Another One Cindirection Story (L.P.)

Chapter 22 - Lost

Aubrey's POV

The second they let us into Owen's hospital room, I burst through the door, frantically searching for Owen's face. I find him, sleeping in the middle of all his blankets and pillows. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and step closer towards him. Layla and the girls follow closely behind me.

I don't know how many times I imagined what it would be like to see him today. I've run through a hundred scenarios when I laid in his bed unable to sleep. I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this.

He looks peaceful.

Suddenly, I'm worried that he looks too peaceful.

My feet gravitates towards him and I find myself searching for his hand under the layers of blankets. I finally find his hand and slide mine into his. His hand is warm and I feel myself calming down a little.

I drag a chair from a corner of the room and sit down next to him, turning his hand over in mine. My thumb rubs over a faded scar from what seems like a million years ago.

He was seven and I was five. I had been running across the street to avoid being tagged by one of Owen's friends. Even then, Owen had always been kind to me, letting me play with his friends. I wasn't watching where I was going and a car was approaching. I had been glancing behind me to see how close his friend was. The next thing I knew, Owen was pulling me backwards by the collar of my shirt. We both slammed into the ground with Owen taking the fall hardest. He had dragged his hand on the gravel, splitting his knuckles.

He didn't cry. He just wiped his hands on his shorts and pulled me off the ground, walking us both back onto the sidewalk calmly. One of his friends was already taking off into the house, calling his mom to get the safety kit. The others surrounded him and congratulated him on his quick reflexes.

I lean my head on the railing of his bed and close my eyes, sucking in a deep breath. The sound of the monitor beeping steadily fills the silence. Exhaustion hits me like a train going at full speed. I didn't sleep at all last night after reading Owen's letter. I picture the letter, now safely tucked away in a book in my bookshelf. Sleep begins to take over my body and I happily let it.

I'm about to drift off when my phone chimes with a new text message.

1 new text message:

Taylor: What do you think about the plan?

I almost forgot about Taylor's call. I type back a quick response.

Me: You can do whatever you want

Taylor: C'mon, I can't do it by myself

Me: Get someone else to help you then

Her answer comes as soon as I hit the send button.

Taylor: Do you want to make Connor pay or not?

When I don't respond after a few minutes, my phone starts to ring. I decline it and put it away, but it just rings again. I decline it again in frustration, hoping she takes a hint and leaves me alone. I don't want to deal with her or the rest of the world at all right now. But by the third time, I can feel Layla glaring at the back of my head and I slide the accept button.

"What the hell do you want from me?" I whisper angrily as I get up and walk towards the door.

"I need you to say yes. I need you to help me with the plan." Taylor responds. I lean against the wall next to Owen's room and say nothing. Taylor's voice continues to filter through the phone, "Aren't you mad about what Connor did?"