Stranded

Stranded - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Be thankful she's not dead, Lewis," Faye hissed. I realised they were in the middle of an argument.

"How could I have known she'd come looking for me?" He replied.

"Obviously someone was going to come looking for you. It just happened to be Bella," Faye snapped.

"She was really worried about you as well. She wanted to make sure you were okay after..." Tom drifted off, realising he should have stayed quiet.

"After what?" Faye and Josh chorused. Tom looked down.

He sighed, "Lewis had a knife-" Tom said quietly.

"What!" Faye shouted, "you tried to hurt Bella?"

"Seriously Lewis?" Josh added in disbelief.

"Of course not!" Lewis almost whispered.

"Calm down guys! He didn't try to hurt Bella. He tried to hurt... himself," Tom said.

Lewis started biting his nails.

Bradley, Josh and Faye were gobsmacked.

"Is that... true, Lewis?" Faye said covering her mouth.

"Why, Lewis," Josh said quietly. "Why would you- why?"

Lewis sighed, "I don't know. I was upset, angry, fed up. I couldn't control my thoughts and... And I just wanted them to stop," There was silence.

"I'm sorry that you felt that way Lewis. I really am. But you shouldn't have just disappeared like that. You should have confided in all of us, so we could help you. When you left, Bella felt like it was her fault, like she should have helped you. She went looking for you, because you just decided to go without telling anyone. And now, she's covered in scratches with a broken leg because she had no other choice but to jump," Tom stated. Everyone was silent. Tom stood up and walked across the infirmary to bed, leaving everyone anxious and speechless. I fell asleep after that.

I woke up and saw everyone already up finding food. I stretched and sat up, noticing a note on my lap. "I know you heard everything last night. Please can I apologise?" I knew it was from Lewis. I guess I did need to forgive him, he wasn't thinking straight and just needed some time alone.

"Morning, Bella," someone said, though I wasn't paying attention. Lewis turned around to face me and I gestured him to come here. I tried not to look angry at him.

Lewis sheepishly sat beside me. Tom was staring at me, confused. I nodded at him and then he looked away. "I read your note-" I began.

"Bella I'm so sorry," Lewis interrupted. His eyes were watery and I could tell it was bothering him. I opened my mouth to reply but he carried on, "I'm sorry for what I did a few days ago. I'm such an idiot, I was just, I don't know what came over me. And I'm so sorry for your leg, I didn't know you came to look for me. Please forgive me. I feel so guilty that all this happened because of my stupid brain. I just... Sorry,"

I looked at my leg thinking. I gulped, not really knowing how to reply.

"Lewis, it's-" he looked at me with pleading eyes, "I accept your apology, and I forgive you," I sighed. "I know you didn't mean to, you were just... Confused. And it's not your fault I fell, it's mine, so don't worry,"

"Bella, please, I take full responsibility for what happened, don't blame yourself," he said. I shook my head slowly, not really knowing what to say.

I just smiled. For the first time in a while.