The Inevitable |

chapter 4

I spent a while searching wards and cubicles and waiting rooms for Ray but I gave up and asked a receptionist.

"Do you know where Ray is?" I frantically asked, forgetting my manners.

"What's his surname?" she replied, stopping to peer at her clipboard.

And then it came to me that I didn't know his surname...

"Erm..." I stuttered, unsure of what to say.

Nurse Jackson, which is what it read on her badge, glared at me through her thin-rimmed glasses.

"What are you to Ray in relation terms?"

"I'm..." I had to think of an excuse that sounded real, "he left his inhaler at the pub," and I grabbed my inhaler from my bag and showed it her, so she thought that the inhaler was his.

She nodded. "Go down, then turn right. The first room on the left is where he is."

"Thank y-" I began to say but she had briskly walked away, her heels clipping and clopping as she left.

Following her directions, there Ray was, sat on a bed with a pretty young blonde nursing his face. They both giggled at something and I entered the room.

"Something funny?" I smiled, hoping they'd join me in the conversation and so I could I laugh too.

The blonde was about to say something but Ray interrupted, "no."

"Oh." I muttered, feeling awkward. To make an awkward thing even more awkward, the atmosphere was awkward as no one spoke.

"Er, I'll go get your CT results. I'm sure they'll be fine," the nurse smiled and left the room. She couldn't conceal the glee in her face as she was able to escape from this situation.

"You okay?" I asked, sitting on the bed beside him.

"Yeah fine. Just a couple of fractured ribs and a broken nose but they'll sort it and my eyes will be bruises so hey, I'll leave looking like the victim of a hitman."

I laughed, "so, uh what was that about?"

He was surprised at my outright question so obviously, copying what happens in movies, he simply asked, "what was what?"

I tilted my head back and groaned. "Don't do this please. Gosh I hate it when people do this."

"Do what?" he asked, then laughed as I playfully punched his arm.

"Jesus, that's irritating. When you know what I'm on about but you pretend to not know. But forget that. Anyway, you just got all sensitive and left without even asking or saying anything. What's up with that Ray?" I ask, absent-mindedly stroking his cheek.

"Truthfully? I just met you okay? And I like you. Well, I do like you and I know they're feelings that won't suddenly go okay? And-"

I rudely interrupted, "how? How can you like me when I look like this!? I literally look like someone just threw up on me or something!"

"Exactly, I met you in such awkward circumstances yet you still didn't fail to lighten the situation and make me laugh and look so damn beautiful."

"Well, if it helps, you saved me from the wrath of my crazy ex and you made me smile and laugh and well, I can't really see your face so, I can't comment on your appearance right now." I grinned, watching his face smile.

"Dammit, you didn't let me finish what I was going to say. And don't interrupt this time," he shot me a fake death glare and I rolled my eyes whilst laughing, "I can tell that I won't lose these feelings I've had for like 2 hours okay and I mean, we kissed! I have no idea how or why but I ain't complaining."

"You still didn't answer my question," I persisted and watched him sigh.

"Jesus, you don't give up, do you?"

"No, that's one of my best qualities," I smiled.

"Who told you that? Your crazy ex?"

"Hey, you better stop or I might just consider going back to my 'crazy ex'," I retorted.

He stuck his bottom lip out, "Okay. Well, yeah, I think I like you-"

"Think? You mean 'know', right?" I, again, interrupted.

"I now understand why your ex is so crazy." he nonchalantly looked around at everywhere but me, avoiding my stern look I gave him.

"Hey, shut up and stop stalling okay? Now tell me!"

"Well, maybe you should stop interrupting me. Damn woman, for someone who looks so innocent, you sure are something."

"This woman, has a name you know. Now shut up and tell me. And I promise, no interruptions okay?" I zipped my mouth.

"Well, after our kiss, I really did feel like I like you and I was happy because it was the first time I..." he blinked twice and didn't say what he was going to but instead changed direction, "er, I was sure you would maybe like me back and you know... then obviously we came here and the first thing I see is you flirting with one of the nurses, who is also good looking. And it was like you forgot my presence and he flirted back with you and I did get jealous." he finished and took a deep breath.

I stood, expressionless and speechless.

"So you were basically jealous?" I couldn't help but fail at masking the sneer undertone in my voice.

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. Because it seemed like I was jealous and we're not even going out yet and I didn't even want to come across like them kind of boyfriends who are over protective and jealous and oppressive."

"Weren't you flirting with the nurse who treated you though?" I asked in general.

"Yeah, but that was because I thought I had no chance with you anymore and hey, in my defence she flirted with me and I was just being polite."

I scoffed, then thought about what to say and nodded. "Well, we have only just met as evident and I understand I was being extremely rude by flirting with another man moments after I had kissed you and if that was me, I'd be so mad but luckily you are more laid back than me. I also like you, if that's any consolation. And, hey, eyes on me only!" I softly smiled and he couldn't even disguise his joy.

"Friends?" I asked, childishly holding my thumb up to him.

He did the same gesture back with his thumb and nodded. "More than friends."

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