Rebel With A Cause

by Ashleigh Neame

  She pulled her way out of T-Man’s grip and rushed over to him. “Carter!” she whispered. “Oh my god, baby, are you ok?” She shook her head. “Stupid question. Stop wasting your energy. Just relax, and get better.”

  Carter weakly raised his right hand and tried to touch her face, but his strength ebbed the harder he tried.

  Kaitlyn grabbed his hand and held it to her face. “Stop,” she whispered. “You’re in hospital, and you just got released from Intensive Care. Don’t try too hard just yet.”

  Carter’s eyebrows furrowed, but it was so weak that if Kaitlyn didn’t know him so well, she wouldn’t have realised that he was confused.

  “Do you remember what De did to you? To us?” she asked him.

  His lips formed the word ‘no’, and only a slight sound came out. Carter hated being weak. It was his job to protect Kaitlyn, and yet here she was, looking scared and tired, but better than him. She was the one taking care of him. Talk about a complete role reversal.

  “It’s all blurry,” he choked. “Tell me.”

  Kaitlyn nodded and closed her eyes. She was still holding Carter’s palm to her cheek, and she turned her hand to kiss it.

  “De held us hostage,” she explained quietly. “He went mad. He said he wanted Aria, but you wouldn’t put her in harm’s way. You tried to rescue me by yourself instead.”

  Tears began to drip down her face and onto Carter’s blankets, but she continued on.

  “Aria didn’t want us to get hurt. She came anyway, and tried to get De to let us go. He just laughed and killed her. Her blood is still on the walls back at De’s.”

  She couldn’t take it anymore. It was too much to think about. Large sobs ripped themselves from her chest and she gasped. She clammed up, and Carter tried to help, but he was too weak. She just suffered by herself, trying in vain not to fall apart.

  Half an hour later, her sobs had subsided, and she was able to continue on.

  “De still held us hostage,” she whispered. “He shot the wall to scare us, and then he tried to shoot me. But you jumped in the way. I was so scared, Carter. I was terrified. I thought you were going to die.”

  T-Man, who had been sitting on the window seat with his mp3 plugged into his ears and his phone in his hand, decided that now was the right time to come over to support Kaitlyn. Not while she had been crying, no, but now. He came over and gave her a hug. She leaned into his chest for support and closed her eyes.

  “You almost died,” she said quietly. “Even while the paramedics were taking you to hospital, you started making plans for me to have everything, just in case. It was awful.”

  Carter frowned. He needed to get back on his feet, back to being the strong one. He needed to protect Kaitlyn, but he couldn’t do that from a hospital bed.

  Also, he was insanely jealous. T-Man had supported Katie while Carter was cheating on her, and while they’d broken up, and now that he was in hospital. He had to wonder. None of his other friends had taken an interest in Katie’s wellbeing like this. Was there something going on between them that he didn’t know about?

  “You don’t need to worry,” he said fiercely. “I’ll be out of here soon enough.”

  Kaitlyn looked at him with wet eyes. “Carter, you were shot. You had internal bleeding. Don’t rush things, please. I know you want to come home, and believe me, I want you to as well, but if you haven’t healed properly, and something happens, I won’t be able to help. Please, for me, just get better. I don’t want something bad happening at home. I don’t want you dying.”

  Carter frowned. “You don’t want me at home.”

  This was Kaitlyn's worst nightmare come to life. Carter wasn’t acting like himself. He was angry, when minutes before he’d been nothing but concerned. He was taking things the wrong way all of a sudden. It was like he had a split personality. This was a test. Could she handle it? She didn’t know.

  “I do, Carter,” she whispered. “I really do. But please, get better. I don’t want you coming home too soon and hurting yourself. I don’t know how to look after someone who’s sick. I’m not equipped. If you came home and something happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”

  Carter knew in his head that what Katie saying was the truth. He understood her reason for not wanting him home yet. But his heart refused to understand. He saw the way T-Man and Kaitlyn interacted with each other, and he didn’t like it. There was something off about their behaviour.

  “Whatever,” he said bitterly. He turned away from them. “Get out.”

