The summer you didn't expect

Chapter 15

Loren

I felt someone's hand holding mine but I couldn't open my eyes. My side was killing me but I couldn't say anything either. I feel trapped.

I remember walking and a car pulled up in front of me. Mitchell ran over to me with a knife in his hand. "I told you I would kill you!" I tried to dodge him but he stabbed me in the side and I laid there bleeding. I heard Charlotte's voice but I couldn't tell if I imagined her or not.

I try to speak but I couldn't something was stopping me. I finally was able to squeeze the hand that was holding mine. "Loren?" Charlotte's voice filled my ears. I slowly open my eyes they were heavy and the lights were bright in the room I was in.

"Loren you're awake!" She jumped out of her seat and hugged me. I flinched in pain and tried to gasp in pain but I noticed I had a breathing tube in my throat. "Hey don't speak let me get my dad." She ran out of room and I looked around.

I was in a hospital room and there are about 4 things of potted flowers. 3 of them are wilted and the fourth one looked like it is going to wilt soon. Charlotte, my mom, and her dad came into my room. "Oh thank god you are awake." My mom ran to my right side and held my hand.

Loren's dad removed the breathing tube I had in and my throat burned so bad. "Loren do you know what day it is?" Charlotte's dad asked me as he stood at the end of my bed. "It's July 14th. Yesterday was the 13th and I assume it's been a day." I say with the raspiest voice I've ever had before. I heard Charlotte sniffle and saw tears going down her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked with a scared tone because something doesn't seem right. Her dad cleared his throat and rubbed Charlotte's back. "Loren you have been in a medical induced coma for 2 weeks it's July 28th." I stared at him in shook and turned my head to Charlotte. She looked away from me she looked ashamed. Tears streamed down her face.

"Can I talk to Charlotte alone?" Her dad raised his eyebrow in confusion probably because I called her Charlotte but I don't care I think Charlotte suits her better. "Okay me and your mom are going to talk about the next steps for you in my office." My mom and him walked out and I look over to Charlotte who was looking out the window.

"It's not your fault. Please tell me you haven't been blaming yourself this whole time." She turns around to look at me and she frowns. "It is my fault though, it's my fault Mitchell was after you, it's my fault you were out walking in the dark, it's my fault that you felt rejected!" She started to pace and her breathing was heavy.

"Charlotte!" She stopped pacing and looked at me with the saddest look in her eyes. "It is not your fault I told you a hundred times I don't care about Mitchell if I had to fight him everyday to protect you I would. It's not your fault I was walking alone it's my fault because I ruined our friendship and I was scared to have that conversation that I ruined everything. I'm the one who moved to fast."

I felt tears go down my face and I sat there looking down at my lap. "I knew from the second I saw you, it was too good to be true. But all my fragile heart wants is you, your beautiful honey brown eyes I get lost in. Falling in love with you was gradual and I didn't realize it until it was too late by the time I realized, I already decided I needed to tell you because I don't want to lose those eyes in my life."

I felt her hand caress my cheek and I looked up into her eyes. "I thought I lost you. I've never been more scared in my life and I thought I would never get to see your smile, hear your laugh, get lost in your eyes or feel safe in your arms again and that's the moment I realized I would leave it all, everything, everyone, if it meant just one more moment with you." She smiles and kisses me on the forehead.

"What are you saying?" I'm stunned that she would give up everything for me. "Loren these past 2 weeks without you have been horrible. I wanted to talk to you all the time, I wanted to cuddle and watch movies, I wanted to draw you when you are working but I couldn't and I hated that I am the reason that I didn't have any of that." She takes a deep breath and looks into my eyes with determination.

"What I'm trying to say is that I love you." My heart was basically beating outside my chest when I heard those words. I grabbed her face and pulled her into a kiss. There was so much passion in this kiss, there was so much love in this kiss.

