Chloe's POV
After ten minutes debating with myself whether or not to go inside the house, I finally decide that if I don't now, I never will. Pulling down the door handle, as quiet as possible I walk inside the pitch black house. The familiar smell of Gary's house manages to send a shiver down my spine and a lump in my throat. Clutching tightly to my cardigan, my head pokes around the living room door. Scanning around the living room, with only the street lights shining through the undrawn curtains to help me see, curled up on the sofa rests a figure. Arms wrap around his knees which are pressed against his tear stained face. Just by staring at the scene in front of me, very slowly my heart begins to crack. Its almost as if I'm a ghost, just staring at the person without being noticed. Pushing myself, I shuffle towards the sofa, where I kneel in front of it. Gary's breathing is slow at times, then picks up, before slowing back down again, possibly from the previous crying. Biting my tongue, deeply I sigh whilst running my fingers through the messy strands of his hair. How could I possibly do this to a man like Gary? All he's even done for me is show me love and worship the ground I walk on...and the baby of course. Yet I can't even stick by him when he needs me the most, he's ill and I just end up in my best mates bed. "...I'm sorry..." Silently I mutter, feeling the tears escape my eyes and rolling onto the edge of the sofa. "I...I've let you down...I'm sorry..." Tenderly pressing my lips against his burning forehead, they rest there for a couple of seconds. Gary remains in the same position, but this time his face has lightened even though his heavy eyes continue to stay closed. Removing my fingers from his hair, before heading back towards the open living room door again. I can't even be around to look him in the eyes at the minute, lying to him is the last thing I want to do, but breaking his heart is twice as bad. Trailing off with my thoughts, immediately I jump into the bathroom. I need to wash this day away, I need to wash every feeling I have of Mark's skin from my body.
Once all of my clothing has been removed, tightly I close my eyes whilst stepping underneath the steaming water. The water pounds against my skin, whilst my back falls against the icy tiles behind. "Why?" Softly I question myself, as my hand cups under my stomach. "Why, Chloe?!" Hitting my palms against the wall, increasing my cursing. "He loves you and you betrayed him! You deserve nothing! You deserve nothing!" My speech soon turns into shouts. "Why?! W...W...Why...?" Sliding down the tiles, my backside makes contact with the bottom of the shower as I loudly begin to cry. "Stupid! Stupid!" Laying now on my side, the water continues to wash my naked body. "Why..." Water and steam now blocks my view, causing the atmosphere to become dry and muggy. Flickering my eyes closed, the thoughts violently swirl around my head, giving me no hope of escape.
"Chloe?" Suddenly a voice speaks through the running water. I'm hearing voices, I've officially lost it. "Chloe?" Again, the same tone of voice speaks, peering through my eyelids, a dark figure stands with its hands pressed against the closed glass shower door. Feeling incredibly weak, its as if time has stood still. The water now runs slower, in slow motion in fact, as the figure approaches me. Delicately a hand grips to my shoulder, with the amount of steam still blocking my vision, Its still hard to see who exactly the person is, although I have an idea. "Everything is going to be OK..." Deeply he speaks, almost un human. "I'm here." For some reason, my mind is playing tricks on me. With all his strength, he helps me off the shower floor, before securely wrapping a towel around my soaked body. "Chloe...can you hear me?" Pulling my forehead away from his chest, with some strength I frantically blink my eyes. Very slowly the figure in front of me is now clear enough to recognise.
"G...Gary...?" Is all I'm able to whisper.
"Did you fall? Are you OK? How many fingers am I holding up?"
Heavily breathing, my eyes focus on the hand now in front of my view. Its blurry "G...Gary..."
"Chloe? Look at me. Are you going to pass out?" Tightly his fingers dig into the sides of my arms, keeping me standing, until unexpectedly I feel my legs give way. Crashing to the floor, Gary comes tumbling down with me, as I fall on top of him in a heap. "CHLOE!" A muffled voice calls out, shaking my limps in hope of getting communication out of me.
"I...I...sorry..." Is the final thing I'm able to mutter, feeling the heaviness of my eyelids take over causing the room to darken and my surroundings drop to silence.
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The feel of my temples throbbing wakes me from my sleep. "Mnnhmm..." Holding my head, softly I moan.
"Chloe? Easy babe." The bed sags beside me. "You fainted and will feel a little achy or light headed." Gary explains.
"Oh god..." Opening my eyes, it feels like I've been hit by a train. "What ha...happened?"
"I never heard you come home until I heard the shouting coming from upstairs."
"Shouting?" Squinting my eyes, I run through my memory but for now its just as blurry as my vision.
"Yeah. No idea what exactly you was shouting and I actually thought someone had broke in, until I heard the sound of running water that is."
Massaging my palms against my tired looking face, I breathe out a deep sigh. "I really can't remember what happened. Was I out for long?"
"No, a few seconds or maybe a minute at the most, you blacked out. That was just over an hour ago, since then you've been asleep and been talking in your sleep."
"I never talk in my sleep." I speak with confusion in my voice.
"Well I guess from fainting something in your head clicked, making you do new things...if you get me?" Gary goes all Doctor talk on me. Even if he is using simple words, he being more serious than what he's been since his accident. "Mumbling stuff...random really. You just kept apologising to me then when I asked what exactly you're apologising for, you just ignored me then whispered Mark's name repetitively."
My heart pounds against my chest and the blood running through my veins turns cold, freezing my actions from the nerves. "M...Mark...?" I asked alarmed trying to brush it off with a forced laugh.
"Uh huh... couldn't make it out what you meant by him, but that was the name you kept repeating... I'm guessing seeing as you can't remember coming back home, that you was calling for Mark for help? You were at Mark's earlier wasn't you?" He asks, furrowing a brow at me. Feeling a lump in my throat and my muscles tighten, it becomes difficult for the words to leave my lips.
"Eh...y...yes...I...I was." I stutter, avoiding eye contact with him. A finger is placed underneath my chin, dragging it carefully back into his direction. Once our eyes lock into a gaze, whilst deeply he stares me in the eyes.
"You're sweating." Mumbling under his breath, his finger remains pressed against my skin.
"I...I am?"
Sucking his bottom lip, its clear he knows something is wrong. He may of had an accident which knocked his memory, but it seems he's getting progress with it, especially with his work. "You're acting quite strange, even more so after I mentioned the sleep talking. Has something happened between you and Mark? Have you had an argument?" The words swirl around my ears, the words which I have been dreading to hear ever since arriving back home again. I'm now left with two options. Lie or confess.
