Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 493: I'm Just Glad You're Here

Noah knew he ran the risk of running into Jeremy at the hospital but went anyway. He still didn't know what he would say to Violet but he couldn't let her deal with something as scary as knee surgery alone.

Kaleb had told him what time it would be happening and that it would take about an hour for the surgery to complete. After that she would have to stay in a hospital bed until she was able to walk with crutches, then they would let her go. He had already dropped her off and had gone to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription for pain medication according to the text update he sent.

He wasn't sure why Kaleb was telling him all of this to be perfectly honest. When he asked, the message he got in response was 'She would want you to know.'

What did that mean? Did Violet not hate him after all? She still wanted to see him even though she had a boyfriend and knew he was in love with her? Noah didn't understand it at all.

Yet he still found himself in the waiting room right alongside Kaleb on a Monday morning, having called in sick at the dojo. Technically speaking, someone was sick/injured even if it wasn't him.

Kaleb boredly scrolled through his phone and tapped his foot impatiently as they waited. It seemed like he was really worried about his sister.

"You know, you don't have to wait here if you don't want to. I can get her back home if you have something else to do," Noah offered.

He seemed slightly offended by that. "What could I have to do that's more important than making sure my sister is okay? If you want alone time with her, say it straight out. No need to beat around the bush with me."

That wasn't exactly what Noah meant but he couldn't deny he did want the chance to talk to Violet despite not knowing what to say. It might be in his best interest to play it off like nothing happened. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"I didn't meant that…I don't even know what I would say," he confessed.

Kaleb huffed. "You're kind of pathetic, you know that? You two need to work out whatever issues you have so Vi can get back to normal. She was crying all weekend watching ancient home videos about our grandparents for some reason but I know it had something to do with you."

Huh? How would watching old home videos have anything to do with him? Noah was about to ask when the surgeon came out in a fresh pair of scrubs.

They both immediately jumped to their feet with matching anxious expressions. The surgeon smiled at them and did his best to reassure them as quickly as possible.

"The surgery went as well as it possibly could. The rest is up to her; how well she takes care of her sutures and follows the physical therapist's instructions. She should be ready to go home later today. Which one of you is her family?"

"I'm her brother," Kaleb said. "I can take her home."

The surgeon nodded. "You'll have to fill out the discharge paperwork for her. She's awake right now but can't feel anything from the waist down at the moment. You need to wait to take her home until she can move her legs again."

He pointed to the room Violet was resting in down the hall and both of them thanked the surgeon before heading over. Kaleb stopped Noah from opening the door and looked at him seriously.

"I'm still the responsible party here but I'll let you talk to her alone first. I'm sure she'll want to see you."

"Does she really?" he asked in a smaller voice than he would have liked.

Noah really shouldn't be this nervous. This was Violet! He had never been this afraid to talk to her in his life.

"Just go," Kaleb said, shoving him into the room abruptly right after opening the door.

Violet blinked at him in shock. "Noah! What are you doing here?"

That wasn't terribly encouraging. Hadn't her twin said she wanted to see him? Noah stepped slightly closer to the hospital bed and placed a hand on the back of his neck, unable to meet her eyes.

"Um…I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Unexpectedly, her most dazzling smile lit her face. "You did?"

Why was she smiling at him like that? Wasn't she angry? Or at the very least upset with him? This didn't make any sense at all but it was encouraging. He grabbed a chair and moved it next to the edge of her bed before sitting down.

Violet looked tired and her eyes were red and puffy; evidence of what Kaleb said about her crying all weekend. She wasn't the type to cry casually. There must have been something truly upsetting on those old videos.

But what was it? And why was she staring at him like that? Noah honestly didn't have a clue what was going on. He cleared his throat and answered her question.

"Duh. You're my best friend. How could I not show up when you needed surgery? I didn't bring a get well card or flowers though…I should have done that. Sorry. I can do it later!" he exclaimed quickly.

Ugh, he was such an idiot. Why did he have to ramble on? She wasn't going to bite.

Violet shook her head. "No need for that. I'm just glad you're here."

His heart warmed at her words. Kaleb had been right; she did want to see him. Their friendship meant as much to her as it did to him, even with her creep of a boyfriend in the way. That reminded him…why wasn't Jeremy here?

Even a workaholic should take time off to make sure their girlfriend was okay after surgery. The fact that he hadn't did not reflect well on him. Maybe Noah's mom was right about things between them being doomed to fail.

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