Chapter Two | When They Met Again

H A Z E L

──────

My hands were ice cold as I felt numb the entire drive to the hospital. As if my body worked on autopilot. The journey to the hospital was a blur. A detached memory that I couldn't even recall happening.

Somehow, this surprised me a bit. My reaction of sheer concern was something I never thought I could harbor for my father. Maybe I should have given the shaky relationship between us more credit. Because I was certainly more affected by the news than I guessed I would ever be.

Maybe I didn't hate him after all. Even after everything he did.

As soon as the taxi driver pulled up in front of the intimidating hospital building, I slammed a few bills in the driver's hand. Not even bothering to collect the change. I flew out of the taxi and towards the entrance of the building. With my steps quick and my eyes wandering, I stopped at the reception desk.

"Travis Paisley," I spoke in between my breathless gasps. "I am here for Travis Paisley. A c-car a-accident case." My words wobbled, reality and severity of the situation finally sinking in.

The nurse behind the counter nodded before searching through the logs. While it might have been a few seconds, the intensity of impatience made it seem like hours. "And you are, miss?" she asked, looking up from the screen.

"Hazel Paisley, his daughter."

She gave me a swift nod, along with a sympathetic look. "He's in room 123, the second floor."

With an incoherent thanks, I rushed to the lift. The clean scent of the disinfectant and the bright clinical lights of the hallways didn't ease my tension. If anything, they induced more stressful thoughts, making my heart stutter.

I spotted Talia before I spotted the room number. Hunched forward in a metal chair with her deep brown hair in a tangled mess. She had tear marks on her cheeks, along with streaks of mascara. Her clothes were creased, but she didn't seem to particularly care as she stared at the floor. In totality, she looked like an absolute mess as compared to the pretty picture she always presented.

Taking cautious steps her way, I placed my hand on her shoulder. She jumped in her spot, startled by my presence. When her eyes met mine, for a quick moment, relief flashed over her face before the look of overwhelming sadness came back.

"How is he?" I whispered, staring at the closed door.

"They are still operating on him," she replied, following my unwavering stare.

Turning my head towards her, I gave her my attention. "What happened?" It surprised me how strong my voice came out, a stark contrast to what I was feeling. On the inside, I was shaking like a leaf, feeling my heart thundering against my chest.

Tears Talia tried to keep at bay rolled down her cheeks again at my question.

"I-I don't know," she choked out. "I got a call, and they told me that Travis got in a car crash." Her body shook as the mere thought of that moment brought back the pain.

My brows drew together in confusion because her words didn't answer my query much. Just adding fuel to the fire of my burning worry. But before I could say anything more, she continued.

"There were college boys who brought him here after he crashed. I don't know much, but I think they almost crashed into Travis's car." Her fist clenched, her breathing labored. "They are talking to cops at the moment, giving their statements."

I nodded, feeling concern rise. My overthinking self thought about the hundred scenarios of what might have happened and what it might mean for Dad. That is, if he somehow survived this. My last thought made me flinch.

"Hazel." I looked down to meet Talia's bloodshot eyes. A few moments passed as she stared at my face, rethinking her words. "T-thank you for showing up. It means a lot."

Her words pierced my soul, making me avert my eyes. The sudden fact that it was the longest conversation I had with my stepmother dawned on me, making me feel all kinds of awkward. With a brisk nod, I waved away her statement.

Taking a step back, I leaned my back against the sterile white wall. Letting my head fall back, I closed my eyes in deep thoughts. All the while, tears burned behind my closed eyes, with Talia's words ringing in my mind.

That she thought I hated Dad enough, that I was selfish enough, to bail out made me both; angry and hurt. It made me want to scream at her for even suggesting something this cruel. But I knew it was just going to prove her insinuation.

Silence fell in the corridor once again as both of us waited patiently for some news. But the minutes just kept on dragging, with my eyes never wavering away from the room. It was when a soft chatter replaced the silence that I looked away from the door.

Walking towards us were two police officers and three other men. It barely took me a second to recognize one of them, making my heart still in its cage.

No.

Never in my wildest dreams had I ever expected to meet him again. That too, in a hospital. So, I blinked again to be sure it wasn't my mind playing cruel tricks on my heart and eyes.

But no matter how many times I blinked, his profile never changed. It was still the same attractive face with the sharpness of adulthood added from the last time I saw him. The said face was at the moment filled with a frown, giving a punch of old memories straight to my gut. All the moments when he directed his same frown towards me flashed in mind, making me flinch.

My eyes ran over him, noticing how he had bulked out more from the last time I saw him. Probably from playing football.

But the most haunting feature of his face was his deep heterochromia eyes, which at the moment were gazing away from me. Still oblivious to the fact I was there. And for the sake of my sanity, I hoped it stayed the same, because I wasn't sure if I could keep my composure under his piercing gaze. But like every other day, my life liked to test my limits.

