Adam's POV
The quiet hum of the machines in the hospital room had become my daily soundtrack.
The steady beeping of the heart monitor was both a comfort and a curse, it meant she was still alive, but it also reminded me she hadn’t woken up.
It had been a week. A week since Emily fell into this coma. A week since I saw her bright eyes, heard her sarcastic comebacks, or felt her hand squeeze mine when I made her laugh.
Today, like every day, I was right here by her side.
The door creaked open and in walked Amanda and Luca. Same time, just like clockwork. Amanda held a brown paper bag that probably had one of those ridiculously sweet muffins she always brought “in case Emily wakes up and wants a sugar bomb.”
“Hey,” Amanda greeted, her voice soft but upbeat.
“Hey,” I nodded, standing up and stretching my stiff limbs.
Luca lingered at the door for a second before walking in fully. His eyes scanned the room, landing on Emily first, then me.
It was still a little awkward between us. The last time we really talked, it hadn’t ended on the best note.
But today, he looked at me and said, “I’m over it, man. All of it. I just want my best friend to wake up.”
I exhaled in relief. “Thanks, Luca. And I’m really sorry. For everything. For my teammates… I didn’t know how bad it was. But I swear, when I became captain, I started putting a stop to all that crap. You’d already transferred by then.”
He nodded. “It’s in the past now. Let’s just hope she wakes up soon.”
Amanda plopped down in the chair across from the bed, opening her muffin bag. “So, guess what?” Her eyes sparkled.
“What?” I asked, barely interested. I was still watching Emily, hoping to see even the slightest twitch.
“Sebastian and Tammy had a full-blown break-up meltdown. Like, publicly. At the cafeteria!”
I blinked, now interested. “What happened?”
Luca jumped in, smirking. “Turns out, Tammy was cheating on him. With one of his best friends. Sebastian found out and went ballistic. Called her a public whore in front of everyone.”
Amanda chuckled, biting into her muffin. “And then Tammy slapped him. Right across the face. You should’ve seen it. I swear, I’ve never seen the school that quiet.”
My brows rose. “Wow. That’s… intense.”
Luca shrugged. “Sebastian’s a fool. He threw away someone as amazing as Emily for that piece of work.”
I nodded, my jaw tightening. “Yeah, he did. But… I’m kind of glad he did. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have met her. Not like this.”
Amanda smiled softly. “You really love her, don’t you?”
I didn’t even hesitate. “With everything in me.”
The room fell into a comfortable silence after that. Amanda and Luca chatted a bit more about school, teachers, rumors, the ridiculous upcoming prom that Emily had once joked about boycotting.
I listened with one ear, the other still focused on the steady rhythm of the monitor.
Eventually, Amanda stood up and stretched. “Alright. We’ll be back first thing tomorrow before heading to school.”
Luca gave me a brief hug. “Take care, man.”
“I will. Thanks, guys.”
As they left, I sat back down, taking Emily’s hand in mine. I brushed my thumb over her soft knuckles, then brought her hand to my lips.
“I miss you,” I whispered against her skin. “You know… you don’t have to be asleep to avoid awkward conversations. I already know I talk too much.”
I let out a breathy chuckle. Then I sighed and laid my head gently beside her hand, still holding it.
“You’d hate it here. The food sucks. The beds are harder than Sebastian’s head, and the nurses play the same music over and over again. But I’d sleep on nails if it meant you’d open your eyes.”
A pause.
“I told your parents I’d stay. Doctor’s orders. Said you needed calm, and they… weren’t really helping. It’s weird how people can go on a vacation and still come back broken.”
I looked up at her face. Peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
I whispered, “I just want to hear your voice again, Em. That’s all.”
And then, it happened.
Her fingers moved. Just slightly. A twitch.
I blinked, sitting up straighter.
No. I was probably imagining it. I rubbed my eyes and stared again.
Then her eyelids fluttered. Once. Twice.
“Emily?” My voice cracked.
Her eyes opened, slowly, lazily, like she was waking from the deepest sleep of her life. She blinked, confused, and turned her head, just slightly, towards me.
And my heart exploded in my chest.