21|| It Takes Two to Tango

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Chapter 21: It Takes Two to Tango


Crying is just a way your eyes speak when your mouth can't convey how broken you feel.


~Starlight24


I cried and cried until my voice was hoarse, and then I just randomly made these weird noises like a retarded guppy gasping for air.


I was like a fish that had been caught. A diseased fish that looked okay at first, but at a closer encounter was labeled useless and was thrown onto an abandoned plank of wood, just by itself. It needed to fight for itself. Survive on its own, gasping and trying to hold onto life.


I knew crying wasn't good for me. No, I'm not going to say I couldn't cry because I wanted to be strong or something. I simply couldn't cry because my deficiency made me weaker, and once I started gasping for air I would choke and the last time this happened I was admitted at the hospital.


Nat decided she was tired of eating Max's face and let him go, pushing him off her skinny body. I could feel my throat knotting up.


"Oh Day!" exclaimed Nat with a saccharine smile. "Goodness, I didn't notice you there. Oh my god, are you okay?"


Her fake smile just hurt me even more. I was wheezing now and I needed an inhaler.


"Oh Max dear, you naughty boy!" she continued, oblivious to the fact that my face was turning blue. "Did you just kiss me when you had a girlfriend?" she chuckled and I could feel my chest tightening.


"Day... Shit, Day are you okay?" Max immediately dropped to his knees and faced me with his large eyes of concern and fear.


"No! Don't come close t-to me," I managed to splutter, and to my immense surprise I coughed blood onto his grey shirt.


Why was I coughing up blood? Okay this was not good.


"Um... I'm just gonna go..." Nat darted away, realizing the situation was serious.


"Day!" yelled Max, now looking panicked. "I'll call 911 right now, okay? Don't move."


Don't move. Like I had a choice.


I started coughing now, and blood was splattering the rug on Max's floor. I'd have to pay to clean this up. I was throwing up blood. Lots of it. I had never coughed up blood before.


"DAY!" screamed a voice, but it sounded muffled. I felt like I was underwater, swimming through and trying to breathe. I felt like my lungs were being torn up by sharks and the blood was attracting more.


My brain felt like cotton. A tall girl sat next to me, screaming. All I could see was how her lips moved. I couldn't tell what she was saying though. Her long brown hair was the color of a teddy bear. She had a nice tiny nose. It looked like a button. A sharp button. I reached out to touch it. I pinched it.


She swatted my hand away, her eyes as large as saucers. Saucers are cool though. They go with teapots. Teapots are friendly from Beauty and the Beast. But Chip was the best.


I literally don't even know what I'm thinking right now.


I suddenly felt this weird sense of greyness looming above my eyes like a shroud of fog. It was covering me but I couldn't move. It was closing my eyes. It was telling me to close my eyes.


So I did, and a sense of darkness washed over me.


*****


"You always seem to turn up when she faints!" scolded a voice. It sounded like my mother.


"Day!" screeched a voice, and I saw two skinny and tanned arms wrap around me. They looked like golden tubes.


I started to suffocate.


"Deirdre darling, maybe now's not the time to hug her okay?" Dad's voice rang through my ears like a bell gong.


Wait... Why was Dad here? He was out on business for three weeks and wasn't to be back until three days from now.


Mom burst into tears and began hugging every square inch of my face.


"Mrs. Winters?" called a voice. I think there were a lot of people in the room, but I couldn't tell. "I think you should refrain from any physical contact until she gains complete consciousness."


"What happened to her?" asked another voice. It was Hailey's voice of concern.


"She had something called Hemoptysis caused by Pulmonary Embolism, which is the blockage of a major artery in the lung. If we had wasted even a few more hours before she got here, she may not have made it. It's also that in combination with her Bronchitis, which is why it came in such huge quantities." It was the same voice that had talked to my mom.


I squinted and tried to see her, but I realized someone had removed my contacts so everything was blurry. I could vaguely make out the words on the man's tag- Dr. Hopkins.


"In English, that is?" asked another voice. Marie's voice of annoyance stretched over distress.


Dr. Hopkins ignored her and walked towards me. "Ah, Miss Winters. Rise and shine, at last."


I sat up and rubbed my eyes. They were dry but not crusty. They felt sunken and my face was thinner than usual, and my cheeks sallow.


"H-hey?" I asked, unsure of what to do. There were at least a billion eyes on me right now, and being the socially awkward weirdo that I was I pulled the thin white sheet that I'd gotten so accustomed to seeing over my head and hid.


"Day, Jeez, you gave us such a hard time!" mocked a voice that made my heart lurch.


In a good way.


"Jase!" I yelled, beckoning him to come closer. I felt really exposed at the moment. I was wearing nothing but a thin hospital gown and it wasn't the least revealing of things. I'd forgotten how much I'd missed his face.


Then I proceeded to throw my arms around him and hugging his rock hard body against my lanky frame. Then the events of what happened at Max's house suddenly took over me and I wasn't just hugging him anymore. I was crying into his shirt, my salty tears probably ruining his flannel t-shirt (which he was totally rocking, by the way) but I didn't care. He pulled me closer and drew circles around my back; a calming and much needed gesture.


For a moment, it was just the two of us. A sobbing girl in a hot guy's arm- very theatrical.


For a moment is the key phrase there.


A loud cough that could only belong to my father shook me out of my thoughts and I ducked my head again, embarrassed that I'd just cried. I rarely cried. It was shocking.


I surveyed the room, touched that so many people had come to visit with their expectant faces.


"Nice to know you hugged him and not me," Deeds spat, feigning annoyance.


