Find me

Chapter 22

Aria POV

“Okay, baby.” Gabriel’s dad said. “I’m done.”

I was lying on my belly, clenching Gabriel’s hand in mine tightly. He was kneeling next to me again, trying to distract me from the occasional sting.

“You did good.” Gabriel said, running his fingers through my hair.

I looked up at him and gave him a small smile. I was so thankful to him. He really made this whole thing easier. I was so scared and so nervous that I almost didn’t even let his dad do anything.

But the amount of trust I had in them overpowered my fear. I was sure that they would help me. I trusted them immensely, but I wasn’t sure why.

Maybe they really were my family?

No.

I removed that thought as soon as it came. I couldn’t give myself false hope. I just couldn’t. I wouldn’t survive the disappointment.

“Okay, love.” Gabriel’s dad said softly. “We will leave so you can get dressed. I will bring you your shoes, and we will go to the hospital.”

My heartbeat quickened.

Why? Didn’t he do everything he needed to already?

“Why?” I asked quietly, keeping my eyes low. “Do I really need to go?”

“Yes, baby.” his dad said. “I need to get you an IV and an antibiotic. I need to do an x-ray to see if your ribs are broken.”

My heart was racing. I’ve never been to a hospital. I mean, I knew what an IV was. I knew what an x-ray was. I wasn’t afraid of that part. Would there be other people there? Would they touch me?

I didn’t want anyone to touch me. I trusted Gabriel and his dad, and that was the only reason I allowed them to help me.

But would someone else touch me at the hospital?

No.

I didn’t want that.

My palms were sweating, and it was getting hard to breathe.

“Aria.” I heard Gabriel’s voice.

I looked at him, and his eyes widened.

“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately.

“Baby?” his dad said worriedly, moving closer so I could see him. “What’s wrong?”

My eyes kept going from Gabriel to his dad. I was having trouble breathing.

Gabriel’s dad moved and cupped my cheeks.

“Breathe, love.” he said softly. “Everything is going to be okay. Breathe, your dad is here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He caressed my cheeks softly, and my breathing calmed down a little.

“That’s right.” he said, giving me a small smile. “Breathe, baby.”

I managed to take a deep breath, and I felt my heart slowing down.

“Can you tell me what happened, love?” Gabriel’s dad asked.

“I don’t want anyone to touch me.” I mumbled quietly, gulping down the lump in my throat.

“No, no, no, love.” Gabriel’s dad said. “Nobody will touch you. I will be with you the entire time, okay? There will be other doctors and nurses there, but nobody will touch you. They will help me take care of you, okay?”

I took a deep breath and nodded.

“Okay, baby.” Gabriel’s dad smiled and leaned in to kiss my forehead. “Get dressed, and we will go.”

Gabriel’s dad stood up and turned around to grab his medical bag.

Gabriel leaned in and kissed my temple.

“I will go get your shoes, okay?” he said quietly.

I looked up at him and nodded.

I watched as they left the living room. As soon as the door closed behind them, I stood up and started putting my clothes back on.

My whole body was in pain. The cuts burned, but it was a different kind of burn than what I was used to. It wasn’t bad, though. Maybe because I knew that they were healing.

A few minutes later, I heard a knock on the door.

“Come in.” I said, rolling the bottom of Gabriel’s sweat pants.

I heard the door opening and footsteps walking toward me. I looked up and saw Gabriel smiling at me.

“Here you go.” he said, giving me my old Chucks.

“Thank you.” I said, taking the sneakers from him.

I started putting the shoes on my feet, when the door opened again.

“Are you ready, love?” Gabriel’s dad asked me.

I looked up at him and nodded.

I’ve noticed how easy it was for me to look at them. I still kept my eyes down most of the time, but I wasn’t afraid to look up at them. I couldn’t keep the eye contact for long, but it was progress for me.

I stood up, and Gabriel wrapped a jacket around me, put his arm around my shoulders, and started to lead me outside.

Gabriel’s dad followed behind us. He locked the front door, and we walked to the car.
Gabriel sat in the back with me, pulling me closer to him.

“I am proud of you.” he said, kissing the top of my head.

I furrowed my eyebrows, and looked up at him. “Why?”

I haven’t done anything he could be proud of.

“For letting us help you even though I know how hard it was for you.” he said, giving me a small smile.

I was confused. I always thought that you had to do something big for people to be proud of you. I thought that maybe my parents would be proud if I managed to get into a good college. I thought they would be proud if I became a doctor. I didn’t know that people could be proud of you for doing something so small.

“You were the first people to show me kindness.” I said quietly. “I’m glad I trusted you.”

Gabriel’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What do you mean, the first, baby?” Gabriel’s dad asked, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

“Well, we moved around a lot.” I mumbled. “I never really got to meet other people.”

“What about the people you grew up with, love?” Gabriel’s dad asked. “Were they ever kind to you?”

I furrowed my eyebrows and bit my lip. I couldn’t remember a time when they were nice.

“Not really.” I mumbled quietly.

“They’ve abused you your whole life?!” Gabriel exclaimed, tightening his arms around me.

I looked up at him and nodded.

“Oh, my baby.” Gabriel’s dad cried out.

The anger I saw in Gabriel’s eyes made me flinch.

“I am not angry at you.” he said immediately. “I will never be angry at you, okay?”

I nodded, and he pressed me closer to him, kissing my temple.

I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes.

I was so tired.

I just wanted to sleep.