My eyes opened and it took me a few seconds to come back to reality. I looked around myself and it was then that I remembered that I slept in the waiting area of the hospital last night.

I squinted my eyes adjusting to the sun rays that were beaming in through the window. I got up and stretched my arms in front of me and I realised that I might need some coffee to go through the day without falling asleep on the couch again.

I cannot really blame myself as it has been almost three days that I have passed without taking a proper nap. I occasionally took those small power naps when there were vsitors in her room to avoid collapsing on the ground.

My entire body was paining and my neck was crooked. The couch was too small for me to sleep comfortably.

My hands were dangling on the ground and my legs were protruding out of it. Things have been very difficult since that night in Santorini when I lost Talia whom I assumed to be my best friend.

I had lost all my appetite after the truth was revealed to me and to be honest if Rex wasn’t there by my side, I feel I wouldn’t be able to even handle it. I slept early that night without having dinner and Rex stayed with me even when I practically begged him to join the party.

I was sad and somewhere guilty that because of me, my two bestfriend’s most important day was somehow ruined. I wish I could undo it all.

I wish I hadn’t come to Santorini if it meant that I would never come to know about Talia’s betrayal and even if it meant staying in the dark forever. We left for Seattle the next day in the morning while Alan and Stella were catching a flight in the evening as they had to wrap up all the responsibilities that came crashing on their head along with their engagement.

The next few days on campus were particularly depressing. The assignments were to be submitted, exams were nearing and seeing everyone study in the library after school made me nervous as I was not at all prepared for my exams and I wasn’t someone who would prefer failing in junior year.

My usual interactions with Talia before all this drama happened were now replaced by ignoring each other’s existence in campus. Also my group had clearly cut off their relations with her and this was because of me.

I could see the pity everyone felt for me and clearly it was becoming too much for me to bear as I started avoiding going to school. And the most difficult part was living with her in the same house.

Rex and I were looking at places after school as I had decided to move out. I couldn’t see her passing me that evil smirk everytime we shared a glance.

All this didn’t seem enough to god for punishing me for I don’t know which of my sins because then something happened that made me want to die. How could I forget the day when I felt my entire world coming down!

It was Thursday night when I was sitting in my room working on my math problems. It was almost midnight but there was no sign of sleep in my eyes and I can’t blame sleep as I had three cups of coffee that night.

Suddenly my phone rang and what I heard next literally made me fall on my knees. It was John.

I still remember how shaky his voice was and how he had become a stuttering mess in front of me when he told me that my grandma got a heart attack and was now in a critical condition. I completely panicked after hearing this.

I didn’t know what to do and the tears won’t stop coming down my face. After ten minutes of feeling numb, I frantically wiped my tears and picked up my phone.

Without even thinking it through I called the one person whom I needed to be there with my grandma at such a moment. It was my dad.

He told me that he was leaving immediately and will reach the city hospital within an hour and I relaxed a bit because for a fact I knew that no matter how horrible of a father and son he is, my father was a rich man and he was capable of arranging all the best doctors in London for her treatment. I started packing my bags while I next called Rex.

On hearing the news he told me that he will be at my place to pick me up in an hour. But I denied his offer and pleaded him to stay back and study for the exams that were approaching.

I knew that because of me he had already wasted a lot of his time and I couldn’t afford to let him do that anymore. I couldn’t sabotage his career because of the drama that kept finding its place back in my life every damn time.

I promised him that I will call him if things get any more serious and if I needed him to be there for me. I took the next flight to London and here I am in the hospital since three days.

Luckily John is here for me along with Rafael and my dad. Rafael is heartbroken and he hasn’t eaten anything other than the chicken soup that John made him eat insistingly.

It is 10:00 in the morning now and I just got a coffee from the hospital cafeteria. I was sitting in my grandma’s room as I saw her lying on the bed with her eyes still closed.

She was breathing slowly and her chest heaved up and down in response. Her body was attached to various machines, some checking her blood pressure while some were keeping a note of her heartbeats.

My grandmother was in so much pain and I could do nothing to make her feel better. I had never felt so helpless before and my heart ached seeing her in such a condition.

Just then I heard my dad come through the door and I looked up at him with my sad blue eyes. He motioned me to come outside with him and I knew it was bad news.

I folded my hands on my chest and followed him to the hospital lobby. He looked at me with an expression of disappointment and said, “I was in the doctor’s cabin right now. He told me that we need to get a bypass surgery done or she won’t survive. Even after the surgery, the chances are 50-50. I just wanted to tell you this as I have already taken an appointment for tomorrow morning.”

I looked at him with tears in my eyes and said, “50-50? And what if she can’t make it alive out of the OT? And also I don’t have the money for her surgery. How will I arrange everything within such a small time?” He rested his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes intently, causing me to stop speaking, “She is my mother Becca and I have the money required for this surgery. No matter how irresponsible I have been towards her my entire life but I do love her and I will do everything in my capacity to save her.”

He waited for me to answer but I just nodded my head at his words. No matter how much I wanted to turn down his help, I knew that he was the only person who could help me with this.

I felt selfish to accept his money when I never really accepted him despite of his apologies. I internally swore to myself that I will return him the money as and when possible.

As soon as John came to visit grandma, I made my way to the only part of the hospital that didn’t make me feel uneasy, the hospital garden. I called Rex and I told him about the surgery and how the chances of her surviving were still bouncy.

He told me that everything will be fine. I wanted to believe him but my thoughts were overpowering my will to think positive.

What if nothing turns out to be fine? What if I lose my only family that I had after my mom?

And what if someday even Rex decides to leave me and I am left alone? I had already lost my best friend and I was not in a position to lose my boyfriend and my only family.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I came back to reality when John shook my arm. “Hey! Don’t lose hope. Stop crying okay? You need to be strong for her”, he said while enveloping me in a hug.

I wept in his embrace and I allowed myself to pour my heart out in front of someone after so many days. “I am afraid John. I don’t want to lose her.”

He tightened his hold around me and said, “You won’t lose her Becs. Your grandmother is a warrior and we all know this. It isn’t her time yet and after the surgery she will be healthy again. Infact after the surgery tomorrow you should go and buy some beignets for her. She must have been tired of eating this tasteless hospital food.” His words gave me a bit of hope and I smiled at him.

“Come, let’s get you something to eat”, he said while pulling me along with him.

I had completed all my assignments before hand and I was nearly done with my preparations for the exams. I missed seeing Rebekah and I was worried sick about her granny.

I remembered how kind she was to me even before she knew that I was in love with her granddaughter. I somehow got connected to her even after staying with her for just a few days.

She treated me like her own son and the love she gave me was something that I will always cherish. Semesters were in the next ten days and my desire to go to London to meet her grandmother and to support her was increasing with every passing second.

She was scared and the fear was overpowering her. I could sense it in her voice that she felt abandoned and alone.

She needed me but she wasn’t accepting this and even I wanted to be there for her. I told Rey regarding this mishappening and he offered to accompany me to London.

I denied him but asked him to book a ticket for me. I couldn’t sit back in Seattle and watch my girlfriend going through the toughest moments in her life alone.

I promised her to always have her back and what sort of a boyfriend would I be if I am not there with her just because of some exams? I have studied enough to get passed and it’s more than enough for me right now.

I took a cab and made my way to the airport. I didn’t tell Rebekah about my arrival because I knew that she wanted me to study and focus on the semesters instead of being there with her.

But I was done contemplating about whether I should go or not. The surgery is tomorrow and I will be there with her at that time.

I just hope that things turn out in our favour and her grandmother becomes healthy again.

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