Lustful Hearts
Chapter 24: Secret's Out- P3

Anger soon took over and I turned slapping Mike hard across the face. He stood there frozen in shock as I screamed for my mum to ring for an ambulance.

I kneeled down beside Joel sobbing and stroking his blood-splattered hair. "Joel, please, hold on the ambulance is on its way. You're going to be okay. I love you so much, just keep remembering that, baby." I knew the ambulance wouldn't take long so I grabbed my jeans and top from the rail and headed for the bathroom to change.

I needed to go with Joel. I would rather die than leave him on his own.

My heart raced walking back in looking down at Joel's body, almost lifeless on the ground. I pulled my hair up into a knot and grabbed my phone so I was ready to leave the moment the ambulance arrived. I kneeled down to sit with him and took his hand in mine, whispering words of comfort in his ear.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Mike asked with a sneer, his eyes were full of venom and his voice still hard and cold.

I flinched at his tone. "To the hospital, Mike, where do you think?" I was in no mood to converse with him anymore. I wanted the ambulance to arrive before I took my anger out on his face.

"No, you're not." He crossed his arms, continuing to glare.

What the fuck?

I leapt up, striding over so our faces were barely inches apart. "Try to stop me. You should be arrested for assault. Pray he comes out of this Mike 'cause I will never forgive you if he doesn't." I eyeballed him fo several seconds until the sound of voices downstairs distracted me. I breathed a sigh of relief that the ambulance was finally here.

It was going to be okay.

I repeated it over and over willing myself to believe it. Despite in this precise moment it felt far from it.

As they lifted Joel inside the ambulance, I began to walk forward. Mike tried to grab my arm, but my mother pulled him back. "Let her go, Mike, you've done enough already," she said, starting to cry.

I didn't look back. I jumped inside the ambulance instantly reaching for Joel's hand. I kissed it and told him that it was going to be okay.

I hoped for my sake it would be.

My body tensed the moment I heard my name called. I let out a huge sigh of relief that I was finally able to see Joel. When my eyes caught sight of him lying there, I gasped. My hand flew up to my mouth in shock.

His face was even more swollen. I could barely make out his features. He was covered in bruises and dried blood, and the tears soon began to stream.

I sat down, grabbing his hand. "Joel," I croaked out, my throat was dry and tight. He murmured something, but I couldn't quite make out what. I held my ear against his mouth.

"I'm sorry, Iz," he murmured.

"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for? This is all Mike's fault. The way I'm feeling now I don't care if they lock him up and throw away the key."

I wanted him to be punished for what he'd done. I wanted to beat him up myself.

"I'm not pressing charges, Iz," he said flinching, trying to move.

I looked at him in shock. "He nearly beat you to death, he deserves it."

"He's my best friend, I don't blame him. He told me to stay away from you. I deserved the beating I took." He closed his eyes, the pain was clearly overwhelming him. I wasn't helping matters getting him all agitated.

I picked up his hand, threading my fingers through his and pressed my lips gently against his knuckles. They were clean from cuts where he hadn't tried to fight back. It broke my heart that he thought he deserved his punishment.

Joel began to drift back off, the drugs once again taking over. I whispered in his ear sweet words of comfort I knew he needed to hear. He smiled softly, and I hoped in my heart he truly believed them.

***

"Hey, Iz," Joel managed to croak out. Tears filled my eyes at the sound of his voice, relief swept through me that he was still here. After the pounding he took I was certain things could have taken a turn for the worst.

Mike had already texted me trying to apologise, but I hadn't texted back. He didn't deserve a reply, and I was more than sure my mother was keeping him updated anyway.

I leaned over with the water, gently placing the straw in his mouth. He took a few sips before lying back. After placing the beaker down, I gave him a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth, avoiding the split and swollen part. It looked so painful like it would take a long time to heal.

I reached up, stroking the front of his hair to soothe him, to distract him from the pain. My fingers got caught in some of the dried blood. I felt sick that my own brother inflicted that kind of pain on his own best friend. Right now I hated him with every breath in my body.

I sat in silence as Joel went in and out of consciousness. I tried moving several times for the drinks machine. I needed an urgent caffeine fix to keep me going. But the moment I attempted to loosen my fingers, he grabbed my hand each time.

I tried reassuring him I wasn't going far, but he clung onto me like his life depended on it. I guess he was afraid I'd abandon him in his hour of need. It saddened me to think he still had that level of fear inside him.

***

The door let out a loud creak, and I winced trying my hardest not to disturb him walking back into the room.

"Iz?" he croaked out, trying to lift his head to look at me.

"Yeah, it's me. How are you feeling?" I asked frowning, walking over to the bed. His appearance still shocked me. I tried my hardest to appear normal when really all I wanted to do was drop to the floor and cry. "Like hell, I thought you'd left. When I woke up you weren't here." There was a tinge of sadness to his voice and it broke my heart, thinking he thought he'd been left all alone.

"As if I would ever leave you. I went to get something to eat before my growling stomach woke you up." I tried to make light of it, but his sad words still echoed inside my head.

He chuckled, and I leaned over kissing the corner of his mouth. I slipped my hand back into his, our fingers once again entwined.

"I gave my mum an update, and I told her I'd be staying here tonight," I said, stroking his hand reassuringly. I wanted him to know he was my priority.

"Bet that didn't go down well," he replied, shuffling around to look at me.

I frowned watching him wince with every movement he made. "She didn't have a choice. She isn't in a position to argue at the moment."

Both our eyes snapped up when the door flew open. In walked the nurse to do her final check. Joel grimaced with the pain as it shot through his body. I pulled a face too, imagining how sore he must be. "Are you okay?" I asked once the nurse left. She didn't exactly have the best comforting bedside manner. I hated seeing him like this. I felt useless sitting here, not able to do more.

The drugs finally took over, and I watched him fall back under. I knocked the main light off and arranged his pillows and covers to make him as comfortable as possible.

Flicking through an old magazine I'd found in the waiting room, I looked over a while later to see Joel's concerned eyes fixed on me. "Iz, go home. I'll be fine. Come back tomorrow."

I bent over kissing his forehead. "I'll be fine, get some sleep." My eyes grew wider as he started to prop himself up on his elbows, trying to scoot over the bed. "Joel, what the hell are you doing?" "Making room for you." He groaned, dragging the covers back.

I stepped backwards in surprise. "I'm not sleeping with you, I might hurt you." My eyes scanned all the tubes in his arms and the wires. I was not about to pull out any so I could be comfortable, I'd lay on the floor if I have to..

"Get in this bed now before I have to drag you in."

I could see the fire and determination in his eyes. It was useless to argue. I laughed at his words. He could barely move let alone drag me.

I slipped off my Converse, gingerly climbing into the bed, avoiding all the wires and IV drip in his arm. I lay on my side with Joel's arm wrapped around me.

I kissed him whispering goodnight and told him how much I loved him. He smiled letting out a sigh of contentment. We linked hands falling asleep straight away.

I was relieved the day from hell was finally over.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