13. It hurts

The next few days passed by without a change in Rikki's dad's condition. He was still in a coma and Rikki didn't move from her place to his bed. Her friends were trying to make her eat more, but she was stubborn and didn't give in. She was drinking only orange juice for breakfast, eating some nuts for lunch and then again drinking juice for dinner, only this time lemon juice. Her friends were worried about her and were trying to distract her with whatever they could, but she was still the same quiet and barely said a word.

It was now Saturday evening and everybody were at the hospital with Rikki again. One of the doctors had noticed Rikki was spending her days and nights at her father's room and had banned her from staying in there for longer then five minutes. So she was now sitting outside of the room along with the others.

"Rikki, I'm going down to the hospital cafeteria, why don't you come with me and grab something to eat?" Cleo asked her gently, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"I'm not hungry." The curly blond replied quickly.

The brunette shook her head in disbelief.

"I don't want to hear it anymore. You're coming with me and that's that!"

Rikki sighed but didn't feel like arguing with Cleo. She sighed heavily.

"Fine."

Cleo shared a surprised look with the others. She didn't expect to convince Rikki so easily. She wasn't going to complain though. They both got up from their seats, but when Rikki stood up she felt weakness and dizziness and faltered. Cleo and the others rushed to the curly blond and helped her sit back down on the chair.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked concerned.

"We should get a doctor." Bella stated.

"No." Rikki said quickly. "I don't need a doctor, I'm fine. I just got a bit dizzy, that's all."

"I think it's normal in your condition." Lewis nodded.

"You probably have low blood pressure. You need to eat something. Come on, let's go." Cleo said and helped Rikki up again, then walked down with her to the hospital cafeteria.

There Cleo bought a cup of coffee for herself and Rikki bought a bottle of orange juice along with a banana and a bar of chocolate. Cleo tried to make Rikki buy something more, but the curly blond refused. After that the two went back to the others in front of Rikki's dad's room.

Rikki ate and drank what she had bought, although she didn't feel even a bit hungry or thirsty. The curly blond didn't know when her dad was going to get out of the coma and just sitting down and waiting was killing her. She didn't even know what she was feeling anymore. She felt so lost and confused she hadn't been feeling for a long time. She felt hurt and betrayed by Zane and scared by what would happen with her father. Everything was so messed up in her head that she had no idea what she was going to do from now on.

What if her dad doesn't come into consciousness again? Or what if he wakes up, but remains paralyzed for the rest of his life?!

Rikki felt something hot forming in the depths of her eyes and burning her throat. She felt like something in her chest was going to explode and if that happens she was going to break down. But she couldn't do it. She was stronger than that. The curly blond jumped from her seat and ran to the nearest bathroom, locking the door from inside. She took a deep breath and putting her hands down on the sink, she looked at her reflection. Her hair was loose and her curls were falling down shaping her beautiful face and was complimenting her cherry color lips. Her blue eyes were sparkling full of wetness and a single tear was slowly rolling down her pale skin. She was wearing a blue striped t-shirt and black shorts, that fitted her petite body perfectly.

But soon her figure wouldn't be petite anymore. Soon everything was going to change and Rikki wasn't sure if she was ok with it, but she didn't have a choice.

The curly blond suddenly thought about the one who was to blame for the whole mess; Zane. Whatever happened he was the one to blame for what had happened with her father. Rikki didn't know what had happened between the two, but she was sure it was something bad and she wanted to kill Zane with her bare hands. Because if something happened to her dad she didn't know what she was going to do. After what she had seen in his room and after what happened to her dad, she was constantly trying to convince herself she hated Zane. She wanted to hate him with her whole being, she wanted to hate him so bad, but no matter how hard she tried, something was preventing her from it. And not only that; every time she was trying to convince herself he doesn't exit for her anymore she was feeling an unbearable pain exploding in her chest. She hated, absolutely loathed that pain, she hated Zane, she hated everything.

Another tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly brushed it off; she was stronger than that. Then suddenly she felt anger bursting inside her and she shoved off everything from the sink on the floor, breathing heavily. She had to put an end to her misery. She had no idea how, but she just had to. Maybe she could go somewhere far away, somewhere in Europe where she would be far from everything and she'd be able to forget for everything for a little while.

Her mobile started ringing and pulled her out of her thoughts. She pulled it out of her pocket but before she looked at the screen a flashback of a memory ran through her mind of how Zane gave it to her as a present and she threw it with all her strength against the door. She didn't want anything that would remind her of him. Rikki then slid down against the door more and more tears started choking her up. She hated herself for being so weak, but she couldn't stop the tears that were burning her eyes and her throat. She stayed in the bathroom for a long time, at the beginning crying then just being quiet letting the tears still fall down on her face. She then looked at her watch and her eyes widened; it was twenty minutes to five in the afternoon. She quickly brushed her tears, put some makeup to hide the redness on her eyes of the tears and got back to where her friends were waiting for her in front of her father's room.

