sure my eyes got ten times bigger. "Uhm... No thanks, i'm just going to shower then I'll be out of your guys way."  Grace laughed, but it was forced. "Don't worry hun, you're not in our way. Take your time!" I put on a half fake smile. "Uh, thanks." I walked back to the shower and took off my clothes in the shower before turning it on now that I know I have company.  

I finish up in the shower and put my clothes back on. The entire time I was showering all I heard was Grace and Mike making out, which was utterly disgusting. But all I wanted to hear and think about was Amelia. It's only been fifteen minutes since I walked out but it feels like too long. I walk out of the break room and go down the hall to the coffee machine. I know Amelia prefers iced coffee, but the iced coffee machine has a note on it saying "Out of Order! Sorry! - Staff". Amelia will have to work with hot coffee. I make mine first so it will have a greater chance of getting cold sooner. I put cream and liquid sugar in both our coffees, but some extra in Amelia's because I know she likes her coffee sweet. I finish both of our coffees and head to the elevator. As I went to push the up arrow, someone cuts me off and his it before I do. I look up and it's Grace. "What are you doing, following me?" I ask and Grace laughs. "If you think I am I won't be able to change your mind, won't I? But I'm not, I promise." The elevator dings and opens at the perfect time again and we both walk in. Since Grace walks in closer to the buttons, she asks, "What floor?" She gives off a gentle smile as if I didn't just witness her making out with a guy, in the break room, where she doesn't even work. "Floor 7." I say trying focusing back on the conversation, and getting back to Amelia. "Why floor 7? Isn't that floor for domestic violence?" She asks, seeming concerned. Which I'm confused because now that I think of it, she was on floor 7 when she told me to hold the elevator earlier. "Well yeah, weren't you on that floor earlier?" I ask back. "Yeah, but it's complicated." I swear the elevator is a life saver, because it dings at floor 7 and I get off. But Grace stays. "Nice to meet you Ryker." She says with a light smile. "You too." I say and walk away. I headed for room 525, Amelia's room. And without knocking I enter. "I could've been naked Ryker! But where did you go?" I chuckled to myself, she does care. "Well, I asked my cousin if I could use one of the locker room showers since she works here, then I got us coffee." I go to set the coffees on a table, that was right next to her. As I bent down to put the coffees on the table, I can smell her significant sent, Bombshell by Victoria's Secret. I know that because it's been what she's been wearing since the sixth grade.  "Seriously though, you can sleep in the bed, your back must be killing you." I smile again, knowing that she does care.  "I took pain killers to help with it, but if you insist, I guess I will take you up on the offer." I started to climb on the bed when I thought that we could watch good movies and not cable. "Hold on, give me two seconds." I climb back down and walk over to the chair I was sleeping in, and bent down to my bag. I dug through it for a second then grabbed my laptop. "Movies. I have Netflix. You can pick whatever you want to watch." I climbed back into the bed and opened the laptop and logged into Netflix. She starts looking at movies and clicks on The Kissing Booth. "I've never even heard of that." I say, and it earns me a stare. "Really? You're gonna hate it!" We both laugh. I lasted a little less than half of the movie until I was starting to get tired. I closed my eyes, but was still wide awake.  "Maybe you aren't as horrible as I last remembered, Beck." Amelia whispers and pulls herself closer.