  Kaitlyn looked up at T-Man and got off Carter’s bed. “I knew…I knew something like this would happen. Nothing can go right, can it?”

  Carter wanted to reach out and comfort Kaitlyn, but he kept his hands to himself. His brain wouldn’t let him. He couldn’t bring himself to move his arms and comfort her.

  He heard her light footsteps rush out, and her sobs faded the further away she got. He didn’t hear T-Man leave though, and when a sharp pain landed on his shoulder, causing him to wince, he knew why.

  “Ouch!” he yelled. “What the hell was that for?” He looked up at T-Man, who was scowling down at him.

  “Dude, don’t be such a jerk,” T-Man said angrily. “She’s been so worried about you, ever since she woke up and found out you were in ICU. And now you’re throwing it all back in her face.”

  Carter scowled. Knowing that Kaitlyn was worrying herself sick over him damn near broke his heart, and he wanted to ask T-Man to go and find Kaitlyn and bring her back so he could apologise, but sadly, his mouth had a life of its own.

  “Yeah, right,” he spat bitterly. “Like you and her don’t have something going on. She hasn’t been thinking of me, has she? You two have been getting your freak on behind my back, and all you feel is sorry for me.”

  T-Man wanted to scream. This time, he hit Carter, hard, and watched regretfully as a bruise spread under his skin. Carter didn’t even wince.

  “Jerk,” Carter spat. “Get out of my room.”

  T-Man ignored Carter and leaned down, close to his face. Carter almost went cross-eyed trying to keep him in his line of vision.

  “Right,” T-Man snapped. “You listen, and you listen good. You are my best mate, and that is why I’ve been looking after Kaitlyn. I thought you would’ve wanted that, but obviously I was wrong. And just so you know, Kaitlyn woke up in hospital with memory loss a few days ago. When she found out that you’d been shot by De, she forced herself to go back to where it all happened and relive that day. The next day, she decided to go to the cops, and do everything she could to get De locked away forever. She’s put herself through hell just trying to get him locked up, and now it looks like it was all for nothing. She was terrified you wouldn’t remember her, or you would be the cheating jerk. But I know you remember everything, and for you to throw all of her love for you back in her face…you’re an ass.”

  Carter wanted to punch his so-called best friend.

  “Guys don’t sleep with their best mate’s girlfriend!” he yelled. “Get out!”

  T-Man looked down at Carter and scowled. “Neither Kaitlyn or I have any feelings for each other in that way.”

  “So you admit you have feelings for her, then?” Carter snapped.

  “Yes,” T-Man replied calmly. “She’s like my little sister. I love her like a sister, and I would think you would be happy about that. She’s your girl, yours. She wouldn’t have it any other way, and I know you wouldn’t either. So stop being a jerk and accept the fact that someone else had to take care of your girl while you were temporarily unavailable. Trust me, once you’re out of here, she’ll want you all the time. I guess that’s another reason why she wants you to be fully recovered when you go home. She’ll want it to be just you and her, and no one else. So you better get all the rest you can, while you can.”

  T-Man made to leave the room, feeling Carter glaring daggers into his back. He turned around to his best friend. “I’ll bring her back again tomorrow. You better have had an a
ttitude check by then, or I’ll give you more than one bruise.”

  Carter sneered and was about to hurl another insult at his best friend, before T-Man walked out and shut the door behind him. T-Man, the guy he should be thanking profusely, had just left, and now Carter was all alone.

  Chapter 24

  Understandably, Kaitlyn was reluctant to go back and visit Carter the next day.

  “He hates me!” she cried miserably. T-Man was having a hard time comforting her.

  “Carter doesn’t hate you,” he said soothingly. “He’s just not feeling like himself right now. He was scared you were dead when you weren’t there when he woke up, and he thought he was never going to see you again. He’s just scared, and that’s new for him.”

  Kaitlyn wanted to throw something at T-Man, except she couldn’t, because they were in his car, and he’d recently cleaned out all the rubbish that was on the floor. They were now having a standoff – a better name would be a sit-off – in the hospital parking lot.

  “Liar,” she hissed. “Carter hates me, I know he does.”