Charlie

Having her back in my arms felt like sun after a storm, rain after a drought, she is my everything and nothing else mattered. She is mine and I am her's and that's what mattered. We laid in her hospital bed cuddling neither of us wanted this moment to end.

My dad walked in and I had a little internal fear and sat up quick. "Charlie it's fine enjoy your time with Loren. I just wanted to let you girls know that we are going to keep Loren here for a couple more days to make sure there is no bad effects of her coma." Loren squeezes my hand and laid her head on my shoulder.

"Can you stay with me?" She looks up in my eyes, she looked so scared. "Of course I can." My dad sighed and sat on the chair. "There something else I have to tell you girls too." I whip my head towards him and he is frowning. "Shit they still haven't found him yet have they?" My dad shook his head no.

Since Mitchell stabbed Loren he has been on the run and we are all scared he is going to show up here. "They never arrested him for what he did to me?" I look at Loren and tears were falling down her face.

"Hey it's okay they will get him and there has been an officer here 24/7 outside." She nodded and leaned into my shoulder. "Are you going to be safe? I don't think I can physically protect you right now." I chuckle at her always wanting to protect me. "Hey I'll be safe I promise I've been extra careful."

My dad walked to the side of the bed I was on. "It might be the safest here with Loren do you want me to get a cot for you? I just got a bad feeling he might show up at our house." Loren squeezes my hand and shakes her head yes she was anxious and excited to spend time with me. "Yeah I was already planning on staying here with her." I squeeze her hand back and kiss her cheek.

Loren eyes widen and looked at my dad. "Don't worry I talk to my dad. He supports me and just wants me to be happy." My dad smiled and stood up. "Okay girls I'll be back later with your cot and I'll call your mom and tell her to bring your clothes."

The thought of my mom coming scared me, she may be supportive with Keith but her and Keith are not close at all. Her and I are super close and I'm scared she will react bad if she knows I'm with a girl. My dad noticed me tense up and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Hey honey it's okay just talk to her." He gave me a sympathetic smile and then walked out. My breathing is heavy and my hands feel numb and tingly. The world around me was muffled, the beeping from Loren's monitor and the tv all faded out. Tears streamed down my face.

"Hey." I felt a hand on my cheek and I focused on Loren in front of me. "It's okay just copy my breathing." She wiped my tears away with her thumb and kissed my forehead. "I'm scared." I whisper to her and she nods and pulls me into a hug. "It's okay my love I'm here for you no matter what." I froze in her arms, she called me her love. I really liked it.

"I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable I won't call you that if you don't like it." She rambled and it made me smile how nervous she is. I kissed her lips to calm her down. "I like it. A lot." She smiled and pulled me into a hug. "You're my love." I giggle in her arms and all I know is I've never felt safer in my life then I do in her arms.

I decided not to tell my mom today I was to scared too. Loren supported my decision and told me that we will go at my pace. My dad brought the cot and let me know my mom was on her way to Loren's room now. I stopped cuddling Loren and sat on the chair next to her bed. I missed being in her arms but I can be later.

My mom walked in with a backpack for me and flowers for Loren. "Hi girls I hope you don't mind Loren I brought you flowers." Loren laughed and looked at the table with wilted flowers on it. "I love them it's nice not to see wilted ones." My mom laughs with Loren and handed me my bag.

"If you girls need anything send me text I'll be right here for you." Loren looked at me and gave me a smile. I knew that she was hinting that my mom might understand but I'm too scared. I shook my head no and my mom gave me a confused look. "What's wrong honey?"

"I'll tell you later mom." She nodded understanding I wasn't ready to talk about what's bothering me. "We can talk tomorrow." She walked out and Loren gave me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make her think that something was wrong."

"It's okay you care about me and want me happy." She smiled and opens her arms for me to come cuddle her. She makes me so happy and all I know is I will do whatever it takes to protect this girl. I know Mitchell is still out here and he better not show up because he messed with my girl.