The Variations, Jones M [list of e readers .TXT] 📗

happened."

"How long have I been here?"

"Today's your second day."

"Crap! Okay. When can I go to them?"

"I'd rather have them come here," the doctor said. "You suffered a couple of injuries in that accident. We have to make sure that your vitals and everything else is normal. If you move quickly, who knows what the damage might be?"

Kate sighed, finding herself agreeing with the doctor's words.

"I'll send a nurse in to do the other tests. You could also give her a couple of numbers to call to notify anyone you know. Make sure you get enough rest before the police arrive," he said, moving to leave the room.

**************** ***************************** *********************** *************

A couple of hours later, the police arrived in Kate's room. She talked to them, answering every question that involved the ordeal that had happened outside Emma's car.

"Thank you, miss. That will be all. We'll look into the issue involving your friend," one of the investigators said.

"Thank you," Kate expressed her gratitude, and they nodded before they left the room. She sighed, relaxing on the bed.

She was just about to fall asleep when the door to her ward bust open.

"Oh, Kate!" her roommate yelled, running towards her. Gwen encompassed her in a hug, shocking her.

"Gwen?" Kate said in surprise.

"I am so sorry," she apologized. "I would have been here sooner if I had known it was you in that car."

"What?"

"There was news about a car accident that involved college students last night. The reporters mentioned something about a survivor, but they did not mention your name because the police were 'still investigating into the matter'. I didn't know it was you until someone from the hospital phoned me."

"Hi, Kate," another voice added. Kate moved her head, spotting Ben at the entrance of the ward. He waved at her, and she awkwardly waved back at him.

"You doing okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks for coming," she said, turning back to her friend. "I'm okay, Gwen. The person I'm more worried about is Emma."

"Emma? She was with you in that car? Oh, that bitch--"

"No," Kate cut Gwen off. "We were heading back to the campus when some car started hitting us. The asshole even started shooting at us."

"What?"

"I know. Now Emma is missing, and I can't help but be worried about her. I think she was kidnapped."

Gwen stared in shock at Kate.

"Are the cops looking into it?"

"Yes, but I doubt they'll find anything," she replied, shaking her head in concern.

"Relax, Kate. Something tells me that Emma can hold her own. I don't know why, but I have a feeling she will turn up okay."

Kate gave a hesitant smile.

"So, you wouldn't believe what Helen told me yesterday..."

Gwen stayed at Kate's ward, talking about the latest scandal involving the university students. It was a wonderful distraction for her, and she was glad that her friend was there to cheer her up.

Soon, visiting hours were over.

"I'll come to see you tomorrow after classes," Gwen stated, moving towards the door as Ben waved at her.

"Okay," Kate smiled. "Bye."

"Bye."

********************************** ************************* **********************

The following day had reached much quicker than Kate had anticipated. But then, she blamed it all on her medication.

She had just finished her morning meal, thanking the nurse as she left with the tray when someone appeared at the doorway.

"Kate," he breathed after the nurse left the room. She was not expecting him to be there, and her form tensed at his presence.

"Get out," she said, trying hard not to cry as memories of their last confrontation played in her mind. She was not ready to see him, especially after the way he had ended things.

Chris ignored her words, moving into the ward and closing the door behind him.

His closeness allowed Kate to see how terrible he looked. A couple of days' stubble had grown on his face. His hair looked disarrayed, and his eyes were bloodshot. His clothes had also looked crumpled, and it looked like he had quickly worn them to come to her.

"Have you been drinking?" Kate asked him.

"A little," he replied, "but it didn't help with the pain I felt."

"Chris, just go," Marie sighed as she looked at her side, not facing him.

"I almost lost you, Kate," he spoke. She did not reply.

He took that as a sign to move closer to her. He sat on the space she had not occupied on her bed, and she tensed.

"I'm sorry about the way I left things," he said. Kate's lips quivered at his words.

"But you were right," Marie replied, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "You were right about me not trusting you and loving you yet. Chris, I did not expect you to bring up--"

"I know," he cut her off. "But I was also wrong. I shouldn't have said all of that and forced you to make a choice."

"Chris--"

"We have only been dating for five months. I was only thinking about myself when I should have also considered you. I made you hurt, Kate. I left you when you could have been pregnant with our child. And I almost lost you forever," he said, tears flowing down his cheeks. 

"I understand if you wanted to figure things out--"

"I shouldn't have done that," he interrupted her again. "I knew it was not right, especially for our developing baby, but I still did it. I was selfish."

"But I'm not pregnant."

"I know," he said. "I saw your message."

Chris' hands moved to grasp hers. As always, she felt a soothing awareness of him.

"I'm sorry, Kate," he said. "It's just that I've wanted you for a long time. I thought you'd fall for me the same way I fell for you."

