Chapter four

Adam's POV

I barely slept that night. No matter where my mind went, it always returned to Eli Brooke. Eli was the small ginger haired boy that was the joke of high school. We taunted him for everything. His ginger hair, his tiny voice and hell, even the way he kept his lips.

I never thought I would see him again but I just did. He wasn't small anymore. His shoulders spread out just perfectly and his voice was perfect baritone. I swallowed and looked out my window. It's been almost a decade. Would I ever be able to make things right between us?

I reached for my phone. There were tons of messages but I didn't have the mental capacity to reply to anyone now. Barely holding the screen before my eyes caused my head to throb.

I heard the blinds pull open and the morning light flooded into my room. I groaned and slightly opened my eyes. Eli was standing in front of my bed with his pad in his grip.

“This early?” I groaned.

“I like to do the harder things at the crack of dawn.”

I lifted my head a little and sunk it back into my pillow. This was going to be a long ride.

“How was your sleep?”

“Was going well before you interrupted.” I scoffed.

“Good.” He came around to the side of my bed. “There’s no sleep for the wicked.”

“Can you come back in an hour?”

I still felt very groggy and lightheaded from the medications and I doubted that a session with Eli was what I needed right now.

“I don't work for you.” He said dropping the pad by my bedside. “But I should check on more pleasant patients.”

He turned around and left. I smiled. He was sassy and I loved it. I didn't want to talk back at him. I don't know if it was because I had no comebacks or this was a way to compensate for all the times I spoke over him in high school.

His perfume still hung in the air minutes after he had left. He smelled sweet. Like vanilla and a burst of sunshine. I inhaled deeply.

My door swung open minutes later and a nurse walked in. She had her auburn hair pulled back in a sleek bun and she was all smiles.

“You look rather pleasant this morning.”

I offered her a small smile. “It's a beautiful morning.”

“Indeed.” She checked the IV bag above my bed and nodded.

“Do you feel pain anywhere?” She asked as she grabbed a bottle of water and popped tablets.

I nodded. “Everywhere.”

She smiled knowingly. “It would heal just in time.”

She touched my thighs and my head shot up. I had felt it. It was almost not there but I had felt it.

“Does that hurt?”

“I felt your hand on my thighs. It was numb.” I tried to sit up but groaned when pain shot up my spine.

“Here.” She dropped the water and drug tray. “Let me help you.”

Eli walked in now. He stood by the door and watched us.

She pulled me up into a sitting position. I reached for my thighs and squeezed hard. I could feel a little pressure. My eyes gleamed with relief.

She handed me the drugs and water. “The doctor would be here to check on you later.”

“Thank you.” I grinned.

“If you need anything else, don't forget to use the buzzer. After your physio session, I will help you to the bathroom.”

I can't tell if it was Eli’s presence but hot flashes of embarrassment washed over me. Help me to the bathroom? I was a man who used to skate thirty five kilometres per hour and now I needed help to go to the bathroom???

“I don't need help.” I said, almost snapping.

The nurse blinked in surprise and glanced at Eli. He waved at her to leave.

“She was just trying to help.” He said as soon as the door was shut.

“Well, I don't need it. I can go to the bathroom myself.”

He shook his head. “Simply because you got a feel in your legs?”

“I know I can do it.”

“What you're going to do is ruin every progress you've made in seconds.”

Eli turned to grab something from the drawer when I swung my legs from the bed. I grabbed the walker and pushed myself up. I could only stand on my left foot but even that hurt like hell. I tried to push my left foot and my knees buckled.

My legs twisted and my balance disappeared.

“Are you crazy?” I heard Eli scream as he reached for me. He held my shoulder up for a second but I'm bigger than him so he soon crashed beneath my weight.

Eli lands on his back and I fall on him. One hand is planted beside his head and our faces are inches apart. We both held our breath. I had never been this close to him but now that I was. I was taken aback about how beautiful he was.

Before either of us could move, the door swung open and Dr. Broome is standing there.