Hurt
"Raven?" I asked, my voice was hoarse.
"Laura?! Oh my god, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she said, sounding very concerned.
I told her I was in pain, but I could cope. She didn't ask about what happened, though. Maybe Erik had done that already. Wait, Erik. Where was he?
"Erik will probably visit you in a couple of hours." Raven said, as if she knew I was thinking about him.
"I don't wanna see him, not yet."
She gave me an apologetic look, "Let him explain, Laura." was the only thing she said before standing up and kissing my hand she was holding.
"I've gotta get back home though, I've been here all night and my apartment's a mess. Are you ok with being alone?"
I nodded, "I won't be alone for that long, Erik will be here in a couple of hours, right?"
She let out a tiny laugh and nodded. "Take care, Lau. If you need anything, just call me. Love you."
As soon as Raven left, a nurse came in to check up on me. She informed me about my injuries. I had one broken rib and a couple of bad bruises on my back and belly. Nothing I could die of, fortunately.
The nurse gave me some painkillers and when she left, I drifted off to sleep.
*
I woke up a couple of hours later. When I slowly got consious, I felt someone next to me.
When I slowly got consious, I felt someone next to me
"Erik?" I softly spoke up when I saw him. He jumped back a bit, not having noticed I was awake.
"Laura? I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry." he said with a hint of tiredness and sadness in his voice. "I am so sorry. I know those words don't fix your pain-"
I cut him off, wanting to know why he acted like that towards me, "What's up with you these past days? Asking me out and then being very drunk and touchy even though I tell you not to do that.. What's the reason?"
I probably sounded a bit harsh and hoarse, his face was now filled with sadness and guilt, it actually made me very sad seeing him like that, so vulnerable.
All of a sudden he started to explain himself, "When I was 15, my parents and I were just enjoying the holidays as everyone does. That was, until a man walked up to us one afternoon in the mall. He could've chosen to walk up to anyone, but he chose us. It's not that I wanted this to happen to other people, I just wished he'd never walked up to us.."
Erik seemed a bit distracted, so I brought him back to the point. I still didn't know what he was talking about, "Erik, what happened?"
He looked up to meet my eyes, "Oh yeah, well... So I was in that mall with my parents when a man walked up to us. He told us to give him our stuff and our money, but my father didn't listen; I don't blame him, it sounded ridiculous. But the man thought differently. He got out a knife and killed both my parents, my father first. The last thing my mother said to me before she was killed was 'run Erik, run.', so I did. I ran and I never looked back."
A couple of tears made his way down his face and I wiped them gently away with my thumb.
"I tend to get a bit drunk, and very annoying, daily, at this time of the year. People would say it's been years and I should've been over it already, but I'm not. The image of what happened hunts me every time I think about it, especially at this time of the year. I am so, incredibly sorry, Laura. I should never have asked you out when I knew I'd be getting drunk. I should've told you about this. I am so sorry-"
I didn't let him finish that last sentence, cutting him off by kissing him gently on his lips. He was a bit shocked, not expecting me to forgive him this fast; how could I not? I may have a broken rib, but this man has a broken past, a broken youth. He had the right to get drunk, not entirely to treat me like that, but he knows he was wrong and he apologized, and it was sincere.
"I am sorry, too. Hearing that story makes my heart ache. You didn't deserve that. Your parents didn't deserve that. You deserve so much more. You are a very, very good man, Erik. Your parents would've been proud of you."
He smiled at me, still watery eyes. "I don't deserve you," he said and I chuckled, "I think you do." I kissed him again and he met me halfway.
*
Erik stayed the rest of the day and night, this being the first time sleeping together, though he was in a different bed and we were separated by wires and all that kinda stuff.
"Are you asleep?" Erik quietly asked while holding my hand and rubbing circles on it with his thumb.
"Not yet," I answered, very sleepy.
"Well then, good night, my Laura." he said and I just could feel the smirk on his face.
"'My Laura', huh?" I chuckled, "If you don't mind.." he said and I quickly kiss his cheek, which I could just reach. "I definitely don't mind, professor."
He laughed and kissed my nose before giving me a good night-kiss.
"If you are in any pain or if you need anything, wake me up immediately, ok?" He asked, suddenly very concerned.
I chuckled, "I will, don't worry."
"Alright, good. Sweet dreams, Laura."
"Sweet dreams, Erik."
And with that we fell asleep, hands intertwined in between all the wires that were attached to me.
Before I fell asleep I remembered the way I woke up when Erik was sitting next to me, his head against mine ever so lightly and his hand holding mine. I knew this was the man I wanted to be with. And with that thought, I fell asleep very happily.