The cops stopped right in front of us, halting the conversation in a moment.

"Mrs. Paisley," one of them addressed Talia, making her stand up in her spot.

"Officer." She was quivering in her spot. The cops gave her a look of pity.

"We have taken the statement from the witnesses here. While we have requested a blood test of the victim, we will investigate other probable causes of the accident too. When the patient wakes up, we'll visit again to take the statement."

Talia nodded in understanding. "Thank you, officer."

With that, she crossed her arms around her torso and hugged herself. She was retreating into her shell. With awkward movements, I placed my hand on her shoulder for comfort. Urging her to take a seat.

While she followed my lead, her eyes moved towards the group. Purposefully, I ignored the three men, even if I could feel the burn of a stare on my side.

"Thank you for helping my husband," she spoke, barely holding back her tears. "We will fill the bills for the damage caused in the crash."

"It was our duty to help him," he spoke up, making me stiffen in my spot. "And I think my insurance will cover the damage. So, need not worry."

My whole body was ice cold after hearing that deep voice. It was so familiar, yet so different. I could feel the pinpricks of my heart, indicating the point that I still held feelings for him beyond rage and betrayal.

"Thank you so much." Talia's voice came out, scratchy and deep with her tears, making me sigh.

"I'll get you some water," I whispered.

Taking this as an opportunity to make myself scarce, I rushed away from the scene. The air was suffocating enough to make sweat bead along my back. I was eager to create some space between us because I don't think I could handle the whirlwind of emotions he elicited in me.

Aldr Beckett always had a way of making me lose control. His presence was enough to wreak havoc on my heart when I was younger and, from my latest observation, even now.

It was simply daunting how much power he still held over me.

Stopping at the water cooler, I placed my hand against the machine. Trying to take calming breaths, I hoped to bring my stupid heart back to its usual pace.

"Hazel?"

I jumped at the voice, turning around just in time to come face to face with the root of my troubles and heartaches.

"Are you alright?" he inquired, concern reflecting through his mismatched eyes.

The intensity with which he stared at me made me feel bare. The emotions I had smothered in walls around my heart emerged with full force.

From the very beginning, before I was in the deep pool of his lies, I always had an interest in his unique eyes. One green while the other brown used to seem so fascinating that I couldn't help but admire them. Slowly, somehow, the admiration slipped beyond the distinctiveness of his eyes to his whole appearance and then to his demeanor.

When that admiration turned to love was beyond me.

"Hazel?" he repeated, his voice sounding more urgent than before.

Realizing that I hadn't given him a response, I straightened on my spot and looked away from his stare. "I am fine," I replied to his earlier question with a nod.

I quickly averted my eyes, turning back toward the cooler. It was my silent way of dismissing him.

My eyes refused to waver away from the plastic cup, even if the silence between us was suffocating. It was beyond me why Aldr was still standing here, right behind me.

"I didn't know you moved to LA after school," Aldr spoke, being the first one to slice through the tension. My eyes snapped up to meet his.

I regretted the decision immediately.

A soft, barely there smile was on his face, as if he couldn't feel the air charging up with my emotions. A few rogue strands of hair fell over his brows, brushing against his lashes. I tried to ignore the small voice in my head that wanted me to reach out and brush the hair away.

"Yeah, I attend UCLA too," I replied. Just as I spoke those words, I realized my mistake. Foolishly enough, I made the fact known that I knew he attended UCLA.

His face pulled up in a surprised expression. "But I never saw you around." The amount of confidence he spoke those words with made it seem like he had actually searched for me.

Breathing out an exasperated sigh, I shifted on my feet. My grip on the plastic cup tightened. "We don't hang around in the same circles, Aldr." My voice came out more curtly than I expected. "I am not a cheerleader anymore."

Letting my shoulders drop in a shrug, I emphasized my point.

Even now, avoiding eye contact, my gaze fell on his friends that stood at a distance from us. Obviously waiting for Aldr. The redhead gave me a sympathetic smile, making me frown.

Aldr opened his mouth to say something, but cut him off. "Your friends are waiting for you, and I have to get back to Talia."

Finally getting the message, Aldr stepped away from me. By now, my heart was racing a mile a minute as I took quick steps away from him. Hopefully meeting him for the last time in this lifetime.

But one thing I was sure about now was that I was still not healed from the wound called Aldr Beckett.

──────

What do you think about this brief encounter between Aldr and Hazel? Also, any thoughts on Hazel and her father's relationship? Why do you think it is so strained?

On a personal level, I think I might rewrite this chapter when I edit the book. But for now, it is kinda good enough. Let me know your thoughts. What all can I improve?

vote - follow - comment