I really should've waited longer before updating this, just so that you guys would have to live with the suspense, but I decided to be nice. Please review. *C.E.L
Chapter Fifteen
The hallway space was too small for the fight to be fair. Rom had nowhere to move in order to sidestep Ethan's blows. The sound of Ethan's fist against Rom's skin was becoming too familiar. I felt sure I would throw up if this continued. Rom got in a few punches but he was already at a disadvantage. Ethan seemed more determined to abuse Rom as thoroughly as possible than to just kill him, but I knew Rom wouldn't last very long.
When Ethan finally stopped his incessant punching, it was because he had Rom's throat clutched in his hands. My blood stopped moving through my veins. Rom would die here, trying to save me and I would watch him, agonizing over my own weakness. There was only one way for me to stop it, only one way for me to save Rom's life. "No, Ethan, wait!" My voice came out much stronger than I had thought it would. My mind spun with doubts and second thoughts, but my voice rang with self-assurance and confidence. "Let him go, and I'll say with you." I couldn't look at Rom, one glance and I would never be able to continue. Even still, I could almost hear what he was thinking, Lissie, don't, I'm not worth it. Save yourself while he's distracted. Holding fast to my resolve, I spoke again, "I won't fight, I won't try to escape. I will stay, as long as you don't kill him. But if you do, so help me I will fight so hard you will have to kill me just to save yourself." My fury at how he had used my love for Rom against me, how he had forced me into this choice, began to rise to the surface. Now I was the murderous one.
I knew, even then, that I would never forget the moment his grip loosened and Rom's half conscious body slumped to the ground. I was so relieved that Rom was still breathing that I almost feinted from the rush of it. The look on Ethan's face was another thing I will never forget. His eyes held so much feeling that I couldn't name them all if I tried. He turned and took one slow step toward me. Then all hell broke loose.
My eyes slowly blinked open as I finally forced myself out of the murky blackness. I could hear voices but I can't tell where they're coming from. The lights are too bright and the walls are too white. I am lying in a small bed in a room that I haven't been in before. It takes me a moment to register that this is a hospital room, and that I am not alone.
Rom is sitting next to me, he looks exhausted and there are large bruises on his neck where Ethan tried to strangle him. "Rom," I say my voice raspy. "You look like hell." Not the most romantic thing I could've said in the moment but I was mentally and emotionally fried.
"I'll bet. I haven't slept all night; I've been waiting for you to wake up. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong but you still didn't wake up." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Your mind just shut down. We were all really afraid." He said.
"We?" I asked, confused.
"The whole cast, Reginald, your family, my parents, that girl Meaghan. They're all here." He said.
"How? I mean, I get that the cast knew I was here but what about my family, and Meaghan?" My parents weren't in the city when everything happened, how had they gotten here?
"Your parents wanted to see your debut, Lissie. The meant for it to be a surprise, but…" Rom trailed off, unable to find the words. "Meaghan heard about the kidnapping on the news and came here immediately; she wanted to make sure you're okay."
"I don't remember what happened at all, Rom." I said. "I remember telling Ethan that I would stay, if he didn't kill you, but I don't remember anything after that. It's all dark and blurry." The only thing I remembered with clarity was the smell, thick and musty, and then nothing. "I just woke up here and I don't even know how long I've been asleep." I felt so lost and confused. It was like being a child in a crowd, holding your mother's hand, then you look up and it isn't her and you are completely alone. Rom's presence was like an anchor, holding me in place, on solid ground.
"You've been here about six hours, give or take a little." He said. "The sun will be up in an hour or two." He still looked so worried, I could tell there was something he was leaving out.
"Rom, what's wrong? There's something you aren't saying." He nodded slowly. Then shook his head.
"I can't say it, not right now. I'll tell you eventually, but not now." He looked so desperate that I had to agree. Whatever had happened was obviously something that would upset me.
"So," I said, "are the reviews of our performance out yet?" Rom forced a tired smile.
"Reginald said we were doing great, that the audience was eating out of our hands." He almost laughed, but the sound died in his throat when a man I had never met before walked into the room.
"Miss Dayson, I'm detective Khan, I'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened." He looked friendly, if a little overworked. He also looked genuinely concerned.
"I'll answer as best I can, but I really don't remember much." I said, feeling slow and useless, a feeling of dread settled into my stomach. This man would not be here if they had caught Ethan. He had gotten away.
I explained to the detective everything that happened, from the time that the chandelier fell to the part where everything gets hazy and my memory fails me. When he leaves, I turn to Rom, needing my answers. If Ethan got away, I am still in danger. "Rom, tell me what I missed. I need to know what happened after Ethan let you go."
And Rom said, "Alright, and Lissie before I say anything else, I love you." My heart started racing a little bit. He was waiting for an answer even though it should be obvious how I felt.
"I love you too, Rom. Now please, don't keep me waiting any longer." I hated how impatient I sounded, but the suspense was killing me. Rom took a deep breath and starting with the chandelier crash, told me everything.