Chapter 19

I woke abruptly, my eyes flying open as fast as my body attempted to fling forward, only to feel the pain caused by the needles under my skin prodding me in most obviously the incorrect places.

I weakly fell back onto the uncomfortably firm mattress of the unfamiliar bed. I took the sheets between my frail, shaky fingers and cringed as the slightest touch made my entire body sting, as if it was boiling my flesh from the outside in, like the sheets were covered in acid.

I started breathing heavily as a sweat formed on my brow, the pain in my body becoming unbearable. I let out a small whimper and carefully used my legs to kick off the blanket, looking to my right and my eye catching a remote with a wire that led to the back of the bed.

I reached for it, pressing every button until my upper boy was conveyed until I was in a sitting position. I groaned as I examined my surroundings, swallowing hard and frowning at the disgusting taste lingering in my mouth.

The horribly overpowering scent of cleaning supplies filled my head, instantly adding ‘headache’ to my growing list of inventory of my complaints and issues.

The door flew open and I slowly looked up as Zayn ran to my side, his hands cupping my face and him kissing me so hard that it took me back enough to disorient me for a couple seconds.

I kept my eyes closed as he pulled back, placing a hand on his chest and smiling softly, “Hey stranger.." I tried to say, it basically just sounding like a croak.

“Oh my god.. Avery I saw what happened.. Are you okay..?" He said frantically, sitting on the side of my bed and taking my hand with no IV in it in his hand, kissing the back of it and holding it tightly.

I looked at him with confused eyes and watched his thumb run over my knuckles, “How.. Why am I in here? What happened?" I got out slowly, looking from the collar of his shirt to his eyes and feeling my lips part, reaching my other hand and placing it on his neck, lightly running my fingers through the back of his hair and smiling to myself.

“You.. You had a seizer.. In front of the press.." He whispered, my face dropping and me sinking deeper into the hospital bed.

I looked at our hands again and dropped my other from his neck, it landing in my lap that my eyes soon drifted to. I stared at the foot of my bed, not knowing exactly what to think.

I pressed my hand to my head and squeezed my eyes shut, “Could you please get the nurse to get me some pain medication?" I breathed, my grip tightening on his hand before loosening once again.

I watched him nod and stand up, pressing his lips against my forehead before quickly walking out of the room.

I looked around once again and felt tears fill my eyes, slowly swinging my legs over the side of the bed so my bare toes could brush against the freezing, ugly marble tiles that decorated the entire hospital floor. I pressed my palms into the mattress on either side of me and slowly bowed my head, closing my eyes lightly and letting my tears slip from my eyes.

To think I was scared of trusting Zayn with my secret yet I was the one to put out a hint to the jackpot. This entire episode would switch everything around, shuffle my life like a fucking deck of cards.

It could most definitely keep me from ever getting another job. I can say goodbye to being asked to be a sponsor, being in commercials, guest starring on tv shows, the only thing I could ever do, the only thing I loved to do, it was all over at the click of a camera.

I wiped my eyes as I heard the doors open again and glanced up at the nurse who happened to have Zayn trailing close behind.

My eyes followed her hands as she flipped my arm over and slowly pushed probably one of the biggest needles I’ve ever seen in my arm, me hissing in pain and turning my head away.

The burning sensation of the new drug finally faded as the needle was pulled from my skin, me protectively pulling my arm from her grasp and turning to face Zayn who was sitting beside me on the bed.

I felt tears fill my eyes once agaun and squeezed them shut, falling into him and hiding my face in his neck, small winces leaving my mouth occasionally as I tried my best to stay quiet.

I felt his arms slowly wrap around my site body, holding me tightly but cautiously as if to make sure not to hurt me, doing his best to comfort me in any way possible.