34

                                    

                                          
COLE
I am going fucking crazy. I was pacing up and down the waiting room. I ran a frustrated hand through my hair as I stared at the surgery entrance, praying that the doctor was going to walk out, telling me that my girl was going to be okay. 
I heard a door slam and I turned around and saw Naomi storming into the reception with a crying Chloe beside her. She was yelling something at the receptionist and I walked over to them.
"Naomi." I start and she turns to me, tears pouring down her cheeks.
"Where is she?"
"She's in surgery," I tell her. She grabs my arm and her knees buckle, as she sobs into me and I hold her tightly. 
Guilt courses through me as I hold Kimberly's hysterical mother in my arms. I should've been there. 
I wasn't there to protect her. 
 She pulls away, sniffling and peers up at me. "What happened?" she asks, her brows furrowing. 
"I don't know." I whisper. "I wasn't there but it was Will. He hurt her." 
She shakes her head as if she didn't want to believe my words and I inhale sharply, turning to Chloe. "Why don't you guys take a seat in the waiting room?" 
Chloe nods stiffly and takes her mother and they sit in the waiting room. I turned back to the surgery door where Kimberly was lying. Fuck Kimberly, baby you have to pull through. 
"Kimberly's going to be okay." I reassure. I know she will be. She has to be. 
I headed to the cafe area of the hospital. I bought two coffees and walked back to the waiting room, where Chloe and Naomi were. I noticed a nurse talking to them, relief and shock plastered all over their faces. 
Naomi's gaze falls to me and she rushes over towards me. "Nate's awake!" Naomi exclaims, my lips part and my eyes widen. 
"What?"
"She just told me that he was waking up."
Chloe grabs her mum's hand and they hurry across the ward to the room where Nate was. "He's been in a coma for a few weeks so he'll be in and out of consciousness." the nurse informs us when we get there.
"Oh sweetheart," Naomi says, when Nate's eyes open once more. 
He grunts and Naomi moves closer, clutching his hand. "Kimberly," she whispers. "Our baby girl." she chokes out, slapping a hand over her mouth. "She is in hospital and I need you, Nate. She needs you." Naomi cries. "Please come back to me." she begs, closing her eyes as she holds onto his hand. 
"Nao." he breathes, his voice croaky. 
Her eyes open and she looks up at him, stroking his cheek. "I love you." she whispers. 
He tightens his grip on her fingers and she gasps. "You have to come back to us." she continues. 
A doctor appears at the door and I leave the room. "She is out of surgery." he tells me. "Had she hit her head any harder then we would have lost her," he says. "She is a lucky girl."
I force a smile. Kimberly will never be in danger like this again, I swear my life on it. "Is she awake?"
"No. She needs rest and we'll keep her here for a few days just to make sure she is completely fine but after that, she will be discharged."  
"Can I see her?" I ask. He nods. "We put her beside her father's room." 
I murmur thank you before walking over to her room. There was a bandage wrapped around her head and her eyes were closed. And fuck, my chest hurt at the sight of my girl looking so helpless. I walk closer, touching her hand softly. "Fuck, baby you scared me." I whisper, choking out a humourless laugh. "I love you, Kimberly." I whisper. "I love you so much." I murmur, kissing her hand. 
Someone knocks on the door and I glance up at Tyler. "Matt's here." he tells me quietly. "He wants to make sure she's alright." he adds.
I nod stiffly. I mean he saved her, didn't he? Plus, I need to talk to him about what happened exactly.
Matt walks in with Tyler and he sees Kimberly and shakes his head. "Is she going to be okay?"
I nod. "She's okay." 
He sighs out of relief and Tyler walks over and sits on the edge of Kimberly's bed. "What even happened?" I ask, turning back to Matt.
"I was walking to the lake and I heard her scream. When I reached the waterfall, Will was on top of her trying to take her clothes off. She was drunk."
"Then." 
"I interfered obviously and she was fine until we were walking back and she started complaining that her head hurt and she touched it and it was bloody." 
Anger and pain swelled in my chest at the thought of her being raped and hurt by that asshole. I should've been there. The only reason I came to the campsite in the first place was because they were going to arrest him. I didn't know Kimberly was going to be there. 
"They arrested him." Matt reassures. 
Thank God. I wasn't leaving this hospital until Kim woke up. I tighten my grip on her hand. I'm going to keep you safe, kimmiegirl. 
"If you hadn't been there.." I whisper, realising what could have happened. He would've raped her and she could have died. 
Matt put his hand on my shoulder. "I was there." he says. "And Kimberly is safe."
"Thank you. Thank you for being there." 
He nods before glancing at Kimberly's unconscious state. "I'm glad I was there to help her. Although, we aren't together anymore, a part of me still cares about her." he admits quietly and I nod my head stiffly. 
He clears his throat. "Isla's waiting outside. Will it be okay if she sees her?" Matt questions.
I shrug. I mean, Kimberly nearly died and they had been best friends their whole life so I wouldn't stop Isla from seeing her. 
I watch as Isla hurries to Kimberly's side, crying silently as she mutters "I'm sorry" repeatedly to her. 
I chew on my bottom lip as I stare at Kimberly, silently reciting the same words Isla was repeating. I'm sorry, baby. Kimberly has to come back to me, life's not worth living without Kimberly by my side.