Euphoria

CHAPTER 15

    *TINSLEY’S POV* 

    Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

    The stupid beeping sound continued on as I gently shifted on the bed. Wait. The bed? I pried my eyes open only to immediately shut them closed again. There was a huge bright light literally right above me and it made me blind. 

    I started to slowly open my eyes and slowly allowed them to adjust. After most of the blind feeling disappeared, I looked around the room. I was in…. A hospital. A hospital?! My eyes widened and then I jerked up from my position on the bed. 

    Beep. Beep. Beeeeeeppppp. 

    The heart rate machine went haywire but I glared at it and then roughly pulled out the cord attached to the vein in my elbow. No way in hell was I keeping that thing in. I went back to surveying the room and realized I was not alone in the hospital room. 

    Finn was here. In the chair next to my bed! His eyes were closed and his mouth was open slightly. I smiled to myself, listening to his soft snores. He looked so adorable, asleep and slightly drooling. 

    I shook myself and quickly looked away from Finn. Apparently I was in a hospital now. I looked around the room for my bag and saw it on the ground next to my bed. I quickly pulled it closer to me and tugged my phone out. Six p.m. s**t. 

    My night shift at the club started in an hour and it usually took me thirty minutes to get ready. I had to get out of the hospital. Now. 

    I looked down at myself and tugged at the worn hospital gown. It stuck to my clammy skin and felt rough against my skin. Disgusted I tugged it off and changed into my strip club outfit that I always stuffed into my school bag. Yes. I know. Changing in front of a boy? No way. But this boy was asleep and I showed more skin at the strip club than anything else. 

    I looked back at Finn again and bit my lip. I felt bad for leaving him here but…. I really needed to get going. So I crept back towards Finn and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. Bye Finn. 

                                                                                            ****

    *TONY’S POV*

    I watched the tall rat carry Tinsley out of the cafeteria and I gritted my teeth. I was supposed to be the one taking care of her. Not that guy. I narrowed my eyes in their direction but I forced myself to turn back to the table and continue eating my lunch. I’ll talk to them later I thought. 

    “Oi! Tony! What’s gotten your tail?” I jerked up to see a blonde gangly guy with all limbs, grinning at me. I forced myself to return the smile. 

    “Look, man. She’s in good hands alright? Finn’s a good guy. She’ll be fine.” He smiled at me. And although I barely knew him, the guy seemed to give off kind and warm vibes. He had a black tattoo that snaked from his left elbow to the collar of his tank top. 

    “Name’s Jax. How about you?” He stretched his hand out to me, which I shook. “Tony.” He grinned at me, flashing his pearly whites. “Well, Tony. I dunno which country you flew from and how you know Tinsley but everyone you see here at this table is willing to sacrifice an arm or two if she needs it. We all care for her.” Jax ran a hand through his blonde locks. 

    “And from the look of devastation I saw on your face earlier, I would say you care for her a little too much.” I stared at the blonde guy who was getting on my nerves. 

    “Look man. I-” I started to say, before the guy raised a hand up and said, “I’ve said this to at least ten guys already. Including Finn.” He lowered his hand and leveled a look at me. 

    “Tinsley. Can. Handle. Herself.” A dark look took over his face and I leaned back in surprise. Then suddenly his cheerful smiling face was back and it was as if nothing even happened. 

    “It was nice talking to you, man. Hope we can do it again.” Then he gave me a slap on my shoulder and left. I watched him walk away and felt a cloud of confusion settle over me. What was that?

    I shook my head and then turned back to face my now cold lunch. I didn’t feel very hungry anymore. The blood on Tinsley’s arm, Jax’s talk, and Finn’s actions made my stomach churn and clench. The ham sandwich in front of me looked slimy and disgusting all of the sudden and my vision spun. 

    What was going on with me? 

                                                                                            ****

    *TINSLEY’S POV*

    I had snuck out successfully from the hospital and thankfully no one looked twice at me. I was outside of the hospital right now, wondering where the hell I was. I clutched my bag to my chest and looked down both sides of the road. I didn’t really recognize the streets I was on but I was determined to find my way to the club. 

    I stepped out onto the road and started on my way. The road was hot underneath my bare feet but my thoughts blocked out the burn.  

    What was that? I suddenly woke up and the next thing I knew, I was in a hospital! With Finn of all people! The last thing I remembered was being at lunch, sitting in Tony’s lap. Tony! Oh my god. What in the world happened to Tony? And where was he now? 

    I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my messages. There were two in my inbox. One was from Tony and another was from Finn. I opened Tony's text and slowly read what it said. 

    I know you're going to run away when you get the chance. But all I want you to know is to be careful. I have no right to tell you where you can't go but I hope that you'll at least take into account what I'm saying. I love you, Tinsley. Stay safe for me, okay?

    I stood there unmoving for a few moments. I wasn't running away was I? But I was and deep down, at the very bottom of my stomach, I knew I was. I closed my eyes and inhaled a breath. I'll be okay won't I? 

    Suddenly my phone vibrated and started chiming like crazy. My eyes widened and I clutched the phone tighter to my chest. It was Finn. He was trying to call me. I hesitated before I pressed the answer button. 

    Then I immediately held the phone about three feet away from me. 

    “Where the hell are you?”, Finn’s voice filled the phone and I winced. Oops. “I woke up and you were gone!” I flinched at his words before I brought the phone back towards my face.

    “I’m sorry, Finn.” I squeezed the phone tighter, in my hands. 

    “Where are you? You couldn’t have gone far. I’ll come pick you up.” He sounded really concerned and after a moment of hesitation I said, “I turned right on the road outside the hospital.”

    I could hear scrambling of objects on the other side of the phone and then the sound of keys clinking together.

    “I’ll be there soon. Stay put.” I was about to hang up the phone when I heard his voice come back on the speaker. 

    “Oh and Tinsley?” 

    “Yeah?” I pressed the phone tighter to my ear, trying to hear what he was saying over the roar of a motorcycle passing. 

    “You left your shoes.”

Hey y'all! A little bit larger word count but next chapter might be a little shorter but there'll be more of Tinsley x Finn. :) Thanks for reading and please like, comment, and follow! ~Hazel.