How I Love You (Zac Efron & A Non-Famous Girl)

chapter 52

"His pulse is going to need some more time to stabilize. He has been experiencing extreme trauma. It's a miracle he didn't cut one of his veins with that kind of pressure he put to harm himself " says the doctor to Mark concerned that Zac might not be in a great position.
"He's having a rough time.  I hope you understand that." says Mark
"I'm a doctor... I know how most of the self harm happens.  I mean...I've been dealing with patients who deal with stage 4 cancer and they are passionate about life and their families. But Your friend, Zac... He harmed himself. Over what?  A girl? Bad business?  Wrong life choices?  Whatever it is...he needs to fight back. This is not the way to deal with problems " explains the doctor in his cabin to Mark.
"you're right...  I'll explain that to him"  says Mark. He literally cursed Grace under his breath.
"please.. Take care of him. If he needs counseling, I know a person " says Doctor
"I'll let you know... Thank you for saving him" says Mark. He did not feel good about this. He was concerned about Zac.
"that's my job " says the doctor as humble as he could be.

Mark was really disappointed. He walked to Zac's room and saw Zac on his bed.Zac was asleep.  His face was calm but showed pain. His both wrists were tied with cotton and his other vein was receiving the blood Mark donated.  Zac was just tired.  He was left with no energy.  He was dreaming about the night Grace saved him. How she held him and took him inside her car.  Suddenly, flashes of her jumping off "The Pearl ", her holding his hands while returning from their trip to airport and finally how he begged her to open the door but she didn't open and he could hear her silent cries.  While all of the memories were flashing over and over again in his dreams, in reality, Zac was crying and screaming Grace's name out loud.  A lump inside his throat suffocating his wind pipe, was not letting Zac breathe. 
Mark Screamed for doctors and they helped Zac by putting on the oxygen mask, checking his blood pressure, his pulse was falling again. 
After a few minutes of tension from doctors part and painful screams from Zac's part, his condition was a little stable.  He was able to breathe again without the oxygen mask. 
A day passed by. Zac was still in his sleep. 
Meg and Mark waited for Zac to heal, in the hospital, along with Zac's parents.
"You have to call, Grace " says Meg sitting next to Mark in those waiting chairs.
"I never want to see that woman, again " says Mark fuming.
"What's her fault? " asks Meg
"What's her fault?  What's her fault?  Are you serious, Meg? He was killing himself. " says Mark
"So did she...remember? " says Meg
That shut Mark down. He couldn't say anything to that. 
"Look,I'm not supporting Grace here. Yes,she ran away without telling any of us and it's affecting Zac,more than anyone " says Meg.
"But? " asks Mark.
"What do we know why she left?  We don't know her side of the situation " says Meg, trying to be a little mindful. 
"yet... " says Mark and walks out of the corridor and paces faster outside the hospital.  Meg didn't follow him. She knew where he was gonna go.  Mark started driving as fast as he could.

Grace was in Mumbai airport for 36 hours straight. The airport assistants asked her to rent a room for the 2 days until her flight arrives. Grace insisted that she was fine and kept waiting in the waiting room for 36 hours straight.  It was a rainy season. The rains in Mumbai are actually the worst nightmare of every person who lived in the city.  Roads would flood with water and all the buildings would shut down for weeks together just to wait till the rain stops. Unfortunately, this was the case for Grace.  Airport was a lot crowded than she's ever seen. People in the airport were practically stuck as the water would flood outside the airport.  Flights delayed.  People stuck. Repeated announcements of apologies and refreshments.  But the flight just did not arrive. Grace's dad called her. She was now sitting on the floor against a wall, her bag beside her. 
Dad:Grace,  any news on the flight's arrival?
Grace :nope.  Fate is testing my patience.
Dad:what happened? 
Grace :what didn't happen?  The rains here are the absolute worst. The airport is blocked because of water. The flights are delayed.  I want to see the man I love but life just won't let me.
Dad:Grace... Calm down,honey.
Grace :No. Don't ask me to calm down. My sweetheart is in hospital, he needs me. I'm here stuck in this fucking airport. Life's unfair.
Dad: I can get you a jet
Grace: Really?  Bu- no. That won't work dad. The weather is too dangerous. It's like a storm here and it won't stop pouring.  The flight that you'd send can't even land here. I'm trapped.
Dad :patience, Grace.  It will take you a long way
Grace :I want you to go to the hospital and see how he's doing.  I want to talk to him
Dad:I was about to go see, Zac.  Okay I'll call you once I reach there.
Grace :okay, see you.
Dad:love you baby, take care. 

