I didn't choose her, my heart did

The shock

Keira's POV:
We sat together in the waiting room of the medical practice, waiting for my appointment. My heart was pounding wildly in my chest and my nerves were at an all-time high. I had never been a big fan of all the stuff surrounding hospitals, and now that it concerned me, it felt even worse. I didn't even notice that I was bumping up and down with my non-injured leg the whole time, until Lucy put her hand on my knee.

I looked at her, surprised by her soothing gesture. But even after my leg stopped moving, she rested her hand there. A warm feeling spread in my chest, and I couldn't help but wonder why such a simple gesture had such an effect on me. Was it Lucy's reassuring presence, or was it something else I could not yet place?

Then came the moment when my name was called out by a woman in a white coat. I looked at Lucy and she gave me a supportive squeeze on my leg. It was as if she wanted me to know that everything would be all right, that she would be there for me no matter what.

Lucy handed me my crutches and the doctor told us to follow her. But what the doctor seemed to forget was that I was not in good shape, as she rushed to the desk without paying attention to me. I tried my best to follow her, but Lucy stopped me.

"Take your time, we have all the time in the world," she said with a reassuring smile.
We finally arrived at the doctor's office. Lucy held the door open for me and I smiled gratefully. She moved a chair back and made sure I could sit comfortably. I felt relieved by her caring gesture.

The doctor began to speak. "Mrs Walsh, I don't have very good news." My heart started beating faster and I started fidgeting nervously with the hair tie on my wrist. And then she uttered the only words I didn't want to hear. "You will have to come back in a week to undergo surgery."

The ground under me seemed to fall away and my thoughts raced through my head. Surgery. That was the last thing I expected to hear. The doctor's words faded to a vague hum as I struggled to take in the reality of the situation.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Lucy looking at me with concern. Her presence gave me a sense of support and comfort, but the news I had just received seemed to overshadow everything.

What was said later, I didn't hear anymore. That last sentence kept repeating in my head, like an echo that kept haunting me. I knew I had to concentrate on what to do next, but it was hard to keep my thoughts together.

Lucy's POV:
When the doctor said Keira needed surgery, it felt like a shock. I had suspected somewhere that this would happen, but had hoped it wouldn't have been necessary after all. My heart was beating wildly in my chest as I looked at Keira, hoping to catch a glimpse of her emotions.

"Keira, are you okay?" I asked cautiously, my voice filled with concern.

Keira's gaze was empty, her facial expression stiffened. She seemed to be completely engulfed in her thoughts, her hands restlessly on her lap. I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping to comfort her, but she only looked at me for a split second before darting her gaze away again.

I listened intently to what the doctor had to say, glancing at Keira every so often. But her position did not change. She just sat there, silent and withdrawn, as if lost in her own thoughts.

My heart broke at the sight of Keira in that state. I wanted to help her, to reassure her, but I didn't know how. I felt powerless, unable to take away her pain or make her feel that she was not alone.

After much explanation of Keira's rehabilitation process, we stood up. Keira headed out as fast as her crutches could go, her gaze fixed on the ground. I briefly thanked the doctor and followed Keira, the silence between us feeling heavier than ever. I wanted to say something, something to cheer her up, but I was afraid my words would only make her angrier or sadder.

We walked silently to the car park. I wanted to open my mouth to say something, but the words stuck in my throat. I looked at Keira, hoping she might start the conversation, but she was looking out the window, her face hidden behind a mask of sadness.

When we stood at a red light, I dared to look in her direction again. Through the reflection of the window, I saw that she was crying, her tears streaming down her cheeks. My heart broke at the sight of her pain, and I didn't know what to do to comfort her.

I made an impulsive decision and grabbed her hand, my fingers closing tightly around hers. It was as if I wanted her to know that she was not alone, that I would be there for her no matter what. I myself had already been through four knee operations and I knew the empty feeling you experience during such a period of rehabilitation. You have to give up your passion, your life. All your friends go on with their lives as usual while you go completely down physically and mentally.

The whole ride, I held her hand, as if my sole purpose was to make her feel that she was not alone. At first, it was difficult to change vitals with one hand on the wheel, but I would do anything to keep holding her hand.

_

When we arrived at my flat, I quickly got out to open the door for Keira. But when I got to her side, she had already stepped out. She seemed to be somewhere else with her thoughts. The silence between us was almost palpable as we walked inside. Keira went straight to her room - my room, actually. I wasn't sure if I should follow her to her room. I wanted to support her, but I was afraid of suffocating her. So I lingered in the corridor, unsure of what to do.

Eventually I decided to sit down to the sofa, with my thoughts still on Keira. It was heartbreaking to see her like this, so vulnerable and broken. I missed the dimples in her cheeks when she smiled, and the sparkle in her gaze when she spoke. I could not help but wonder how I could help her, how I could let her know she was not alone in this difficult time.

As I thought about ways to cheer her up, a loud bang startled me.

I ran as fast as I could to the bedroom, my heart pounding in my chest. But when I tried to open the door, I realised to my dismay that it was locked. My breath stuck in my throat as I tugged at the door and panicked trying to get in.

"Kei, please let me in!" I shouted, my voice filled with fear and anxiety. But there was no answer, only a deafening silence that only increased my worry.

"Kei, please, say something!" I begged, my voice shaky with emotion. But still there was no response inside.

In that moment, the silence seemed even more paralysing, my mind flooded with terrifying scenarios. Was Keira all right? Had she done something? My mind was spinning overtime, and I could no longer bear to stand outside, helpless and lost.

With a last, desperate effort, I kicked open the door, a wave of relief flooding me when I saw Keira sitting on the floor next to my bed. She was safe, unharmed, but the tears rolling down her cheeks told me she was far from okay.

A sigh of relief left my mouth as I rushed to her and pulled her into my arms. "Kei, oh god, are you okay?" I asked worriedly, holding her tightly. "What happened?"

Keira looked at me, her eyes red and tear-stained but filled with gratitude. "I'm fine, Luce," she whispered softly. "I'm just... a bit overwhelmed."

I nodded understandingly, holding her comfortingly. I was relieved that she was physically unharmed, but I knew the emotional pain lay deeper. And as we sat there together, surrounded by the wreckage of the broken door, she burst into tears.

_

After comforting Keira, I went downstairs so she could freshen up and calm down. I wanted to give her some space to sort out her thoughts and feel a little better again.

When she finally came downstairs, I saw that she was wearing one of my shorts and hoodies. A smile played around my lips at the sight of her in my clothes. "What have I done now, Bronze?" she asked smiling, looking at her outfit.

I couldn't help but smile. "You almost disappear in my clothes, they are too big. But it does look cute," I replied, hoping she wouldn't misinterpret my comment.

When I uttered the last sentence, I felt uneasy for a moment. How would she react to me calling her cute? But to my relief, Keira simply stepped towards me and sat down next to me on the sofa. She slid a little closer to me and laid her head on my chest.

For a moment, I didn't know what to do, but eventually I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her against me. "Thank you for everything, Luce," Keira whispered softly.

"Anything for you, Kei," I replied, my voice full of genuine emotion.

After those words, we just had a quiet evening together, watching The Lion King together, while I ran my fingers through her reddish hair. It felt good to just be together, and for a moment we forgot the worries and problems around us.

AN: I am not going to be able to post much for the next 2 weeks because I have exams. But after that, I will be able to post every day/ twice a day.