Water Doesn't Wash Away Everything (Zack Merrick)

Chapter 32

Zack stayed next to Meg’s side all night. John, Kennedy, and Garrett had joined him too. The next morning Alex ran into the hospital.

“Megan Keats’ room?” he asked in a rush to the front desk. The tired woman looked at the clipboard and said the room number without asking any questions.

Alex rushed to the room and entered to see everyone asleep. Garrett was curled up on the small couch. Kennedy and John had slept in the chairs. Alex looked over at Zack who had his head resting on the bed with his hand around Meg’s.

He looked at Meg last. He sighed and his eyes instantly grew misty as he watched her sleep looking like that. Alex grimaced at all of the cuts and bruises that were on her. He shook his head to knock out all of the thoughts that popped into his head.

Alex walked up to Zack and shook his shoulder. Zack instantly sat up straight with wide eyes.

“What?” he said and looked around. Zack looked up at Alex and sighed. “Jeez, you scared me.”

“Sorry,” Alex whispered, not to wake anyone else up. “Have you talked to her yet?”

“No, she’s been out the whole time I’ve been here.”

Alex nodded. John woke up and nodded sleepily at Alex. He stretched his arms over his head and looked over at Meg.

“Has she woken up at all yet?”

Zack shook his head, staring at her. Alex noticed how Zack was stroking Meg’s hand with his thumb.

“You’ve been like this the whole time, haven’t you?” Alex accused. Zack nodded slowly, still not taking his eyes off of Megan.

After a while, Kennedy and Garrett woke up also. The guys turned the tv on, keeping it on a low volume. None of them were truly watching it, it was just something to have it be not so silent. The guys, except for Zack, started a whispered conversation with each other. Zack instead kept watching Megan, incase she woke up at anytime.

“Zack, did you hear us?” Kennedy asked.

“What?” Zack replied quickly glancing over at him.

“We’re going go to eat something. Do you want to come?” John said.

“Oh, no. Thanks though.”

“Zack, you’re going to have eat sometime,” Garrett said.

“I know,” Zack mumbled. “Just not now. Maybe later.”

All the guys glanced at each other.

“Zack—“

“Trust me, you’re not going to get him to move from that spot,” Alex interrupted John.

“Yea,” Garrett nodded. “I understand.”

“Okay. We’ll see you later,” John said patting Zack’s shoulder. The guys left after saying goodbye. Zack sat there for a few minutes, just staring at Megan. He knew that when she did wake up, things might not be the same as they once used to be, when things were good. For all he knew, she still hated him. Zack reached his hand up and stroked Meg’s hair.

“Megan,” Zack said softly. “Baby, please wake up.”

“Because she’ll really do what you say,” Zack muttered to himself out loud. Zack sighed and brought his hand back while the other continued to stroke her hand softly. He very gently put her fingers to his lips and kissed them softly.

“Please wake up,” he whispered against her skin. He let his eyes slip close as he held her hand.

Twenty minutes later, Megan stirred and Zack’s eyes snapped opened. He watched her face and waited for her eyes to open.