Bound by Law

Bound by Law || 39- My Saviour?

I woke up to the sound of beeping beside me. The ceiling was white and plain, and the place smelled like it was somewhere toxic, surrounded by chemicals. It was unfamiliar to me and I couldn't quite comprehend where I was or what was happening.

It was when my eyes wandered the whole room that I realised I was at a hospital, dressed in a blue hospital gown. I almost chuckled at how strange it all seemed -- like it was from out of a movie or something.

All of a sudden, the scenes of Rahul attacking me caused a gasp to escape my parched lips. It wasn't a dream.

It was real.

D-did he...do what I think he did?!

I winced at the pain in my foot and throat as I went to sit up. Almost instantly, I began to sob at my unfortunate luck.

"You're awake," the familiar deep voice said from beside me.

I screamed, scared it was Rahul waiting for me and began to thrash in my bed to get away.

"Hey, hey," the voice turned soft, trying to calm me down. "Karishma, it's me, Jai."

Jai?

I was suddenly pulled into an embrace, my face buried in his chest and his large hand caressed my hair, soothing me and calming me down. My cries and breathing soon became nothing but occasional sniffles and soft breaths of air.

"What am I doing here?" I pulled away. "Why are you here? D-did he rape me?" I croaked, my voice rougher than sandpaper.

It was hard to talk because of the pain in my neck; it felt as though there was a rock lodged down there and I absentmindedly placed a hand against my throat.

"Relax," Jai said, his own voice rough. "Here, drink."

All of a sudden, a glass of water was placed against my lips and I looked up, locking eyes with Jai.

Jai. He's really here!

I resisted the urge to cry in joy and drank some of the water as he tilted the glass up. Two swallows later, the pain became over-bearing and I shook my head, indicating to Jai that I didn't want any more.

After he placed the glass down, I stared at him through my tears. I couldn't believe he was actually here.

But what I didn't understand was why he was here.

Jai sat down at the edge of my bed and that's when I truly noticed his condition; his white dress shirt was rumpled and stained with blood, his knuckles were bandaged, his eyes were red-rimmed and there was a small bruise forming on the side of his jaw.

He looked horrible.

"Jai, are you okay?" I asked, worried.

He gave me a funny look and snorted lightly. "You're the one in the hospital bed; I should be asking you that question."

"I–"

I didn't know what to say.

Am I okay?

To that question, I shook my head slowly.

"I'm–" Tears started to form and I covered my face, shaking my head, "I'm not okay, Jai. I'm disgusting. I feel filthy a-a-and–"

"Hey." The firmness in his voice startled me. "Look at me."

I shook my head. He sighed and pried my hands away, tilting my chin up with his thumb and forefinger. The intensity in his amber eyes caused my heart to beat rapidly as usual, but the feeling wasn't welcome right now so I averted my gaze elsewhere.