Shine Bright Shirley

Chapter 35

Logan's POV:

I lean over and playfully mess up Grace's hair slightly, not missing her tear filled eyes as I make my way out the room. I feel bad leaving her alone when she's feeling so upset but I know how badly she's been wanting to see Matthew and it's only fair of me to let her have moment with him by herself.

I decide to make my way back to Grace's hospital room to wait in the meantime, however as I open the door I'm greeted with pink balloons and flowers.

"What the fu-"

"SURPRISE!" Two high pitched voices squeal, making me cover my ears slightly.

Once the room goes silent I notice Nora standing in front of the small window with an enormous pink helium balloon with the words 'Get Well Soon' on the front of it in one hand, while holding a bunch of colourful flowers in her other hand. Alison was sitting on the chair beside Grace's bed with a few cards in her hands, avoiding all eye contact with me.

"Where's Grace?" Nora asks with disappointment evident in her voice as she realises I'm by myself.

"She's visiting Matt." I reply simply as I take a few steps closer to them in hopes to cut the awkward tension growing within the room.

"Is he awake?" Nora asks in which I shake my head silently in response.

"Oh.. well I'm sure he'll wake up soon." Nora replies.

"I hope so." I say shortly.

The room suddenly goes quiet.. awkwardly quiet.

I slyly look towards Alison who still has her eyes on the floor in front of her, not daring to glance my way at all. 

The awkward silence eventually gets broken by Nora clearing her throat loudly, causing both me and Alison to look towards her.

"Well... I'm just going to go to the toilet." She says quietly and if looks could kill I'm positive the glare that Alison is sending Nora right now would end her within seconds. "Must be all the coffee I've been drinking." She continues, letting out a nervous laugh as she avoids Alison's glare while she quickly disappears out the room before any one of us can stop her.

I look down at my phone to check the time however much to my dismay it's only been 5 minutes since I took Grace to see Matthew.

Well seems like I can't make an excuse to go get Grace as a way to avoid talking to Alison.

"She did that on purpose." Alison says quietly, her gaze still looking down at her feet as if they are the most interesting thing in this room and I can't blame her.

"What?" I ask her, completely taken by surprise from her sudden comment.

"Nora, she did that on purpose. The whole excuse about drinking to much coffee that she now needs to pee. She doesn't even drink coffee... she hates coffee." She says as she meets my gaze for the first time, causing me to instantly feel guilty when I see the hurt expression in her eyes.

I'm the cause of that.

I instantly remember making a promise to Grace on the night of the football game that I would attempt to sort things out with Alison and it seems like there's no better time than now.

"Ally I-"

"Alison, my name is Alison. Only my friends get to called me Ally an you lost that title long ago." She mutters in anger.