"Chris--"

"I know it sounds crazy. To be honest, I thought I was investing too much in our relationship. When we last talked, I thought all the years that had passed would go to waste. I thought you would reject me. I thought you would leave me, and that's why I believed things would be better if I ended it."

"I thought the same, too," Kate told him. "At times, I think you are better than I. I thought you would stop wanting me--"

"Never, Kate," Chris cut her off, moving his lips to hers. Shocks traveled through Kate's form the instant their mouths met. She sighed into the kiss, letting the sensations of the contact travel through her body. 

"If anything, you are far too good for me," he said once he detached his lips from hers. "I love you, Kate."

"But are you sure?" she said, letting her insecurities come out. "What if you find someone else who is much nicer and prettier--"

Chris ended her words with a searing kiss. It lasted longer than the first one, and it left her breathless.

"I've wanted you for a long time, Kate. Trust me when I say my feelings for you will never change."

Kate's eyes teared up once again.

"Kate, don't cry," Chris told her, wiping her tears away with his thumbs as he held her face.

"I'm happy," she said, smiling as she cried.

Chris kissed her again.

"I'm not letting you go again," he sighed, pecking her on the lips. "I love you, Kate, and I'm not letting anyone steal you away from me."

Chris' hands caressed her cheeks as he continued to give her gentle kisses.

"I know you feel the same for me."

"Chris--"

"I'm willing to wait until you feel ready to say them."

Kate's heart thudded. Chris stood before her, proclaiming his love for her, and yet she was not sure if she loved him back. Her feelings for him were strong, and they frightened her. With her knowledge of contemporary relationships, she was scared things between them would end if she said those words.

He kissed her again, distracting her away from her thoughts.

"I'm yours, Chris," she whispered. It was the only thing she was sure of at the moment. He stilled as he held her.

"Say that again," he said.

"I belong to you, Chris," she said. He moved back to kiss her. Moments later, he left her gasping for breaths as he held her to him.

 

Chapter 58

Kate's parents had heard about the news involving their daughter the moment they arrived in Stonedale from Russia. They did not waste time to head to the hospital.

"Oh, Honey," said Kate's mom as she entered the ward to find her daughter in a hospital bed. She went towards her, embracing her in a hug.

"I'm so sorry your father and I didn't come sooner. If we had known--"

"It's okay, Mom," Kate cut her off with a smile. "Where's Dad?"

"Oh, he's getting us coffees and some treats from the diner next door. So, what did the doctor say?"

Kate told her mother about her healing injuries, feeling glad that her head had not suffered a lot from the crash. She even told her about her missing friend.

"It seriously looks like a kidnapping," her mother stated as she nodded. "I hope the police know what they are doing."

"I don't think they do," Marie said. "It's been days, and they haven't found any leads to the people who forced us to crash yet."

Kate's mother started tearing up.

"Mom?"

"Don't mind me, Kate," she said, reaching for a handkerchief in her purse before using it to wipe her tears. "I am just so happy that you are alive."

"Me too."  

Kate understood how she felt. She still shuddered at the thought that she could have been dead by then if that nice traveling family had not stopped by the crash scene to rescue her. She was thankful she was still alive.

"It feels like that time the doctors were operating on your tumor," her mother continued. "We thought we'd lose you, but you lived."

"Mom, I'm happy that you are here and that I'm alive. Please, let's not ruin this day with tears."

"Okay," she said.

Kate then talked to her mother about school stuff. Some minutes later, her father joined in and hugged her for a long time. Then they resumed their talk.

Soon, her father's phone dinged with a notification.

"The Wi-Fi network this hospital offers has a great signal," he said with a smile before turning to his phone. His smile then turned into a frown.

"Kate?"

"Hmm?"

"Is this your friend?" he asked, turning the phone towards her direction. Kate squinted her eyes at the image of the figure above the news post displayed on the iPhone. Her eyes suddenly became wide.

"That's her," she confirmed.

'Missing girl from mysterious car crash found,' read the topic. The news went on to say that Emma had been found in an abandoned warehouse. She had been kidnapped and abused by a guy named Nathan Akers. Fortunately, she had fought him and the guy was in the process of being imprisoned.

Kate could not help but feel that she knew the name of the guy.

It was seconds later that she recalled Emma telling her about a boy who was her childhood friend and high school bully.

'Oh crap. Could it be...?'

Kate thought it was a coincidence, but as the seconds passed, she started to believe it was highly possible that the guy who had kidnapped Emma was the same one who bullied her in her first high school.

It was a good thing Emma had been found. Kate hoped that she was okay.

************************************* *********************************** *********

A couple of days had passed. Kate was discharged from the hospital, but she was under medication that could last for a week; depending on the progress of her healing body.

The incident involving Emma's kidnapping was still big around the university.