Chapter 23// Together and Apart

Flora couldn't sleep through the night. It was an odd feeling, but even when she was mad at Alex, she wanted to be with him. He was comforting. He made her feel safe, loved, happy. He was her first for a lot of things and she wanted him to be her last. But they weren't dating, even though it felt like it most of the time. She had no security in this relationship, and she was tired of it.

She woke up again that night and rolled over to check her phone. She had three missed calls from a number she didn't recognize. She googled the number, curious as to who would call three times at 2:00 in the morning.

Flora's heart sank when she saw the caller ID.

She panicked.

She tore the blanket from her body and quickly dialed the number.

"Hello?" a woman's voice sang on the other end.

"Um...hi. I missed a call from this number, is everything alright?" Flora muttered the last part lowly.

"What's your name?" The woman asked, her tone more tired than before.

"Flora."

"Flora..." the woman's voice trailed off as her finger traced down a list of names.

"Ah! Flora," she began triumphantly, quickly clearing her throat before continuing.

"A man was brought into the ER tonight... Alexander..." the nurse's words trailed off once again as she referred to her notes.

"Steele?" Flora finished for her, desperately wishing it wasn't true.

"Steele, yes. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but he was in a car accident early this morning. He suffered some injuries that caused internal bleeding, he's in surgery right now. He listed you as his emergency contact to the paramedics in the ambulance. If you'd like to visit him he should be out—"

Flora dropped the phone.

The only sound that could be heard in the silence of her room was the echoing from the impact of the fallen phone on the hardwood floor.

"Ma'am?"

Silence.

"If you'd like, you can come and wait for him to get out of surgery, I'm sure it'd mean a lot to him."

The nurse waited a moment, but after a long pause, the line went dead.

Flora was in no condition to drive, but she grabbed the car keys from her mom's purse and ran towards the street. Her eyes were full of tears that blurred her vision. Her head felt fuzzy. Her mind couldn't concentrate on anything but Alex.

Alex.

The last conversation she had with him played over and over in her mind.

She flung open the car door, but just as she was about to shove the key into the ignition, a man ran in front of the car.

Flora squinted her eyes at the lanky figure.

Jacob?

"Flora," he tapped on the window, "I need to talk to you."

Flora stared incredulously before rolling down her window.

"What are you doing here?"

Jacob sighed, "I know it's late, but I—"

"—I can't do this right now," Flora snapped.

Jacob blinked back in surprise, he had never seen this side of Flora before.

"I know it's the middle of the night and— wait. . ." he paused for a moment, "where are you going?"

"I have to go see Alex, he's—"

"That's what I'm here to talk about," Jacob interrupted, "I have to tell you something, and I don't know how to say this, but I—"

"Jacob! I can't do this right now. I have to go," Flora sighed exasperatedly.

Her mind was on Alex, and only Alex.

Jacob reached into the car window and held Flora's face in his hands. Without hesitation, and without allowing Flora a moment to react, he pressed his lips against hers.

The kiss felt forced. His lips weren't soft like Alex's were. They didn't mold against hers like his had either.

It felt so wrong.

Instinctively, Flora placed her hands on Jacob's shoulders and shoved him off of her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Flora shouted, using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth.

Jacob blinked back in utter shock. Partly because he just kissed Flora without any warning, and partly because he had never heard a swear word come out of innocent Flora's mouth.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just wanted to show you that I—"

"I'm leaving," Flora spoke emotionlessly.

She couldn't even begin to fathom what had just happened. She felt violated? She wasn't sure what word best described her current feelings. Betrayed? Disrespected? Confused? Guilty?

She just wasn't sure; it all happened so quickly. All she knew was it felt wrong.

"Flora, please, let me explain, I— " Jacob's words were cut short as Flora rolled up her window and drove down the street.

She swore she drove through at least two red lights on the way to the hospital.

When she finally arrived, Flora ran through a set of doors with florescent red letters that read ER.

Suddenly she felt a pit in her stomach, like the feeling before that big drop on a rollercoaster, just not in the fun way.

Alex was somewhere in this hospital; alone and scared. If something happened to him after what she said. . . she'd never forgive herself for it.