  T-Man sighed. “Look, Kaitlyn, you guys need to sort your shit out. I’m not running interference anymore. I’ve been doing this ever since you guys hooked up. If you can’t get along without my help, then maybe you should break-up. I’m not doing it anymore.”

  That shut Kaitlyn up. She loved Carter, but T-Man was right. They were always fighting over one thing or another, or something was always getting in the way. It wasn’t right. They needed to learn to get along without his help. If they couldn’t, then maybe splitting up – for good this time – would be the best option.

  “As of now,” T-Man continued. “I am just your ride to and from the hospital. I’m not going to be in there while you two talk; I’m not going to interfere if you fight. It’s all up to you guys. I’m no longer in the middle of this.”

  Kaitlyn closed her eyes and nodded. “Ok,” she said quietly. “Just me and Carter from now on, got it.”

  She got out of the car, her legs shaking as she approached the hospital. The whole walk to the entrance, her heart was hammering. She wanted desperately to turn around and run back to T-Man, but he was right. She needed to be strong. She hadn’t realised it before, but T-Man had been running interference between them, ever since they first got together. It was T-Man who she went to for advice when Carter started cheating. It was T-Man who she ran to when Carter dumped her.

  And now, when she was alone, and Carter was in hospital, she had been leaning on T-Man for support. Except T-Man had put his foot down. He’d had enough.

  Kaitlyn sighed and nervously chewed on her lip.

  “Come on, Katie,” she whispered to herself. “You’ve faced worse than Carter. You can do this.”

  She closed her eyes and walked into the hospital building. A blast of cold air touched her bare skin and she shivered.

  Her shoes tapped nervously on the floor as she made her way to the elevators. She pressed the button indicating she wanted to go upstairs and waited, nervously bouncing on the spot.

  She walked around in a mini circle, before a sharp ping alerted her to the fact that the elevator was ready. She waited while a small family exited the elevator before darting in herself.

  Kaitlyn was the only one in the elevator, and she leaned against the elevator wall. She tapped her fingers in a nervous rhythm on her jeans.

  “Come on, Katie,” she whispered desperately. “You can do this. You’re nearly an adult; it’s time to grow up.”

  The elevator ride was over way too soon, in Katie’s opinion. She felt like she had barely even stepped in, when it was time to step out.

  Her shoes went click-click on the linoleum floor as she walked towards Carter’s room. She walked down the corridor of ward seven, her heart hammering like a hummingbird’s wings.

  Like before, the door to Carter’s room was closed. She tentatively wrapped her right hand around the handle to the door but was surprised when it was turned without her direction. The door was pulled out from underneath her and she stumbled.

  She looked up to see who had opened the door, and came face to face with Bekah, who was smirking.

  They locked eyes, and without saying a word, Bekah flicked her hair at Kaitlyn and walked off.

  Kaitlyn had no time to wonder about Bekah. She was too busy focusing on Carter, who was glaring at her, and ugly scowl marring his face.

  She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

  “Hey,” she said quietly. “How are you feeling?”

  Carter grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. “You bitch!” he yelled. “You’re a useless bitch!”

  The words stung. Hot tears pricked at her eyes. This was not the man she loved. The man she loved would never speak this way. He would do anything to protect her. He loved her.

  This man didn’t love her.

  “What?” she whispered. “What’d I do?”

  He mocked her. “You know what you did, bitch. You kicked Bekah out of my house! What the hell is wrong with you? She’s homeless now!”

  Kaitlyn shook her head. “No, I didn’t kick Bekah out. I had no idea she’d even moved out! I’m barely there anymore, Carter, and when I am, I’m in our room. I don’t leave it. Carter, I swear.”

  He just laughed. “Don’t lie to me! Bekah’s sleeping in her car now! You’re just too selfish to share me with her! It’s over!”

  “What?” Kaitlyn cried. “No, no, Carter, no. Please, no!” She fell to her knees, tears finally spilling over. It seemed like ever since De had become a close part of their lives – thanks to her – she’d spent most of that time in tears.

