A Step Closer to Love

“Kieran” she let out with tears flowing from her eyes.

Kieran rushed to her side and held her to himself stroking her head as tears poured from her eyes. “It is all over now” he said multiple times it almost took the tune of a song.

“I was so afraid” she whispered into his chest.

“I am so sorry I did not find you earlier” Kieran said feeling a bit down to see her like that. “Where does it hurt?” he asked pulling her away by the shoulders and then bending down to stare into her eyes.

“All over” she responded groaning and pushing herself back to hold him.

She had been so afraid especially when the men hit her without thinking about it, she was glad however that it had come to an end now. She sighed in his chest and closed her eyes in them. She knew it was because of Kieran this happened to her but how could she blame him? It was not his fault at the same time, Aurora had been crazy and could not learn to accept no as an answer and this was the result.

They stayed glued together for a moment before pulling apart, Kieran went on to find the doctor and Arabella sat still on the bed. She wondered if there was bad luck following her around, being bullied at school and then at work was a different kind of fate. She was grateful that she was saved now anyway.

Kieran came back with a doctor and nurse who checked her vitals and wrote down a bunch of tests asking her to get them done. He explained to Kieran what to do and when to go for the test. Kieran followed the instructions and wheeled her to the lab.

“Your mom is aware now,” Kieran said. She had to know so she was not flustered when her mom called her worried.

“You told her?” Arabella asked quietly as they approached the door of the lab.

“Yes but only when we found you, I think she at least deserves to know, I have not told them the reason yet because I think you should tell them yourself,” Kieran said. He was not afraid to tell them the reason but he wanted Arabella to be the one bearing the news to them anyway.

The attendant did not let Kieran go in with them so he had to wait outside the lab for them to finish the tests they wanted to do on her. At that time he updated his worried father who had been checking in constantly via message to make sure she was fine. Ethan promised to come in the next day to see her.

“Hello, Kieran what did you mean by the text message?” Everly said over the phone. Kieran knew that she had just seen the message because if she had seen it before now she would have called.

“Arabella was kidnapped but we have found her now and she is at the hospital getting treated so there is nothing to worry about” Kieran said.

“There is a lot to worry about, we will all be leaving soon, so see you soon” The line dropped dead and Kieran could not stop them from coming back.

“But she is doing okay” he muttered to the dead phone

“Seems like your family is coming” Kieran said as he led Arabella out of the lab to her room.

“Coming here? Why?” she said whipping her head around trying to check his face.

“Stay still or you’ll hurt your neck” he said helping her turn her neck back so she could face front.

“Why?” she asked wondering why her mother would take the journey out of her just because of a few bruises.

“Maybe she is worried?” Kieran said with a teasing voice.

“Are you teasing me?” she asked pressing her lips together. He made a sound showing that he was affirming her statement. “I do not think now is the time to do that” she replied.

“Oh please there is always a time for teasing” he said.

They were soon in the room, he helped her to the bed and went out to get something for her to eat so she could use her medications. By the time he got back from the convenience store down in the hospital basement, she was lying down on the bed.

“Are you sleeping?” Kieran asked as he went to the head of the bed pushing the locks of hair away from her face.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Do you want to lay down with me?” she asked tapping the space beside her.

“You’ve gotten bolder?” he asked shocked at her request. She was one who would shy away if he had requested that from her.

“I guess the sayings are true, if one is faced with death they receive more courage than they have ever had” she replied opening one eye to look at him.

“But don’t you think you are being too bold?” he asked and she struggled to shake her head but the pain surging through her neck stopped her. If for one thing, she was glad that her injuries were not as fatal as she thought they would be. At least now, none of her family would worry about it as much as it would be if she was badly injured.

“Is there such a thing as too bold?” she asked and he shook his head.

“I am sorry,” he said before she could add anything.

“Why are you sorry?” she asked even though she knew the reason. She did not blame him but it was nice to see him taking responsibility for what happened. If he had not come on her they would not be in a relationship and Aurora would have had no reason to come onto her, so it was partially his fault but she was also at fault.

If she had refused him then she would not have ended up that way with him, however, she could not control how she felt for him and somehow could understand Aurora even though she was wrong.

“I caused this, I should have known that Aurora was crazy and I should have done better than expose you to her just like that” he said. “It is all my fault”

“It is not, she is just a crazy person” Arabella replied before adding. “Even though she is crazy I do not want to press charges against her” Arabella said.

“And to that, I say no” Kieran responded.

“Are you telling me that we have to forgive her and let her run a rampage and risk having her do the same with you or to another person?” he asked. She opened her mouth to speak but words flew out of his mouth faster than she could imagine.

“I can listen to you for any other thing aside from this, we are pressing charges against her and giving her the maximum punishment she can get”

“And that is final”