When they saw her they hurried in her direction.

"Rikki, where were you? We were worried about you!" Cleo said, hurrying to hug her.

Rikki didn't say or do anything.

"How's my father?" She asked instead.

"He's awake." Emma hurried to say with a smile.

For a moment Rikki glared at her not realizing what she was saying, then a smile lit up on her face.

"What? Really?!"

"Yes, that's why we called you." Bella nodded.

No wasting any second more Rikki rushed into her father's room.

"Dad!" She said and hurried to his bed taking his hand in hers.

"Rikki." Her dad responded tiredly giving her a small smile and lifted his hand to fondle her face.

"Dad, how are you feeling?"

"I'm ok sweetheart, my limbs feel a bit sour, but I'll be alright."

Rikki breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank god."

She sat down on the chair next to his bed, still holding his hand.

"Are you ok?" He asked her concerned.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"

Her dad gave her a serious look.

"I know what he did to you." Was the only thing he said.

Her body stiffened. She didn't expect their conversation to take that direction so soon after her dad had woken up.

"Don't worry." She told her dad. "He's out of my life. For me Zane Bennett doesn't exist anymore." Lie.

And before her dad could say something she stood up.

"Look I'm going to leave you for a bit, but then I'll be back."

The curly blond leaned to kiss his forehead and walked out of his room and of the hospital. She went for a walk on the beach, her eyes staring somewhere beyond its depths. She walked on the beach for hours before she noticed the dark clouds covering the sky and went back to the hospital where she pulled Bella further from the others.

"Bella, I want you to go take your luggage and then to go to my trailer and take my suitcase. Then go to the airport and wait for me there. We're flying tonight." Was all she whispered.

"Tonight? But where are we going?"

"Ireland."

"Ireland?!"

"Yes."

"But what should I tell the others?"

"I don't know. Whatever you want. Or don't tell them at all. Your choice."

Bella nodded and Rikki hurried into her dad's room. He was asleep so she just took his hand in hers and sighed. She walked into her dad's room and didn't leave there until it was time to go to the airport.

{ * }

Zane was at his living room, drinking glass after glass from what was the third bottle of whiskey and was lost in the deadly silence and his own thoughts about Rikki until rain started banging on the windows. He bottomed up his glass and went to the terrace walking outside on it.

The rain started banging on him now, but he didn't care. The drops falling down on his face and sinking into his skin made him feel a bit better and fresh and at peace if that was even possible. Rikki's words were echoing in his mind again and again and his cheek was still burning from when she had backhanded him. He knew he totally had deserved it, but it still hurt; not his cheek, but his heart. The dark-haired stretched out his hands and lifted his head, closing his eyes. He wished the rain could wash out his thoughts, his feelings, everything. Then suddenly a decision formed inside his head. He ran back inside, grabbed his keys and ran out to his car, climbing in. Then he drove off straight to the hospital.

He didn't even bothered to put the top down in his car; he didn't want the feeling of the rain on his skin to stop so soon. Zane hit the gas and left his leg on it; he was probably going too fast, but the wind in his hair made him feel good and he really didn't care.

The rain started getting heavier and the wind was now blowing up too hard, but Zane carried on with even faster speed his only goal to talk to Rikki and make her understand.

A flash of light pierced the sky blinding Zane for a moment; a moment that was fatal, because he didn't see the car that jumped in front of his and he couldn't do anything to prevent what was going to follow.

{ * }

"Ok, but hurry up."

It was the third time Bella went to use the bathroom while she and Rikki were waiting to be called out for their flight. The curly blond was getting already annoyed. Just when Bella got back they heard the voice that announced they had to get on their plane and hurried to do it. Once inside they found their seats and put on their seatbelts making themselves comfortable. Bella suddenly became a little nervous.

"You know", she told Rikki, "I haven't been in Ireland for so long that I'm curious if everything's still the same."

"What do you mean by "so long"? You've come here an year ago." Rikki furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yeah, but I didn't leave Ireland an year ago. I left it a bit after I became a mermaid. Me and my parent lived in London for a while, then we moved to Paris and then we came to Australia."

"Wow." Rikki said. "You've never said anything to us."

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry for that."

Rikki put her hand on Bella's.

"I know what it's like." She sighed. "I was born in Johannesburg, but when I was five my mom left us. After that dad decided it'd be best for both of us if we leave the place we used to share with her and eventually we left the country and came here in Australia. At first we lived in Sydney, then we moved to Canberra and then we came at the Gold Coast where I met the girls and we became mermaids."

When Bella felt Rikki's hand on hers she felt warmth spreading all over her body. But when the curly blond finished talking Bella suddenly shook herself and looked at the other girl with sympathy.

"I didn't know." She whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok, no one knew. Well no one except, Zane."

Bella felt a wave of anger when Rikki mentioned Zane, because she knew how much he had hurt her friend. Before she could respond though they heard the pilot announcing they had left the australian land.

It was done now; they were going to Ireland.