My breath catches as I stare into his dark, exhausted eyes.
A wide smile plays on his lips as he stares down at me, his hand holding mine.
“It’s so good to look into your eyes.”
I continue to just stare at him as a familiar ball of fury explodes in my belly, poisoning my blood with hate and the need to fight.
“Get out.” The words are out of my mouth before I even realize I thought them.
I also don’t know why I think them, but something tells me there’s a very good reason.
“W-what?”
“Get. Out.”
My heart begins to race, the annoying beeping getting louder once more as my chest starts to heave.
“It’s okay, Hellion. You’re okay. You’re in the hospital.”
“Just get the hell out,” I scream, the words ripping my dry throat to pieces as tears burn my eyes.
I’ve never felt more hopeless or useless in my entire life.
I fight to move, but my body feels like it weighs a million tons.
Seb’s eyes leave mine in favor of whoever the other person is.
“I-I don’t—”
“Get. Out. Get out. GET OUT,” I try again, wondering if I’m actually talking a different fucking language.
Suddenly, the door bursts open and a harassed looking nurse comes rushing in.
“Stella, you’re awake,” she says softly, pressing a couple of buttons on the machine beside me. “You need to calm down, sweetie.”
“No. I need them to leave.”
“You heard her. Off you go,” she says, immediately backing me up.
“No, I’m not leaving her alone in here,” Seb states.
“She’s my patient and you’ll do as I say, or I’ll have security remove you.”
Seb’s chest puffs out, ready to argue. “Do you even know who we—”
“That’s enough. Let’s go.”
Someone moves from behind Seb, and when I reluctantly look over, I find Theo with his hand clamped around his upper arm, ready to physically drag him from the room should he need to.
“No, she needs—”
“Space, Seb. She needs some fucking space. Come on.”
With one more confused and concerned lingering look at me, Seb allows Theo to drag him out of the room.
The second the door clicks shut behind them, I break down.
“Oh sweetie, it’s okay,” the nurse soothes as I sob.