Four Broken Pieces ✓

Twelve

I was awakened with the sound of a beeping heart monitor and the blinding white light only a hospital had. My entire body felt stiff, like it was made of cardboard and my throat felt like it had been scraped raw. I slowly sat up and almost automatically looked to the chair in the corner. My mother wasn't there, not this time. Instead, my grandfather sat there with a tired, weary expression on his face that lit up at the sight of me stirring.

"You had me frightened there sweetpea. That was an awfully close one" he said, coming over to kiss me on the forehead. His tone remained casual but the worry still remained in his eyes, as he looked me over with concern.

"I'm alright Nonno," I said and he gave me a soft smile. I then asked the question that I desperately needed an answer to. My mother was nowhere in sight and I needed to know where she was. She would have come to see me, wouldn't she? My heart raced at the thought of seeing her after five months apart.

"Is, is mom here," I asked and the disappointment on my grandfather's face was answer enough. She hadn't come to see me. I'd almost died and she hadn't even cared to come visit. The pain in my heart was something I couldn't even put in words as my mother, yet again, let me down.

"I haven't seen her since yesterday night sweetpea, but she did call me and ask if you were alright," he said. Well at least she'd called, I thought, although I still felt the crushing disappointment that she hadn't come to see me in person. I guess it was unfair of me to expect her to visit when I'd practically told her to stay away from me the last time we'd met, months ago.

"There are a few people waiting outside for you. Should I call them in or do you want some rest," he asked and I told him they could come in. Seconds later, the door burst open and Troy stepped in looking haggard and distressed followed by Violet who looked equally concerned. My grandfather slipped out of the room unnoticed and Troy took his place beside me.

"You had me worried sick Roe! The doctors told me that you might not wake up and god, the fact that I almost lost you," he began, his words disjointed, but was interrupted by Violet who was rolling her eyes.

"He broke down right then and there Ro, and began bawling like a baby. He was so loud they had to tell us to leave," she said and Troy shot her a glare.

"It wasn't like you didn't cry as well," he said and my eyes widened. Violet had cried for me. Not once had I seen her cry. She'd never been the sensitive type, but she'd cried for me. The thought was heartwarming. Before the couple could start a brawl in the hospital, I caught their hands in mine and stilled their words with a stern look.

"I'm completely fine and I'm glad you're here, although your loud voices are giving me a headache," I complained and they fell silent and took a seat on either side of me. The initial energy in the room dissipated as we all took in the fact that we'd come so close to not seeing each other ever again. To think I'd almost died before telling them how much they meant to me.

"I love you," I said softly, looking at both of them. Troy teared up and moved to sit on the bed beside me, his arm wrapped around my shoulder. Violet lay down on my other side and interlaced out fingers together before speaking, her voice rough with emotion she tried to conceal.

"You know I practically had a heart attack when Troy called me. I could barely comprehend it. I think my heart literally stopped so please, next time you're going to do something stupid give me a freaking warning so I can stop you," she said, trying to disguise her worry by scolding me. I squeezed her fingers in mine as I leaned my head on Troy's shoulder. She may not be the most emotional, but I knew she loved me just as much as I loved her and this was her way of saying it.

"Promise me you won't die on me Roe. I don't think I could handle it," Troy said and I looked up at him. His blue eyes were filled with the tears, which he made no effort to hide. He wanted me to know just how worried he'd been and how much he loved me. At that moment, I couldn't care less why my mother's hadn't shown up. I had all I needed right here.

"I promise," I said and the three of us stayed quiet, lost in our own thoughts, as we lay on my hospital bed together.

It was sometime later and Troy and Violet had left to get dinner for us. The nurses wanted me under observation for the rest of the day, as this was the second time something like this had happened. I was itching to get up and do something however, so when the nurse left, I quietly crept out of my room to explore the hospital.

The hospital was deadly silent for some reason, and the whole corridor was vacated. At the end of the hallway however, I saw a closet door from which loud voices rung out. One voice in particular stood out. Alexei. I picked up my pace, excited to see the three of them but stopped outside the closet door when I picked up what exactly they were saying. They were talking about me in angry voices. Had something upset them?

"What the hell were you thinking Ivan? You knew she was pushing herself too hard and you didn't stop her? What's wrong with you," lashed out Alexei, and that musical voice of his was filled with uncontrollable anger. His anger was almost frightening and it stopped me from entering the closet. I could practically imagine steam blowing out of Alexei's ears, his body tense with rage.

"I didn't know how to stop her. We hadn't been talking," I heard Ivan's gruff reply, and for the first time he sounded meek. I guess he didn't direct his rage towards the people he loved. Or perhaps he was as shocked by Alexei's anger as I was. Alexei never seemed like the type to lose his temper easily, but then again, I only met him a few days ago.

"You didn't know how to stop her? You see Ivan it's actually quite simple, all you had to was say STOP out loud," Alexei replied, his voice seething. I heard movement on the other side of the door and realized they'd probably rushed at one another.

"Enough, both of you. Stop acting like kids. Her friends just left and we should probably go see her. This fight isn't helping anyone," said Mikhail, and I could imagine him planting himself between the two boys with a glare directed towards both of them. At first glance, I would have thought Ivan would be the more mature as he certainly looked the oldest, but I realized now that Mikhail was the most level-headed of them all. He was the peacemaker of the trio.

"You're right," mumbled Alexei and before I realized what was happening, the closet door swung open and two shocked faces looked out to where I was standing. 

I'm sorry for the short chapter. I just wanted to end the chapter there but I promise the next one will be longer. 

I absolutely love the friendship between Troy, Violet and Roe. The fact that Troy and Violet are a couple never seems to make things awkward between them. 

What's your favorite friendship of the two? Troy+Roe or Violet+Roe? Love to here your thoughts in the comments below and click the little star if you liked this chapter! 

Love you all so much, 

-ASH