Acceptance | ✓

Chapter 24

[ETHAN]

"Breakfast," I heard a nurse say as the door to Andrew's hospital room creaked open. I didn't turn to meet her; I just raised my hand to acknowledge her presence. She soon came into view, pushing the trolley with a covered bowl to the side of Andrew's bed. She left soon after, leaving me alone with Andrew again.

"I want to kill him," I mumbled as my mind moved to the image of Christopher hurting Andrew.

I was sitting on his bed, watching him sleep peacefully against the background noise of the hospital machines and the creaking ceiling fan above.

It's been three days since Andrew's admission to the hospital. Andrew had asked Mr. Collins to take care of Devein and Roxanne in the meantime. I felt bad for not doing it myself, for not wanting to leave the hospital while Andrew was still here.

Mr. Collins brought Devein over after her classes and his lectures had closed each day. I could see he was doing it as much as for himself as for Devein. I saw the way looked and spoke to Andrew when he came over. He wanted to see him and having Devein with him gave him an excuse too.

The doctor said Andrew would be allowed to leave the hospital in a few more days. They just wanted to make sure his fracture started healing properly and that there were no complications. Apparently, his fracture was a lot delicate than that of normal people.

"Ethan, you're still here?" I heard Andrew ask as his eyes fluttered open. I gave him a sad smile, watching as his eyes adjusted to the blinding white fluorescence light. He's asked me the exact same question whenever he woke. I wasn't so sure he understood the fact that I couldn't bear to leave him here by himself.

"Yeah," I mumbled in reply, looking over to the tray of food that the nurse had dragged in on a trolley.

"What's that?" Andrew asked as his eyes darted to the bowl sitting on the trolley. If the amount of time he'd been sleeping since the accident was good for anything, it was that it greatly improved his appetite.

"Custard..." I trailed, lifting the cover of the bowl. Andrew narrowed his eyes at the bowl before looking over at me.

"Have they fed you? Have you eaten anything?" he asked at a go, making to sit up. I looked at him in alarm before calming down at the sight of him taking care not to put pressure on his casted arm.

"No. I'll eat later," I mumbled, taking the bowl of custard and spoon of the trolley to hand it over to Andrew. Andrew looked up at me with concern before taking a spoon of the custard. I watched him eat quietly for a while before retreating into my own thoughts.

To be truthful, I haven't been eating right since Andrew got here. I'd refused to wander far from the hospital without a valid reason. I kept worrying something would happen to Andrew for the few minutes I was away. I'd only headed back to the cabin twice since Andrew got admitted here, and that was to get Andrew's laptop, tablet, and a change of clothes for the both of us. The dried-up blood on the stairway to the front door was still unnerving no matter how many times I'd seen it now.

I watched as Andrew continued to devour the custard, sighing at the soon-to-be-empty bowl before glancing at me.

"I think I need more of this stuff," he confessed, earning a laugh from me. He blushed in what seemed to be embarrassment before finishing up what was in the bowl.

"My mum's going to be here anytime from now," Andrew muttered as a small smile formed on his lips. No matter how many times he told me his mum was a pain I knew he sincerely loved her.

Andrew handed me the empty bowl soon after, chattering on.

"Ethel is coming along with her too," Andrew continued, reaching for his phone that was sitting beside his pillow. "Ace will be here anytime from now as well."