Flora rushed to the desk clerk, "where's Alexander Steele?" Her words were so rushed and hurried she feared the nurse wouldn't understand them. Luckily, the woman glanced down at a thick chart in front of her.

"He's still in surgery. It could be a few more hours. Afterwards he'll be brought to the ICU for recovery, you're welcome to wait in the visitors lounge."

Flora nodded tiredly, like it took a lot of effort just to lift her head up and down.

The nurse pointed to a door hidden off to the corner with a small blue plaque that read Visitors Lounge.

Flora smiled at the nurse, or at least she tried to, before she dragged her body to the lounge and sunk into the hard plastic chair.

She sat for what felt like forever. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't think. She just sat there for hours and stared at the people coming in and out of the room. Some cried. Some smiled. Some, like her, were emotionless.

"For. . . Alexander Steele?"

Flora's head shot up, and so did her body from that hard butt-numbing plastic chair.

"He's out of surgery, I thought you'd want to know," the nurse smiled.

"Is he okay?" Flora thought it was a stupid question, clearly he wasn't ok — but it was the first thing that came to her mind.

"Are you family?" The nurse asked.

"No," Flora shook her head, "he doesn't really have...family," that realization made Flora feel even more horrible. She was all he had, and while he was in the hospital... she...was...." She couldn't even finish the thought.

"I'm sorry we can't disclose patient information to non-family members without their consent."

Flora sighed, and the nurse continued, "but... he's out of surgery, and that's a good thing."

Flora's rigid body visibly relaxed, and for the first time tonight, she felt relief.

"He's in room 212, up the elevator and to your right."

Flora thanked the nurse profusely, before rushing to the room. She paused for a second before entering. Then, after taking a deep, shaky breath, she flung the door open and rushed to his side.

Alex looked pale. He had tubes and machines hanging all around him. Alex was always so strong and intimidating, it broke Flora to see him like this.

She held onto his hand, and ran her thumb gently across his skin, careful not to touch the IV taped to his hand.

Alex's eyelids fluttered open, his skin was bruised and battered, but his eyes were still as vibrant as ever.

"You came?" He croaked, his voice was raw and rough.

"Of course I did, I'll go wherever you are my love," Flora leaned over him and softly kissed his cheek.

"I'm just happy you're okay. I was so worried, I thought—"

"I think we should date," Alex began nervously, fiddling with the hospital bracelet on his wrist, "I just. . . I want you to be all mine. You are mine, but I want it to be official."

Despite laying in a hospital bed, his possessiveness and dominance still prevailed.

"And I want to be all yours, too. I want you to be my—" Alex paused for a moment, but knowing he was sure of himself he continued, "I want you to be my girlfriend."

Flora felt so guilty. She hated Jacob for ruining this moment. She hated herself.

"Alex. . ." Flora smiled, "I'd love to be your girlfriend."

She dreamt of this moment. All she ever wanted was for Alex to want her the way she wanted him. And now that he had, she couldn't even enjoy the feeling.

"I love you, Flower." Alex's hand found itself in her soft hair, like it always had, combing through the locks before resting his large hand on her chin and forcing her to look at him.

"I love you too, Alex," her words were earnest and true— she did love Alex, but something didn't feel right.

She knew she couldn't tell him in his current state
— battered, bruised, and recovering from major life-saving surgery — that she had kissed Jacob.

Alex is her boyfriend now— not 20 minutes ago— so, did she even have to tell him? She didn't expect to know every girl he kissed before her. Besides, she didn't kiss Jacob, he kissed her. There was a big difference. But she knew Alex, and she knew he wouldn't think so. Besides, he despised Jacob. She didn't even want to think about the trouble he'd get himself in if he found out. He'd probably beat Jacob so viscously he'd get himself arrested.

Flora decided, given the current circumstances, she wouldn't say anything. Alex didn't need that kind of burden during his recovery. She cared about his health far more than alleviating her own guilty conscious.

This would be her secret. . .

A/n: I'm sooooo sorry for the wait!!! I procrastinate but i already started the nxt chapter :)