by E. S Night
“Your spot?” He grinned, making his way to the wall. “You’re right, I didn’t have to go home, and I just sensed you didn’t want me to have dinner with your family.” He said, forcing me to
apologise.
“It wasn’t what you think. It’s just I wanted to come here tonight, the last couple of times I was here, haven’t gone the way I planned.” I hoped that Grayson would understand.
“So why do you like coming here so much?” Grayson smiled as he approached me.
I coughed. “Something tells me you already know the reason, but you asked so I'll tell you. I guess it’s my favourite place on the whole island.”
Grayson moved even closer. “Why’s that?”
I struggled to catch my breath as he touched my arm with his. “Erm, when I was fifteen my parents would argue a hell of a lot – the house just got unbearable so I’d just walk around hoping they would calm down by the time I got back. On one of my walks, I found this place. I thought it was magical, corny I know.” I smirked. “Afterwards, I would come up here whenever I needed to gain a little perspective on things.” My truthfulness shocked me; I let no one in.
“I can see why you would choose this place.” He looked towards the sunset.
I couldn’t help but smile at him. “So - how did you find me Gray?”
He smirked. “Gray? You call me Gray.”
“I didn't mean – it's just what I – erm.” I sighed, not knowing what to say.
“I like that you call me Gray, nobody else does.” He nudged me with his elbow. “Erm. So, yeah - I was – going for a walk.”
“Oh, sorry.” I laughed, embarrassed that I accused him of being a stalker.
“I did – however, see you at the bottom of the hill and then got curious, so I followed you, so I’m sorry.” He grinned.
“Okay, stalker, can you hand me that bag from behind you please?” I teased him.
“Yeah sure.” Grayson tried to snoop in the bag as he passed it over. “So – what are we doing here then?”
“Well, you will be annoying me, while I will be taking photographs of the sunset.” I laughed.
“That’s cool; I didn’t know you were into photography.” He said, trying not to bite at my playful remarks.
“Yeah, my dad bought the camera for me as a – 'sorry mum and I got divorced' – kind of present. After that, it’s not left my hands. What about you? Do you have anything like this? A hobby or something?” I urged him to tell me
anything real about himself.
“Erm, I like painting, I had a studio back at our old house, so yeah, I guess that would be my method of escape.”
Grayson intrigued me more and more. I never expected him to tell me anything straightforward because he’s always avoiding my questions; it was nice to hear something truthful about him. “And – then there’s you, you’re my hobby for now. I have to admit painting doesn’t really compare.”
He shocked me, causing me to move back from behind my lens. I was fixated on Grayson’s face; I’d forgotten all about my camera. I couldn’t explain the pure magnetism we had together; I could see that we both felt it.
Grayson little by little, approached me; he looked like he would kiss me. I panicked it was as if I’d forgotten how to kiss and I’m a good kisser! I hoped.
The green light flickered, distracting us from what we wanted. Grayson shifted his head towards me and smiled, relaxing my nerves.
He moved in, his eyes were closing, as his lips reached mine - we shared the most wonderful kiss I have ever experienced in my
life. It was electric. Everyone in the entire world should be able to experience that feeling at least once in their lifetime. I knew without a doubt I had found the man I belonged with and he was already mine.
Chapter Ten
There’s No Rest for the Wicked
The kiss was incredible! Not to mention it happened in my favourite place in the world. Grayson persuaded me to sit with him on top of the wall; I must have sat there for over an hour. As the night drew closer, and the sun set, he insisted on taking me home. Gray walked me to my front door and gave me another kiss to end the most perfect evening. I hesitated, opening the door. I just wanted to stay with him and I knew he felt it too.
“I had an incredible night, thank you for walking me home.”
“It’s no problem; I wanted to get you home safe. So, I’ll see you tomorrow for our date?” He smiled.
I laughed. “Yes, you will, when should I be expecting you again?”
“Can you be ready for three in the afternoon, that’s when I’m supposed to be dropping Ella off at yours?”
“I can be ready for three.” I kissed his lips and then rushed inside. Breathing became more
difficult, I was so excited for tomorrow. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I would wear for our date, about seventy different outfits flashed through my mind.
“Abigail is that you?” Mum called, walking around the corner into the hallway.
“Yes! Hiya - what are you doing back? I thought you were only coming back later?” I tried to buy myself some time, knowing now I had to come up with an excuse explaining where I’d been.
“The cars wrecked, totalled. So, I came home and drown myself in wine.”
“What! Konrad can’t fix it? He can fix anything. I’m sorry mum, does he know whether the damage was intentional or not?” I chose my words carefully.
“What do you mean Abi? No-one did anything to the car, not everything is out to get you, Jesus!” She stormed off into the living room.
I thought it was best to leave her alone with her wine for the rest of the night. I marched through into the kitchen to grab some water from the fridge. I guess mum had thought I’d gone upstairs because minutes later my name was mentioned in her phone conversation. I listened
in to her discussion, she was rambling about something, but I couldn’t quite make anything out. I tiptoed and walked towards the stairs where her voice was much clearer.
