One Heart | Friends to Lovers

Chapter 11

After sadly relaying to Connor what had happened over the past week I crawled in the bed between Aaron and Connor holding them both as they came to terms with the loss of their band, their family and their life as they knew it.

Tears didn't spill this time. I physically couldn't anymore. My eyes stung and I felt like I had cried enough over the last week to last a lifetime.

We spent hours just sitting there, not saying much. Just having their touch was enough for my body to hum in relaxation.

Carter at some point had moved to curl up on the end of the beds his legs extending out to tangle with mine and had fallen back to sleep. I found myself watching his peaceful face more often than i'd like to admit. Aaron also eventually drifted off resting on my shoulder, I glance over at Connor expecting to see him too asleep but I find him lost in his mind. All I can do Is grasp his hand. He squeezes my hand slightly. I know he's still there, somewhere. I rest my head on his shoulder and let my eyes slide shut too. We still had a tough road ahead of us but something told me we were gonna get through it.

***

I come to to find Mary taking a picture of the four of us cuddled up together. No doubt a photo I'd later come to love. I smile at her, she blows me a kiss before disappearing again down the hall of the ICU again. I glance down at Carter, also awake staring warmly at me. My heart jumps as I smile down at him. He watches me quietly.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers. My cheeks grow warm as I shake my head.

"I'm a mess." I giggle quietly back at him. He shakes his head back at me. Butterflies fly around my insides like there's no way I could remain just friends with this boy. Maybe my Mom did see something in him years ago that I couldn't at the time. I'm falling for his beautiful brown eyes, his facial features, the stunning tattoos I can't wait to explore with him one day, his heart and the way no matter how many times we float apart over the years he's always right there waiting for me. My eyes well up with tears, but for once they're happy. Despite all the loss, I've found a brief second of what feels a lot like love.

"Never." He whispers with a smile. I reach down to grab his hand as we interlock our fingers again. We stay like that for another hour as the other two wake up and then decide to go home for the night. Promising to be back in the morning Carter and I leave with a kiss on the forehead from Connor that almost made me cry and a bear hug from Aaron.

But I didn't miss the "I want to know everything" whisper obviously talking about Carter and I's inseparability as of last week. I blush again as I race out of there with a laughing Aaron left in my dust.

"What was that about hmm?" Carter asks as he slings his arm over my shoulder.

"Oh nothing. Aaron just being a nosy ass."

"About me? You only every blush when I'm around."

My embarrassment returns. "I'm not blushing."

"You look like a tomato right now. Do you want me to take a picture?"

"No I don't!" I scramble away laughing jogging down the hall towards the front entrance of the hospital. I run straight out the door and straight into a mess of flashing lights and yelling. My smile drops off my face instantly as I look up to a group of media personal getting right up into my face demanding questions left and right about the crash and the boys. I hear a "Kailey you look happy right now is there any good news?" And my mouth drops open slightly, I wasn't expecting them to still be here a week after the press conference. I knew influx were big but not this intense. Carter immediately grabs me pulling me behind him, protecting me from the bright lights. My moment of happiness stripped away in an instant. I cover my eyes with my hand as I get pulled through the crowd towards the car. They follow us all the way to the carpark and we fight to get into the vehicle. Carter barely manages to leave the hospital without running over a reporter. We finally break out of the road and we fly down the road away from them. It's quiet for a moment.