"having a daddy and daughters time, huh?" asked Mark smirking. He was not in a good mood.  he walked right into Grace's house where Grace's dad and mom were sitting on the couch and talking to Grace on the phone.
"I was about to come see Zac" says Grace's dad.
"Why? So that you can torture him more? " asks Mark
"excuse me?" asks Grace's dad
"I can't excuse you or your daughter for putting Zac through all this...he has had addiction issues but he never wanted to kill himself. Ever!  And your daughter just left him. He's gone mad. He's going crazy. He needs her. He loves her. Poor guy, doesn't understand that your daughter is just a selfish person " says Mark in rage.
"selfish? My daughter is selfish?  She was the one who saved him on that night. Remember?  She donated her blood because she couldn't stand losing him.she didn't even know him then, but still she did it. She took a risk and committed to him but after Alex stepped in,he forgot her. She was depressed. Sick and didn't move an inch for 2 weeks straight.  Do you know it crushes My heart to know that she, a 20 year old girl...putting so much effort to keep him safe and happy, loving him unconditionally, from such a far distance, writhing in intangible pain just to keep him alive?  She's selfish?  She loves him more than I've ever seen anyone love anyone. " says Grace's dad in a loud voice to shut down Mark.
"But why did she run away If she loved him so? " asks Mark.
"she is staying away from him and all of us because she thinks that she's bad luck to him and blamed herself for every wrong thing that happened to Zac" says Grace's dad.
"What? " asks Mark in utter shock. Suddenly, his hate for Grace turned into respect.
"She left her mom and me to stay away from Zac, to let him move on with his life because she believes that if she came into his life,he'd be harmed" says Grace's dad.
"Where did she go?" asked Mark
"somewhere far" says Grace's dad.

"tell her that, she's never the reason he was harmed.  He was harmed because fate chose to" says Mark
"I will be sure to" says Graceful dad.
"Is she coming? " asked Mark
"Poor thing is stuck in the airport as the weather is dreadful " says Grace's dad. 
Mark nods and looks at the ground.
He apologizes to Grace's parents and walks out of their house.  He drives back to the hospital and parks the car. 
Soon,he walked into Zac's room and saw that Zac was awake and was talking to his mom. Zac didn't seem happy. 
"Am I interrupting?" says Mark in a calm voice and walks towards Zac's bed.
"I was just asking mom about Grace " says Zac softly looking at the ground.
"You can't see her again, Zac." says Zac's mom in a commanding tone.
"You can't stop me, mom" says Zac.
"Honey, if she really cared about you,then where is she? She promised you and me that she won't leave you... But look at her now. She's in India. On a holiday." says Zac's mom.
"She's in India?" asked Zac shocked
"Grace is in India? How do you know? " asked Mark.
"I know because I sent a private agent to find out" says Zac's mom.
"You were spying on her?" asks Zac
"I was trying to help you. That girl makes you miserable inside out. Look at you! This is not you! You were strong and bold and practical...  Do you actually think that she'd come back out of nowhere just to see how you're doing?  She moved on, Zac. So should you" says Zac's mom.
"But...I love her, mom" says Zac almost crying.
"Well,she doesn't... She stopped caring about you the moment she left you " says Zac's mom.
Zac just closed his eyes and believed what his mom was trying to say. 
Mark was shocked to hear this from Zac's mom. Mark wanted to tell the truth but he thought this was not the right time to interrupt them. So he stood there quietly while Zac's mom spoke this whole time.