“No Konrad I didn’t tell her.” She whispered. “Because I don’t want to worry her, she’s already on pins about everything. What good would it do if I enabled her anymore? She doesn’t need to know about the car. Are you coming back here after you’ve been to the police station? Good, I’m glad.” She ended the call.
So now, we were both lying to keep each other safe. Usually, I would have barged straight through into the living room and demand she tells me what happened to the car – but not this time. I was sick of worrying about everything! I had just had the most amazing night of my entire life and nothing would ruin this for me.
I moved up the stairs into my bedroom, thanking God for the door still being locked. I unlocked it, but I was still worried about someone being in my room. I couldn’t see anything out of place, so I got undressed and headed for a shower. The water felt so good hammering down all over my body as if I was washing away all the anxiety that had built up
over the last few days. I thought I heard something in the hallway. I turned the shower off and stepped out of the bath, pulling the shower curtain away.
I grabbed a grey towel from the shelf on my right and turned to the mirror. In disbelief, I jerked backwards and slid on the floor hitting the edge of the sink as I fell. I heard something crack followed by an excruciating pain. I screamed in agony, which alerted my mum downstairs. She barged through the door, breaking the towel rail as she stepped down to hold me.
“Oh Abigail! What happened? Can you move?” She cried, trying to lift me. I yelled out in pain.
“I can’t move! I think I’ve hurt my back or ribs, I’m not sure, it’s all hurting at the minute, but I can’t breathe very well.” Mum decided that we needed an ambulance.
She hurried onto the landing and grabbed the phone off the cabinet. I could see her fingers shaking as she was trying to control her nerves. I was losing consciousness and I floated away - breaking free from the pain.
Eventually, things came back into focus. I was stil
l bleary and confused, but I was more
responsive. I soon realised that I was in a hospital bed with a plastic tube inserted into my arm. I looked up and saw a drip above my head. As I reached the glass of water on the table the bruising on my back became more apparent. I’d hurt my ribs as the slightest movement made it impossible for me to catch my breath.There was a commotion from outside the room; someone had closed the blinds so I couldn’t see what was happening. Why was I in a room all on my own? I wasn’t in a ward. It was a nice space, how could my mum afford this? She must have asked dad that’s the only explanation.
“She’s awake!” Someone said from the corridor, triggering seven people to rush through the door.
I was still woozy and had to work hard to focus my eyes. In shock, I was drawn to Grayson standing right in front of me, my mum fixed next to him. Logan looked worried at the side of me, my brother reaching out for my hand. I recognised Anna; she positioned herself behind Grayson. She seemed upset by my accident. There were two other people at the back of the room, but I hadn’t seen them before. There was a young man, perhaps a little older than me with
long brown hair and kind blue eyes. I liked that he looked concerned about me. The other was an attractive older man, about mum’s age; his bright green eyes were staring at me. His dark brown beard made me giggle nervously, I felt comforted by his presence.
I had just about wrapped my head around who was in my room when a nurse came in asking me lots of questions in a high-pitched voice. “Hello Abigail, oh my - you have a lot of visitors, don’t you? Now don’t worry, we will take good care of you here. Now – do you remember what happened?”
I looked at my mum. “Erm I fell in the bathroom.”
“Yes, you did - you’ve broken your rib in two places, this is what’s making it hard to breathe at the minute, but that will get better in a few days.” The nurse continued.
“How long do I need to stay here for?” I hated hospitals with a passion.
Mum interrupted sensing my anger. “Don’t worry about that Abigail for now; we need you to rest.”
“I don’t want to stay here; can’t I stay at home?”
Mum sighed. “Well, Mr Hale has made it possible for you to stay in hospital and get the best care available better than you recovering at home.”
“What! If I’ve broken my ribs, I should be able to go home, remember my friend Jenny, she broke her ribs in gymnastics when she was nine and she could recover at home.” I said making my case.
“It’s true, someone with your injuries can recover at home, but Mr Hale and your mum have agreed that it would be better for you to stay here and rest.” The nurse insisted.
“Well, Mr Hale is not my dad and I’m 19, I should be able to decide for myself.” I grunted, moving in pain.
“Abigail please.” Grayson spoke, preventing me from biting his head off too.
“Excuse me guys, can I have a moment with my daughter please, alone.” Mum nudged them all out of the room. I wouldn’t even look her in the eyes, my head drifted to the left side of the room staring out of the window. “Abigail, you’re mad at me for making you stay here, but you know why? I think you need some rest and while you’re here – you are safe. Did you not think I
saw the mirror? A message written by someone while you were in the shower. Stay away from him! That’s what they put right? Enough to scare someone into slipping on the bathroom floor – don’t you think? Now I know how you feel about Grayson, I see the way you are - when you're talking about him. So I’m not even going to steer you away from him but, you can stay here in the hospital for me while you recover. In the meantime, all of us can try to figure out who’s doing this to you.”
