Written And Composed

14 / better lover

ASH STIRRED AWAKE and immediately groaned when he couldn't shift to the side because of his cast. Hearing that, Leah scrambled out of her chair and immediately came to his side.

"Hey," she said, brushing the hair from his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'd been through hell," Ash replied, noticing the redness in her eyes. His voice was scratchy and dry.

Leah took a seat on the edge of his bed, her lips wobbling between her teeth. "I missed you," she whispered.

Ash brought his better hand to her cheeks and she grabbed it like it was her pillar of support. She pressed her cheek to his hand and sobbed. "I was terrified I'd lose you. When I saw the wound on your head, I lost hope. It's terrible — Don't ever do this to me again, understand? Never."

"Baby," Ash said, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. "I am okay. Give it a few days and I'll be good as new. Look at me, I am fine. Stop crying, please."

Leah wiped her cheeks with her sleeves. "Do you want me to adjust your bed so you can sit?" she asked, immediately on her feet.

Ash smiled. Changing topics was his girlfriend's superpower. "Yes, please."

Leah did it and then shifted his pillow so that he was comfortable. She pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I come back from the dead and you give me a forehead kiss?" Ash asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I am mad at you. Get better soon and I'll give you something even better. Something you won't forget," Leah teased, pulling his blanket over him.

Ash groaned. "This is not fair, baby."

"Nor was it when you scared me like that."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"And Mel is here," Leah casually added. "She is outside talking to Jake. The boy she likes."

"I still can't believe she told you about him and not me!" Ash protested.

"You are family, Ash. Would you tell your mother first if you liked someone? She needed a friend. And I came into the picture at the right time. Don't be jealous."

Ash didn't seem convinced. "How is she? Did she cry too much?"

"She was more in shock, I guess," Leah said. "And before I forget to mention, I'm planning to take a week off and stay with you. You need help till you get better."

"No."

Leah looked up in confusion. "Why?"

"Let Mel stay with me. She'll want to."

Hurt flashed in Leah's eyes. She wasn't being chosen.

"Hey," Ash called. He patted the seat on his bed. "Come here."

She didn't want to. Leah knew Mel was family to him and that she'd want to look after him. But Leah thought it would be easy for her if she took over for the first week. Melannie had college to attend and Leah didn't want her to miss class.

But to Ash, Mel would always come first.

Ash took her hand and tugged her onto the bed. "I wasn't picking her over you. I'd never do that. Both of you are equally important to me. It's just that — I know my sister. She's probably finding some way or the other to blame herself for what happened to me. She's kicking herself and feeling guilty. I know that because that's the way she deals with things. She attributes every bad thing happening to her."

Leah glanced up at him.

"If I send her away to college now, she'll feel miserable. I have to let her take some kind of responsibility for me so that she feels less guilty. This is the only way to ease her mind."