Familiar Strangers

Chapter 18 - Blank Page

*This chapter is not that long but I think it's just the right length for what happens.

Chapter 18 - Blank Page

How can I erase decisions that I've made? How do I go back? What more can I say?

How do we say we're sorry?

How do we say we're sorry?

But I was scared, I was unprepared

Oh for the things you said

If I could undo that I hurt you

I would do anything, for us to make it through.

Kai

"Oh thank God." He expels a deep breathe and runs his fingers through his hair making it messier than it was. "I thought I'd never hear you say my name again." Louis says with tear filled eyes. I open my mouth to say something back but someone rushes into the room.

"Malakai!" My mother says voice quivering and tears falling down her face. My heart leaps at her appearance and I start crying too.

"Mummy." I croak out while Louis silently withdraws to the other end of the room. I feel the absence of his heat immediately and miss it but soon mum is next to me and has her arms around me. She hugs me tightly but still being gentle because she does't want to hurt me. This is when I realize my right arm is in a sling. "I'm so sorry, Mum." I sob into her arms and repeat that I'm sorry over and over again.

"It's okay, honey. You have nothing to be sorry for." Mum says as her hand strokes calming circles on my back. I shake my head in disagreement but before I can voice my opinion a nurse comes in. Mum lets go of me and steps aside.

The nurse is tall and wollowy with friendly grey eyes. Her red hair makes every feature come together in a beautiful package. "It's good to see you awake Ms. Ellis." The nurse says with a warm sincere smile. "How're you feeling?" She asks and for the first time I asses myself. My left leg is in a green cast and its elevated. I reach up to my slowly pounding head and feel some sort of gauze wrapped tightly around it. My right shoulder is in a sling, as I'd pointed out before. My body is sore but I can see no other indication of another injury.

"Um, good I guess. Just a small hedache." I answer and the pretty nurse nods.

"I'll bring you something for that. The doctor will be here soon." She says to me and when I nod turns around to leave. Louis moves towards my bed where she was just standing.

"Isobel." He calls out and the nurse stops and turns around. "Thank you." Louis says and Isobel smiles brightly. I furrow my brows, only managing to make my head hurt a little more, and shift my eyes between Isobel and Louis. Isobel nods after few silence filled seconds and leaves. My mum chuckles at my side no doubt catching the look of my face. I just woke up in the hospital after a car crash and I'm jealous of a nurse! Brilliant.

Silence fills the room and feel Louis' gaze on me. I want to look up but I'm scared of what I might find in those blue-green eyes. Louis shifts and I finally look up to find him staring at the floor. He sighs and grips the edge of the bed tightly. "I should leave you two alone to talk." Louis swallows and starts walking out.

"Don't." The word slipping out of my lips automatically. He stops his body going still and turns around. The blue-green eyes that make my heart beat faster meet mine. I see so many emotions in them. My breath catches in surpirse because all I see is relief. No resenment whatsoever. I'd think there would be resentment in them after only knowing the truth for such a short time. He hesitates. "Please." I add and his budy slackens and he lets out a long breath. He didn't want to leave either.

Louis walks back and stands beside my bed. Mum smiles and a tear slips out of her eye. She quickly brushes it away. "Will would be happy seeing you two together again." She says and without another word leaves me alone with Louis.

I look down unable to face the expression of hurt and pain on Louis face. "He would." Louis says after a few seconds of silence. I close my eyes to stop the tears from falling. "Grace, don't close your eyes." He pleads and I almost open them. "Look at me." He says and when I don't he places his hand under my chin and lifts it up. "Please." Louis adds. I slowly open them to find Louis only a few inches away. His eyes pierce mine with so much intensity I almost stop breathing. His eyes are a brilliant shade of blue now and I'm mesmerized by them. Louis cups my face and slowly takes me in from my eyes to my nose then finally my mouth lingering there longer than necessary. When his eyes return to mine he caresses my cheek with his thumb. "I forgive you."

I look at him and see in his expression that he is telling the truth. But I can't accept that. My lips quiver and tears fill my eyes. I shake my head not believing those words. How could he forgive me so quickly!? I had lied to him. I hadn't told him about dad's death knowing how much Louis loved him. The tears fall freely. "I'm so sorry." I say not knowing why because he already said he'd forgiven me. I sob into my hand trying to stop it. "How can you forgive me?" I ask needing him to explain. Sobs escape my lips and Louis just holds me until I calm myself down.

Louis brushes away my tears and smiles even though I can see the pain in his eyes. "I felt so hurt, so destroyed when you told me. It was overwhelming, the feeling of betreyal." He closes his eyes to rein in his emotions and opens them again. "It ripped me apart. How could a person I loved so much do something like that?" My chest tightened at his use of passed tense. He doesn't love me anymore. I can't really blame him, can I? Its my own fault. "And how could I have not know he was gone?! I spent what felt like hours going over everyhing in my mind until I fell asleep." Louis pauses and breathes in what I think is much needed strength.

"Harry and Kyle found you." He says and I'm caught of guard. What? How did they find me? Kyle was with Bryan not Harry. "Harry was giving Kyle a ride and they got stuck in traffic. Kyle recognized your car. She accompanied you to the hospital while Harry got a hold of the lads and me. I had ten missed calls when I woke up. Harry was all wet and he had this pained expression on his face. I knew in that moment something was terribly wrong. I swear when he said your name my world stopped and my heart broke." He says and silent tears fall from his eyes. Louis squeezes my hand tightly as if afraid I'll leave.

"Everything was a blurr after that. We called your mother and then had to deal with Kiran's panic attack." My heart aches at his words. Kiran's lost so many people. She couldn't bear it if she lost me. She's already lost one sister. "When the doctors said you were going to be alright I felt so relieved. But you wouldn't wake up." Louis' voice breaks at the end and I wrap my good arm around his frame and hug him tightly. "I stayed here, by your side. I swear these were the longest three days in my life." I let go of him at that information. Three days? I'd been asleep for the days?

"What? Three days?" I ask and he nods his head slowly. Oh God. No wonder he seemed to tired. Everyone must be so worried. 

"Seeing you unconcious and hurt and knowing there was a chance you wouldn't wake up made me realize just how much I need you. How much I missed you." Louis sighs and swallows and looks at me straight in the eyes. "How much I didn't care you'd lied. All I cared about was you." Louis cups my face in his hands, his eyes intense. "I realized that after all this time I still wanted you." My heart stops beating or at least thats what it felt like. He wants me? "I realized how in love with you I am." He whispers closer  to me than he was seconds ago. I gasp at his words at our faces are only breaths apart.

"I love you, Grace. Always have."

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Heyyy lovies!!!! As you can probably tell I'm seriously happy and giddy with excitement because he finally told her he loves her! Ugh! I hope you liked this chapter! Please feel free to comment you opinions about it! Gif of Louis saying 'I love you'!

Love, Kamila

P.S. - I have a very big announcement coming soon!