Chapter 2

I woke up in the hospital, laying in a standard white adjustable hospital bed. It seemed like I was the only one occupying the room, with the velvety blue curtain drawn back around the area of the bed. I was staring at the beige ceiling, the blinding hospital lights staring back at me. My whole body was numb, making it uncomfortable to move.

"Hey," I heard Ian's voice from beside my bed, breaking the silence.

I managed to tilt my head to look at him, unsure if I was supposed to even be moving. He was standing beside the bed, now changed from his blood-stained clothes from the day before. Ian has medium olive skin, his nose dotted with small freckles, deep gray eyes, soft side-swept ashy brown hair, as well as a relatively muscular and fit appearance.

"You're awake." His voice sounded hoarse, and his eyes were red.

"Yeah," I replied awkwardly. "Were you the one who brought me here?"

"As fast as I could." He answered, slightly blushing. "I was so scared. I thought you had died."

"Thank you, for putting up with all of this. This whole thing rests squarely on my shoulders." I sighed with disappointment at myself, "I was careless and cocky, and as a result; let the whole team down."

Push those tears back, Olivia. You can't let anyone see you cry.

When I felt my eyes welling up, I moved my head the other way, facing away from Ian's face. I clenched the white comforter and thanked my hair for covering my face. It would be unimaginable how weak my face must look like right now. "I'm so sorry to you and the Lilac Gang, I've lost us so much territory and stained our title as invincible. Maybe you're more cut out than me to lead-"

"Stop it, Boss," Ian interrupted harshly, taking a hold of my limp wrist that was laying beside me. "I don't want to hear it. I know I can speak for everybody- that we can only imagine one person that can lead us, you."

The words contradicted everything he's ever said to me, but nonetheless still gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

Tears trickled down my red face. I felt Ian release my wrist and his arm travel to the opposite side of the bed, his shadow looming over me. It was like he pinned me down on the bed.

By now, my heart was racing abnormally fast and my cheeks were hot. If I wasn't numb, Ian would have taken a knee to the crotch the moment he tried to touch me.

He knows that.

With one hand, he lifted up the hair covering my face, revealing the weak side of me I've never shown anyone. "You don't need to hide your feelings." He told me.

I was silent for a few seconds before responding. "I'm the leader- I shouldn't show any weaknesses. From now on, keep the strong image of me instead of the one I have right now. It's pitiful."

Ian stood up, "you're the strongest person I know."

In all these years, Ian's been teasing me on how weak I looked. He often compared my physique, which was fairly small for someone my age, to himself, who was fairly tall for his age. It's unexpected to see this side of Ian.

"Thank you," I answered softly, the sides of my mouth curving up into a smile.

Ian smiled back.

"Oh- I should be going." He remarked, glancing at his watch. He began walking to the door, before quickly turning around and added, "by the way, I li-"

I stared at him with a blank expression.

"Never mind." He mumbled, walking through the door and closing it gently.

-

After a few minutes, the door opened again.

"Heya! How're you doin', Olivia?" A lively woman with a southern accent greeted cheerfully. I assume she was one of the nurses in the hospital.

"Thank you. I'm doing well."

"I'm Lucy, your nurse. We asked that handsome young man to give us a little ring when you were awake. Are you experiencing any numbness?"

"Yeah, actually. My whole body is quite numb."

"Not to worry, that's completely normal."

Lucy was very cheerful, and although she talked a lot, she made the mood inside the cold hospital brighter. Lucy proceeded to ask me many questions relating to how I was feeling.

"By the way, dear, how exactly did you get the wound? The young man said it was because you're housekeeper tripped while cooking because she rubbed some onion juice in her eyes and gave you a big gash because you started shuffling from side to side, and coincidently shuffled right in front of her. The explanation seemed to be on the wild side, so we just needed confirmation from you."

Oh my god, the only person who could come up with that is Ian.

"Yeah, that's what happened. I didn't know what came over me." I grinned sheepishly.

"Alrighty then, I guess that's about it for your checkup. Just ring that red buzzer beside your hand if you need anything or feel anything odd, kay'?"

"Alright," I replied with a grin.

"Oh, yeah, by the way. The boy's a keeper, darling." Lucy advised.

"Huh?" I was surprised.

"He stayed beside you all night, right in that chair." She motioned to the red chair beside the bed.

I didn't know what to say. I've never experienced something like that in my life.

"Anyways- I'm going to get going now. See you later, darlin'!" Lucy announced before closing the door.

After Lucy left, I felt myself getting drowsy. I let my eyes slowly close.

-

"Hello, Miss Olivia Rose Wilson. I'm here on behalf of your parents." A stern voice rang in my dreams, snapping me into reality.

It was my parent's assistant. As usual, they're too busy to visit me themselves.

"You're parents have a request."

"What is it?"

"They've found out your little secret. Your mother says that if you don't disband the Lilac Gang, they'll send people to kill every member along with their families," She said slowly with no expression. "You have forty-eight hours."