Maxen
The sound of the machine startled me awake—jarring, loud, and wrong.
For a moment, I was disoriented.
The sterile smell. The dim lighting. The stiff mattress beneath me.
Where—
Ryan.
Panic surged through my chest.
How could I have fallen asleep?
I was supposed to watch him.
Be there the moment he opened his eyes.
What if something happened while I wasn't looking?
I shot up from the cot, heart pounding, head still heavy with exhaustion.
Then it all came back.
The hospital.
The endless night.
And Adrian—he was beside me, already turning toward me, as if he'd sensed my panic before I even spoke.
"You should've woken me," I said, voice rough. "I shouldn't have slept."
"Maxen, you needed that rest," he replied gently. "Besides, it wasn't for long."
But I barely heard him. My eyes had already darted to Ryan's bed.
Dr. Sean was there, along with two nurses, moving quickly.
The machine that had been beeping wildly had settled into a steadier rhythm, but the air still felt tense—tight with the unknown.
I stepped closer.
"Is he…?" I couldn't finish the question.
Dr. Sean glanced over his shoulder, meeting my eyes. "He's okay. He's waking up."
Those words struck like lightning—relief and fear crashing into each other inside me.
I inched forward, my legs shaky, my throat dry.
Ryan's eyes fluttered open slowly.
He squinted at the light, then blinked again—eyes hazy, unfocused.
My chest clenched.
He was really awake.
He blinked once more and turned his head toward me—slowly, like it took effort.
Our eyes met.
And I waited—for recognition. For something.
A smile. A frown. A flicker of emotion.
But there was nothing.
Just confusion.
Blankness.
Like he didn't know who I was.
"Ryan?" I whispered, taking a step closer.
But before he could answer—before anything could happen—the monitor started screaming again.
The noise was sharp, relentless.
Then Ryan's body slackened.
His eyes rolled back.
And he was unconscious again.
"No—no, no, no," I choked, grabbing Dr. Sean's arm. "What happened? Why is he unconscious again? Is he okay?!"
A nurse stepped between us, her voice calm but firm. "Please, let us handle this. We'll update you shortly. For now, your friend needs space."
Adrian was already at my side, steady and solid.
He wrapped an arm around me and gently guided me out of the room, even as I kept glancing over my shoulder.
I didn't want to leave.
But right now, I couldn't do anything.
So I let Adrian lead me away.
About thirty minutes later, a nurse emerged. Her expression was softer this time.
"He's stable now," she said. "Hopefully, he'll be awake within the hour."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
Relief swept through me like a tide.
I can't survive another loss. Not again. Not someone I know. Not someone I care about.
Adrian was still beside me—I hadn't let go of him since we stepped out.
He'd been my anchor in the storm, keeping me steady when I felt like I might break apart.
I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to Mom—just enough to update her.
I didn't want her worrying more than she already did.
A few minutes later, Dr. Sean appeared.
His expression was calm, but tired. His shift had ended, yet he still came to see me.
"Can we talk?" he asked.
I nodded and followed him into his office.
Ryan was safe now.
All that was left… was for him to wake up.
---
By the time I returned from Dr. Sean's office, Ryan was already awake—propped up slightly and being examined by a new doctor.
Adrian stood beside me, arms crossed, eyes focused on Ryan.
I nudged him gently. "You should go home, get some rest."
He shook his head. "Not happening."
I didn't argue.
Truthfully, I was glad he stayed.
Having him here made everything a little more bearable.
"Hi, Doc," I said, stepping forward.
The woman turned with a kind smile. "You must be Maxen. I'm Dr. Sheila—I'll be taking over Ryan's case from Dr. Sean."
I blinked. "You already know me?"
She chuckled. "Well, Dr. Sean briefed me on everything, including you and Ryan."
"Oh." I nodded, glancing at Ryan.
He looked pale but alert. Still himself.
"How is he?" I asked.
Dr. Sheila glanced at her chart. "He's stable. We'll continue monitoring him for the next forty-eight hours before determining discharge. Fortunately, aside from a minor leg fracture, everything else is intact. From head to toe—he's functioning perfectly."
A wave of relief swept over me.
He's okay. Really okay.
And for the first time in days, I felt like I could finally breathe.
---
After Dr. Sheila left, I moved to the chair beside Ryan's bed.
Adrian sat close beside me, our hands gently laced.
I reached out and touched Ryan's hand, careful not to startle him.
"Hey," I said softly.
"Hey," he replied, his voice faint but steady.
"Are you in pain?"
"A little. But it's bearable."
He looked so fragile. If I didn't know him so well, I wouldn't have believed something like this could bring him down.
But what struck me even more—he wouldn't meet my eyes. Not properly.
I glanced at Adrian and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, then turned back to Ryan.
"I know this isn't the best time, but…" I hesitated. "This is Adrian. The one I told you about."
Ryan's eyes glistened. "I know. And… I'm sorry. For everything."
I turned to Adrian, surprised.
But he just nodded, calm as ever.
"This isn't the time for that, okay?" I said gently. "Focus on recovering first. No stress. Doctor's orders."
Adrian leaned forward, offering a kind smile. "Nice to finally meet you, Ryan. Let's save the deep conversations for when you're stronger. Then it'll actually be nice."
Ryan gave a weak chuckle. "Okay. I will. And nice to meet you too."
Then he looked at me again, steadier this time.
"I really am sorry, Maxen. For everything."
I gave his hand a small squeeze.
"We'll talk. When you're ready."
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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