"What can I say?" Jase interjected. "I'm a lovable person!"


"As lovable as moldy cheese." Dylan interjected.


Deeds and Dylan had kind of sorted things out now, and although they weren't together, they were friends, and I guess it's nice that they maintained that despite all the other odds.


"Day, dear how do you feel?" asked Mom, and I turned and gave both her and Dad a hug.


"I think I'm okay," I said, my voice a tad bit raspy and dry. "How long was I out?"


"Four days," answered Dr. Hopkins with a slight shake of his head. "You could've died, Day."


I would've freaked out, except that line was something I'd heard a billion times before. I wasn't even supposed to be born, for Pete's sake. I was just a lucky person.


Although I don't think I should jinx it.


"Four days!?" I squeaked. "Wait, you all were here for four whole days?" I asked, feeling touched.


"Well," Dylan said giving me a warm smile. "I was here for all four days along with Deeds and Marie. Hails and Jase were out somewhere till yesterday and Cady was here for the last two days along with Zach and Bryan. Oh, and Max was here all four days too."


The sound of Max's name made my stomach churn. I don't think anyone knew what had happened.


"Uh, hi Day," came his voice. I really just wanted to stand up and slap him in the face.


"Can Max and I get a moment, please?" I asked, smiling amicably at everyone. "I'm kind of hungry too, so Mom can you get me an ice cream or something? And I'd like to talk to everyone, just give me ten minutes." I saw the way Deeds' eyes narrowed at Max, and I had a feeling she knew what had happened. "And I'll talk to Deeds after." I decided to add.


Deeds shot me a grateful smile before walking out of the room, following the rest. Mom smiled at me like we were sharing some secret, and I realized she thought Max and I were still dating and I was planning on pulling him into a make-out session or something.


Pfffft, no freaking way in hell.


"Hi, Max," my tone was icy and formal. He flinched.


"Day, I can explain—" he began.


"Classic line, isn't it?" I asked, cutting him off with my cold voice again. I almost couldn't believe I was saying that. It didn't sound like me at all. "The guy cheats on the girl, and then he claims it wasn't what it looked like." I was telling myself not to burst. Not to lose my temper at someone like him.


He's not worth it.


"No, seriously Day! I swear I liked you a lot!" he yelled, looking frustrated. He really had no right to be frustrated right now.


"Heh, funny how you said you loved me. So what all have you lied about, Max?" I asked calmly.


He was messing up his hair and pulling it down sharply, which was something I'd never seen him do. He looked like he was trying to tear it out of his scalp or something. "Everything," he muttered.


I felt like something had pulled at my chest and I couldn't breathe for a few moments. Although I'd expected it coming, hearing him say it hurt a lot.


"But I swear I have my reasons," he interjected, and I rolled my eyes.


So I looked like the desperate girl now. I looked like the girl who was vying for the geek's love.


It takes two to tango, buster.


"No, that's fine. I lied about everything too." I informed him. It was ironic that I was lying right then.


"What?" Max recoiled as if he'd been slapped.


"Do you seriously think that I'd like you when I had Jase right next to me? Or even Dylan, although I've never liked him that way?" I asked coolly.


I sounded like such a bitch, but Max deserved this and more.


He flinched, this time more palpably. I felt a pang in my heart but I refused to let it get to me.


"I used you too, Max. Just like how you used me. I used you so that Jase would finally notice me and think I was more than just some good girl who couldn't get anyone." I said this plaintively, stopping any emotion from seeping into my words.


"I never used you," he whispered, looking really injured. It wrenched my heart.


"Oh really? Then going to try and get Nat's attention wasn't using me, huh?" I asked, taunting him.


"I swear, I have my reasons and I'll tell you—" Max started, his voice barely above a whisper. He sounded like he was going to choke.


"That's fine. I believe what I saw. You both were kissing on your bed. It doesn't take an idiot to put two- and- two together. I'm sorry it had to end up this way. You may leave now." I said simply, trying really hard to stop the clogging emotions in my throat from spilling out.


"Day—" He began, looking at me desperately.


"I said leave, Max Edmonds. And I hope I don't have the misfortune of meeting you again."


He sighed and got up, and I could've sworn I heard a little sob that shook its way out of him. I squeezed my eyes and stopped it from doing the same and tearing up again.


Dr. Hopkins had told me that nothing would happen if I cried now. The conversation had gone like this:


"Why did that happen to me? I've cried before." I said.


"Well, you were going through a panic attack as well. If you cry now, nothing will happen."


Dr. Hopkins excused himself and said he needed to get something.


I know I was supposed to call Deeds, but I needed some time alone.


I turned on my iPod, and allowed it to let the music wrap me up. As if on que, 'Should've Been Us' started playing. It was like a reminder of what Max and I had.


Or what I thought we'd had.


As the chorus came in, I allowed the tears of sadness to finally envelope me.


A/N:



Dramatic much?


Okay, I just wanted to say THANK YOU! You guys are the best. I mean the readers. I just got #19 in ChickLit on the fourth, which is something I hadn't imagined happening.


Wheeeeeeeeee


Okay, one more thing. I released a new book! *Squeal*


It's cliche but it's called 'Project Perfect' and I've put it under Humor. I hope you like it. 


Any thoughts on this? Do you think Day should've heard Max out?


Am I the only one who feels kinda, just KINDA bad for him?


Teaser: What will Jase do after he finds out about what Day said?


Song of the Day: Should've Been Us by Tori Kelly


HayleyMonroe this one's for you for creating that lovely cover for me. Thanks, love =)


Love you all,


~Lexi

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