I scoffed. “Fine, but how long are we talking here?”
“The doctors say about four weeks, then your ribs will still be tender for a while but they will have healed and then you can come home.” Mum comforted me.
“Okay. I’ll stay.” Hating the words, I said aloud. I was silent for a few minutes taking it all in when it dawned on me that my uncle was missing. “Hey! Where’s Konrad?”
“Oh, he’s gone getting your clothes and some other things you’ll need, you will want a lot of stuff if you’re staying here for a while.”
“I can’t believe I have to stay here.”
“Do you want to see Grayson?” Mum asked,
knowing I couldn’t resist grinning when she said his name.
“Shouldn’t Logan come in first?” I tried to do the right thing, but knowing in my heart the only face I wanted to see in that moment was Grayson's.
“Don’t worry; I’ll pull some strings outside.” Mum laughed.
I smiled as I watched her leave the room, waiting for Gray to return. My mum was working her magic with my brother outside because it took a few minutes before Grayson opened the door.
My heart warmed when his face appeared. “Well hello.” He said, trying to make me laugh. “I won’t ask if you’re okay because I know you’re not.” He kissed me on the cheek.
“I won’t get my date now.” I mumbled beneath my breath.
“Seriously, after what you’ve been through tonight, the only thing you’re bothered about is our date?” Making me question my priorities, he didn't change my mind.
I cleared my throat. “Is that bad?”
“No, not for me - I guess, I’m flattered. So how did your fall happen?” Grayson changed the
subject.
“I slipped and fell; didn’t my mum tell you that?”
“And is that all?” Grayson looked at me in a way he knew what had happened and he just wanted me to admit it to him.
I kept quiet for a few seconds debating whether I should tell him the truth or not.
“Someone wrote something on my mirror – stay away from him, it shocked me and I slipped.”
He pulled away from me. “What! I’m so sorry Abi.”
“You don’t need to apologise Gray, I just need to know what’s going on.”
“I’ll deal with it.” He said, rising from the bed.
Grayson was irritating me. “I don’t want you to deal with it; I want you to tell me who’s doing this?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t.” He headed towards the door, pushing down the handle. “I’ll come in later when everyone’s gone, if the nurses let me.”
“Don’t bother.” I was sick of his games. I turned my head back to the window, ignoring his words.
“Abigail, please don’t.” He spoke. I
maintained my silence and waited for him to leave the room. “I’m sorry.” Grayson sighed, opening the door and disappearing into the corridor.
I whimpered into my pillow, I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t just tell me the truth?
After a few minutes, my mum re-entered the room, knowing something was wrong.
“Kaleb’s made it so I can stay with you tonight. He’s arranged for someone to watch over you from outside the room while you’re in hospital too.”
I turned to face her. “What! Are you for real? I’m being guarded now?”
“Abigail, he insists and to be honest it’s not a bad idea. Someone is trying to mess with you. Now – I will take as much help from these people as I can get to protect you.” Mum was upset by the situation, no use arguing with her in a mood like this.
“Fine, are you telling the police about the mirror?”
“There’s no point, we have no proof and Kaleb says he’s handling it, anyway.”
“If I have to hear one more time that the Hales are handling it! I will scream. Mum can I
get some rest please, I’m shattered.” She kissed me on the forehead and told me she’d be back later. I hated her babysitting me. When she left the room, I tried to fight the need for sleep. Despite my efforts, the temptation of dozing off was too great, and I drifted away, completely dead to the world.
Chapter Eleven
Hospital Tea Break
The pain from my ribs stirred m
e awake. Before I could even think straight, my mum leapt up from behind the bed.
“What’s wrong?” She looked concerned.
“Do you know how long you’ve been asleep for?”I glanced around the room, searching for a clock.
“No, it can’t have been that long.”
She sighed. “Abi, it’s ten past six at night.”
“What! I’ve slept a whole day? What drugs have they got me on?”
Mum came closer. “Just painkillers – but we couldn’t wake you up. The doctor just said to leave you be, it’s nothing serious, but you didn’t half scare me.”
I noticed my lack of visitors. “Where is everyone?”
“They’ve been and gone baby. Like I said you’ve been asleep the entire day. Grayson came first thing in the morning and then Konrad and Logan came after him, a few of Grayson’s family came up in the afternoon to meet you. I
called your dad last night, he should be here about eleven and I’ve arranged for him to stay with you tonight instead of me, that okay?”
“Dad’s coming? – Really?” I mocked his impending arrival.
“You be nice, he got on the first train down here when he found out, he's dropped everything to be with you.”
“What does he want - a medal? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do for your kids?” I was angry at her defensiveness over him.
“I’m not getting into another argument with –” A loud knock on the door stopped her.
Mum opened it to check who it was, smiling with enthusiasm she moved out of the way. It was Grayson standing there in the hallway with a metal trolley covered in a red cloth.
“What are you doing?” I smirked, trying to still be mad at him.