  Carter scoffed. “Oh, don’t give me that crap. You’ve been sleeping around while I’ve been in here, haven’t you?”

  Kaitlyn gasped. She was no longer just sad, she was furious. “Like you can talk!” she screamed. “You’ve been cheating on me ever since we got together! I’ve never cheated, not once! You’re the cheater here, Carter, not me!”

  Carter was about to scream back at her, but before he could, Kaitlyn wrenched the door open and ran out. She heard Carter screaming her name, but she ignored him. It was all too much. She loved Carter, but not enough to keep taking his crap. Carter was an angry, bitter man, and not the one Kaitlyn loved. It was like he’d had a personality transplant. It was worse than him forgetting her. At least if he’d forgotten, she could have shown him the photos, the house, remnants of their life together. Instead of forgetting though, he’d hated her. Kaitlyn had never seen Carter like this before, and she didn’t know how to handle it.

  Back in Carter’s room, Carter was cursing himself for behaving the way he did. He didn’t know why he’d reacted that way, when Bekah was the one he was mad at. Bekah had wanted Kaitlyn out of the way, and Carter resented her for it. But for some reason, he kept taking his anger out on Kaitlyn, instead of Bekah. It wasn’t right. When Kaitlyn had run out of his room in tears, he’d screamed for her. He wanted her to come back so he could comfort her, apologise to her. But he knew that wouldn’t happen.

  He sighed angrily and lay back on his pillow. He turned his head away from the door and stared out the window.

  He was not surprised when he heard heavy, thudding footsteps approaching his bed. They were quick, and the atmosphere in the room darkened when they entered the room.

  “What the hell were you thinking?” T-Man whispered angrily. “Kaitlyn’s down in the car in tears, because her dick of a boyfriend just accused her of shit she didn’t do! What the hell is wrong with you, man?”

  Carter scowled and weakly punched T-Man in the jaw. “What I do is none of your business,” he growled. “Leave me alone.”

  T-Man ignored Carter’s feeble punch and grabbed his shoulders.

  “Listen to me you idiot!” he said furiously. “Kaitlyn is like a sister to me, she’s like family. I don’t take too kindly to people who mess with my family.”

  Carter scowled. “Don’t lie on my account. We both know you’re screwing
her.”

  T-Man wanted to scream out of frustration. “For god’s sake! Get this through your thick skull! There is nothing going on between me and Katie.”

  T-Man was so sick of Carter’s crap. Carter just felt so alone. Instead of sitting here, by his side, Kaitlyn was with T-Man, god only knows where, doing god knows what. All while he was alone in hospital, with nothing but his thoughts for company.

  Carter sighed. “Just go away. Go and take care of Katie. Tell her I love her.”

  T-Man scoffed. “Like she’s gonna believe that. You cheated on her, you dumped her, and now you called her a bitch…dude, she thinks you hate her.”

  Carter closed his eyes. He was so tired. He was tired of saying the opposite to what he meant. He was tired of being alone. He wanted to leave, to go back home with Katie and spend the rest of his life with her. He knew she was The One, his heart told him so. But he seemed to have no control over what came out of his mouth when she was around.

  “I don’t hate her,” he said quietly. “I really don’t. But I can’t control what comes out of my mouth when she’s around.”

  “Bullshit.”

  Carter looked up at T-Man. “I’m being honest here, T. I can’t control it. Everything I want to say comes out the opposite. I want to tell her I love her, but it comes out all wrong.”

  T-Man looked at his friend. Carter looked so lonely and forlorn. He needed people who loved him, but he was all alone. His cousin, his only remaining family, was taking advantage of him.

  T-Man sighed. “Ok. I’ll try and bring her back, but you better stop with the mean comments. You’re hurting Katie, and I know when you’re back to normal, you’ll regret it.”

  Carter closed his eyes. “I already regret it.”

  T-Man nodded and walked out. He was worried about Carter. Really worried. There had to be something wrong with his brain. The doctors missed something, because Carter was not right in the head.

  He walked to the nurses’ station and introduced himself. “My name’s Arthur, I’m Carter Hawke’s next-of-kin. I’d like to talk to his doctor.”