Chapter 72: She Makes Me Smile

< Dylan >
"Let me go!" I struggled against the doctors and nurses.
"Dylan, you're crazy. You have been in a coma for two fucking days. For heaven's sake, your body can't take the goddamn strain. Your wounds might reopen," Xavier hollered at me, trying his best to stop me. "Don't do this to yourself," he said, his voice wavering in the end as if he couldn't bear to see me this pathetic. "Please, I beg of you."
My shoulders slumped in defeat and he made me sit on the hospital bed.
"Trust me, I will find Shilly for you. Riley is already trying his best to track the numbers. I can't say not to worry because I know it won't do any good. But please don't make it worse than it is already," Xavier requested.
Yet, my heart would not calm down. From the moment I regained consciousness, my mind was going nuts and nothing was making sense to me. I was restless. I hated everything. I felt like Shirley was being hurt. The more time passed, the more she was being hurt.
I nearly escaped death, but who cared about that? At least, I didn't.
According to the stupid doctors, the bullet had missed piercing my right lung by an inch, though it did enough damage already. My body was very weak due to the immense blood loss. The physical pain had subsided as they forced me to take pain killers.
Yet, the stinging emotional pain in my heart would not reduce. I had to save Shirley. I didn't know how, I just had to try. I could not rest here, knowing she might be getting tormented somewhere or worse she might be dying.
"But... Shirley.. she—" I tried talking, my voice cracking miserably.
Xavier hugged me and patted my head, assuring me, "It will be fine. Nothing will happen to her. The Shilly I know will keep using her smart mouth and stay brave. She is not weak, you know."
I knew she was anything but weak, but for how long? How long until she couldn't take it anymore?
I heard the door creak and someone barged in. "Dylan?"
Xavier moved away from my sight, letting me see an exhausted Adrian who was panting. His blue eyes were puffy as if he had been crying for hours. He has been looking for Shirley in every possible place if I knew correctly.
"Boss, you must have some idea who they were, right?" Adrian's voice was desperate. More like, he was desperate to find his little sister.
"I don't know," I replied, looking down. I didn't have the courage to look him in the eyes.
"Why don't you know? How could you let my sister get kidnapped like that? It was your responsibility to protect her, dammit," Adrian snapped. His words were bitter but true.
"Stop it, Adrian. It is not his responsibility. What is he, Shirley's caretaker?" Xavier spoke up for me.
"Will you guys knock it off? This is a hospital for God's sake. Please, get out," The brunette doctor yelled at them.
Xavier grabbed Adrian's collar and dragged him out, not before saying, "We need to settle this, Adrian Hamilton."
On the other hand, the lady doctor said to me, "Mr. Lewiston, please take some rest. I get it that you are desperate for something. Get well, then you can do whatever you want. No one is going to stop you."
Little did she know that every second counted. Wasting time wasn't something I could afford anymore.
I nodded, and she helped me lay down. Another doctor connected the needle-like IV stuff on my wrist to give me saline. Boy, did that hurt.
After everyone left, I peeked over my shoulder and smirked.
I got up and looked through the bag of my clothes before grabbing a pair of clean clothes. I changed into a light blue shirt and blue jeans. Every movement put a strain on my back, making the wound bleed again. And shit, I never found buttoning up my shirt so hard. At that moment, I wanted Shirley to do it for me as she did quite often.
Whenever I used to come out wearing my shirt unbuttoned out of the bathroom after taking in the morning, if Shirley saw me, she would come to button them while taking it as an opportunity to trace her fingers lightly over my chest.
Now that I thought about it, Shirley loved me for a long time. I also did. I only had a late realization, and now there were no doubts about my feelings. I didn't care who she was, it was only her that I loved so dearly.
And I was willing to take risks for her, no matter how selfish that made me.
After putting on my clothes, it was already taking a lot out of me to even stand straight. All I could think about was Shirley. I had to save her. I couldn't think of anything else but memories with Shirley.
Shirley was so precious to me.
I sneaked out of my private cabin and looked around to find the corridor deserted. I stepped out of the cabin and took a right turn, only to meet the familiar beautiful blonde woman shooting daggers at me.
I gulped.
"Where do you think you are going, mister?" Sienna questioned, resting her palm on her hip. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and I knew why. She had been crying for long, for me.
"Sienna, get out of my way," I responded, trying to walk past her. However, she blocked my way and took a hold of my wrist before starting to drag me back to my cabin.
"Leave me, Sienna. I need to leave," I protested, but I was too weak to struggle against her.
"You can't even push me away, and you want to go out? Enemies are crawling outside to kill you. All they want is a single opening. If you step out in this condition, you—" she started lecturing.
"I don't want to listen to anything," I let out.
Sienna pushed me inside the cabin and closed the door from outside. "Sienna, you can't do this to me."
"You're staying there. I can't afford to lose you, Dylie. I know I sound selfish. But I'm sorry. You matter the most to me," she spoke up in a straight voice, though I knew tears were flowing through her eyes. I heard her footsteps fade away.
I helplessly sat down on the bed and threw away all the medicines out of frustration.
I hate this feeling the most. I was helpless. And so utterly useless.
Yes, I found Shirley extremely annoying at the start, but gradually it started to become her quirk. She was stubborn, unreasonable, and lazy—a spoiled brat. How could I fall for a person like that?
Because she makes you smile, answered my subconscious.
Yes, she made me smile, laugh, cry, angry, frustrated, jealous, petty—in other words, she gave rebirth to my emotions which I had put a lid on for a long time to keep myself from getting hurt. I guess I never learned.
I was again caring for someone, only to get hurt. Yet, I would do anything to save Shirley Hamilton. Because she was my happiness. Because she makes me smile. Because she owned my heart.