Chapter 3 - Ring Ring

Suddenly, the harsh ring of Riley's phone shattered the quiet.

Both of them jumped, startled by the intrusion. Damon's eyes snapped open, and the moment the phone rang, he recognized his mistake. His heart skipped a beat as he realized where he was.

His body tensed. He looked up at Riley, and she looked down at him.

For a split second, their eyes met.

Then, he panicked.

He shot up from her lap, his breath uneven. His pulse was still racing from the weight of everything that had just happened.

"Sorry… I'll give you some space," he murmured, his voice hoarse.

Without another word, he ran out of the room.

As he exited, he could hear the ring echoing behind him. His mind was racing, and his heart was heavy.

Damon stood in the bathroom, the cold water splashing over his face. He ran his hands through his hair, trying to ground himself. The reflection in the mirror was a stranger - his tired eyes, the heavy weight of the night pressing against him. He didn't recognize the look in his own eyes. Was it relief? Was it fear? Or something else? He couldn't tell. The events from earlier, the way his emotions had spilled out, felt like a distant memory now. Yet, the intensity of what happened lingered, still raw in his chest.

He exhaled deeply, his hands gripping the edge of the sink as he stared at his reflection.

Get a hold of yourself, Damon.

Finally, he stepped away from the sink, running a hand over his face one more time before walking out of the bathroom.

As he exited, he froze in the corridor.

There she was.

Riley stood a few steps ahead, dressed in a simple set of clothes the nurse had brought her - nothing fancy, just something to cover her. The soft fabric was a sharp contrast to her usual attire, but it only accentuated how fragile she seemed.

The sight of her took his breath away. She was holding her moto bag in her hand, the same one that had been on her when everything went wrong.

Damon's voice caught in his throat as he saw her about to turn toward the exit. "Rai - "

She cut him off before he could say another word. "I must leave now," she said, her voice steady, but the undertone of urgency couldn't be ignored. She turned slightly to meet his gaze. "I told them I was at a friend's house... staying longer will no more hold my excuse."

Damon's heart sank. He knew what that meant. She was trying to leave, to disappear from all of this as if nothing happened. He didn't know how to feel. He was happy she was better, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, something she wasn't saying.

His hands instinctively reached for hers, gripping them with more force than he intended. "Okay, but I'll drive you," he insisted. His voice was firm, but there was a quiet desperation in it. He wasn't ready to let her go. Not yet.

She hesitated, staring at him with a strange mix of emotions in her eyes. Then, surprisingly, she said, "Okay."

Damon blinked, taken aback by her response. He wasn't expecting this. She was always so strong, so independent - but in this moment, she agreed without a second thought.

The silence between them was heavy, but it was the kind of silence that spoke volumes, filled with everything they didn't say.

As they reached the exit doors, Damon felt his heart settle just a little, knowing that, for now, Riley was still here, still with him. And that, for whatever it was worth, was enough.