I wasn't expecting that.
There was something about her, something that made my heart stop, something was different. Maybe it was because she was lying there, hooked up to various machines? maybe it was the uncertainty that she may already be dead?
The thought made my stomach turn, I felt sick. She couldn't leave me! We had been such close friends for years and then she saved my life, if it wasn't for her I'd be dead, we would all be dead and now the tables had turned and it was her who could now die. Placing my hand on hers sent butterflies throughout my body, I longed for her to wake up and blush they way she always did when I touched her. She was such a timid person when it came to close contact and relationships
Relationships? What was I thinking she was my best friend!
I felt like id been hit in the face with a reality stick. Oh my god!
Things slowly started coming together, the smile I had when she walked in the room, how I longed to spend all of my time with her, the way I loved to just snuggled up on the sofa with her watching really boring documentaries. But I had never.. I'd always been with boys? What was going on?
The days were passing so slowly, days were flying by without so much as a stir from Lara, the doctors were doing everything they could but it was simply a waiting game to see if she awoke by herself. I wouldn't blame her for leaving me, her body was broken, every inch of her body had a cut, a scar, a bruise.. I visited her everyday, told her how I missed her, how I wished she would wake up, I thanked her for everything she had done for me. I felt in my stomach like she would never awake, I had this horrible feeling as I lay in bed one morning that something was wrong. I had to go to the hospital, I had to know what had happened.
Arriving there I dashed into the private room where she had been only to find the room occupied by an elderly lady sleeping. Fuck! I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes. I wanted to slam my fists into everything I came into contact with.
"Excuse me miss"
Turning around I met the confused look of a very petit nurse holding a bunch of papers.
"Can I help you."
"Croft. Lara Croft. Where is she?"
The nurses expression didn't change, she signalled for me to follow her. I felt sick, my stomach was turning, I wanted to lay down and not wake up. Please please don't let this be the end.
I followed the nurse into another ward and she sat me down in the family room.
"Please, where is she?" She could sense the urgency in my voice, I needed to know, I needed to know the worst.
"Miss Samantha did a doctor not contact you earlier?" The nurse asked looking down at a set of papers on one of the trolleys.
I couldn't speak, my mouth was dry, the words where there but my voice box seemed chocked.
"Miss Samantha, Lara has been moved to another ward" the nurse paused for what seemed an eternity, "she woke up tonight Miss"
I let out a sigh of relief, a tear rolled down my cheek as all of the horrible thoughts Id had seemed to disappear, I wanted to ask a million questions but the nurse just pointed to a door opposite us.
"Please Miss, it is very early and she may be sleeping but you may see her"
I moved as quickly as my legs would take me and slowly opened the door, there she was, the bruises had started to fade, the cuts where slowly forming small scars. Most of the machinery was gone though some still remained. I sat myself beside her and took her hand in mine.
"Oh my god, Lara. Don't ever scare me like that again"
The tears began falling more and more, I couldn't take it any more, all of the feelings I had held in came out all in one go. I rested my head on her arm and let the tears fall, tears of sadness, anger, hurt and joy.
"Why you crying?"
I looked up to see a confused Lara looking down at me with a partial smile on her face.
Everything after that seemed such a blur, hospital check ups, physio, tablets, check ups, more tablets. But I didn't care it was the best feeling in the world to have my best friend back home where she belonged.
"Sam I don't think I ever thanked you"
I looked at her across the sofa and smiled
"You've nothing to thank me for sweetie"
she softly took my hand with her casted hand, the feeling of her fingers stroking mine sent goosebumps to the back of my neck. I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs, I wanted to tell her how I was feeling but I daren't she was still recovering, not just in body but in mind too. Her mind was always wondering, she was constantly on edge at every noise, every night she would scream and shout and wake up sweating.
"Lara" I broke away from the thoughts
"Why don't you sleep in my bed tonight with me? I don't like being alone and I hate it when you wake up dreaming and I'm not there."
It was only after I'd said it I realised how ridiculous I sounded but Lara didn't seem to mind and I was relieved to see that she accepted.
I helped her change into her pjs as I did every night only I this time I was happy to be snuggling right up next to her and holding her in my arms, I'm not sure if it was because we were together in the same bed or just a tiring kind of day but it didn't take long for us both to fall asleep. I couldn't believe she was actually lied in my arms, it was almost unreal that Lara the strong one had gone so weak and needed me. It was nice to feel like I was there for her but at the same time it was killing me that I couldn't tell her exactly what I felt for her.
It was around 2am when I heard the screams and shouting, I could feel the heat and swear coming from Lara's tiny frame, she was tossing and turning and her face was all screwed up as she was not only in pain but relieving the horrifying events all over again. Wrapping my arms tighter around her and softly kissing the top of her head I tried to bring her out of the nightmare.
"Lara. Shh. I'm here. Shh. Baby wake up"
I gently rocked her in my arms holding to her as tightly as I could.
As Lara shot awake she threw her arms around me as she sat up in bed, she clung to me so hard I felt like she was trying to squeeze the air out of me.
Slowly she pulled away and looked straight at me, still holding onto my arms. The only light in the room came from the lamp at the other end of the room and it's yellow glow lit up Lara's face in the dark. Her beautiful dark green eyes were glazed with tears, her soft brown hair was stuck to her head with sweat but regardless she was still as stunning as ever. I placed my hands around her waist and looked at her smiling. It wasn't exactly the right time to be smiling but I couldn't help it, her sheer beauty was so eye catching that I couldn't help but smile. And there it was again. That feeling. The feeling that I had to pull her close, I had to taste her lips with mine, before I realised it was already too late, I was already pulling the British girl towards me and closing my eyes, my lips were already puckering. Then there it was her soft lips on mine, it was like someone had set a firework off inside my head, my heart was pounding against my chest, my stomach was trying itself in knots. I let out a heavy breath as I felt her casted hand place itself in the middle of my back and pull me closer. How could this be? What was happening?
I slowly pulled back and opened my eyes, as I did I was met with a smile from Lara.
I tried to speak but the words wouldn't come out, I felt one of her fingers softly touch my lips in order to silence me before I had even started.
I'm not sure what came over us, it was like a whirlwind of kissing and touching before clothes came off, followed by arched backs, soft moans, more kissing. I felt like I was actually going to explode by the time we had finished.
I slowly Intwined my naked, sweaty body with hers and looked at her. There was no explanation for what had just happened, I couldn't ask her what was going on, if she meant it? I softly kissed her soft wet lips again and whispered the only words that came to mind at that time.
"I love you"
I didn't expect a reply as I closed my eyes but I felt my body being pulled closer to hers before I heard her speak.
"I have always loved you Sam"