chapter 13

I woke up staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. "Where am I?" I asked out loud not expecting anyone to be here with me. "Guys, GUYS! WAKE UP! SHE'S UP!" I heard Grace scream. That's weird I can hear again. I focused my mind on my breathing. The air here is normal. I sat up to see the room I was in. It looked like a hospital room. It had a bathroom and a sink. I saw everyone in here too. Adam, Jake, Janice, Sarah, and Grace. What were they doing here? "How are you feeling? Are you hurt? Get the nurse." Janice rushed to my side. "Janice, What time is it? How hard did we party?" I was confused to see them looking worried. "We partied like there was no tomorrow." Jake pulled Janice aside. "Excuse us for a bit." He said as he called everyone out of the room. When he closed the door my head started pounding. I got up and went to the bathroom. I wanted to splash cold water on my face to help alleviate some of the pain. There was a mirror plastered to the wall just above the sink. I looked at myself through the mirror and saw my head had been wrapped. Why would they wrap my head? Did I bump it on something? I touched the spot where I felt the most pain. At the right side of my head, there was more than just the bandage wrap. There was gauze and tape. I must've cut my head. No wonder I have such a splitting headache. I guess I should ask the nurse for some painkillers then. I walk out the bathroom to see everyone back in the room. "Oh, is the nurse here yet? I need some painkillers, my head is pounding." I looked to them, then looked around for the nurse, who wasn't there. "Did you guys forget to call one?" I asked. "Fine, I'll do it myself." They all just awkwardly looked at me. "Wait, I'll get the nurse." Adam stood in front of me blocking me from the door. "It's fine, no need to. I probably made everyone worry so much, just sit down, I can handle this." I found it suspicious how Adam was blocking me from leaving the room. "We're good, just lay back down." Grace grabbed my hand and tried guiding me back to the bed. "You guys are acting weird. I'm getting the nurse and that's final." I yanked my hand out from Grace's and slightly pushed Adam out my way. I opened the door and walked out the room. I walked a short distance towards the desk where the nurses worked. "Hey, can I get some painkillers please. My head is just not the one." I joked to lighten the mood in hopes it works in my favor to increase the chances of her saying yes. "How are you able to move around like that? You know what never mind. I'll go right now to inform the doctor and ask for some painkillers, you can go back to your room and wait." The nurse got up and walked away. "Oh okay, could've been a little nicer." I said to myself as I turned to head back to my room. "Hey, Jesus….how are you walking? I mean how are you." A Tall Hispanic man dressed in casual clothes asked. "Do I know you?" I gave him a concerned look. "What, you don't remember me?" He walked up closer to me. My headache intensified. "Listen, I'm sure you think you know me….but I know I don't know you. This is the first time I'm seeing you." I said as I crossed my arms. "Wait you really don't remember me?" The man walked closer to me and stretched out his hand. "Sir, that's not how you pick up girls. At least wait till they're out of the hospital." I pushed his hand away and walked back to my room. My friends were all laughing and in a good mood. The uncomfortable awkwardness that I woke to was gone. "Something good happen?" I asked as I smiled. "You, you're just awesome." Jake got up and hugged me. I hugged him back, I don't remember why we never hugged before. Wait did we hug before? Oh well, it doesn't matter. "Group hug!" Sarah called out. It was sudden but I loved it. We started laughing for no reason what's so ever. "Do you at least remember that you're our boss?" Janice said while being the first to untangle herself from the group hug. "Of course," I paused for a minute to recollect my thoughts. "What are you guys hiding from me?" I squinted as I looked at each and everyone of them suspiciously. "Nothing at all. So do you remember that you had finally decided to give me a chance?" Adam pushed everyone else off of me. "Wait….SERIOUSLY!" Sarah and Jake said simultaneously. "When were you planning on telling us the good news?" Janice asked as she picked up her phone. "Um….Did I really?" I asked, even more confused than the time that random stranger tried to hit on me. "Damn, you finally got the chance." Grace sighed. Everyone carried dejected faces on them. As if they all received bad news. "Welp, now I gotta take back my words. Hopefully she didn't read it yet." Janice said as she tapped on her phone. "Who are you texting? Is that person important?" My curiosity peaked. "Oh it's just Julie, she's been wanting to know about how you're doing for awhile now. I had told her that you're in the hospital." Janice put down her phone and took out a water bottle from her purse. "Who's Julie, and why does she want to know about me?" I was getting more and more confused. Adam sat me down on the bed as he tried to find the right words to say. I studied the faces of everyone. They all looked worried. Why? The door swung open and in came a man with a long white lab coat and 2 nurses. "Okay, how's the patient?" The man said as he looked down at some papers in a folder. "Doctor, she doesn't remember people and some recent events." Adam said moving away so the doctor can get a good look at me. "Okay, sweetie, can you answer some questions for me?" the doctor looked at me as he handed the folder to one of the nurses. "Sure," I said ready to get this over with. "What's your name?" The doctor paused and waited for me to answer. "Elizabeth Stone" I answered thinking that I might've really forgotten something important. "Okay, good. How old are you?" "I'm 26." "Wow so young." Sarah broke out of the silence that only clung to them. "Shhh." Janice tugged on her arm. "You're doing great, can you tell me who these fine people are?" I felt the encouragement the doctor was giving to me. "Adam, a new employee at my company. Janice, Jake, Grace, and Sarah, they're long time employees. They are all my friends as well." I smiled feeling sure of myself. "Good, good ok ju-" "No, not good, good. We are more than just friends. She doesn't remember that." Adam cut the doctor off. "Yeah, we know of their relationship." Janice butted in. "Oh I see, ok is there anything else that feels off?" The doctor asked me. "Well, besides that….I have a really bad headache. Some painkillers should do the trick." I tried to keep a positive attitude. "Yes, I was informed of your request. Unfortunately, because you are needed for another check up. Putting you on medication will have to wait." The doctor said as he turned back to the nurses. "Have her back on the IV, let her rest for a couple as well." the doctor says as he leaves the room. The nurses take everyone out of the room and comes back in to stick needles in my arm. "I thought I shouldn't be medicated?" I taunt. They laughed a bit. "Yes, but this is to help our machine get a better image of you. Plus you need to stay hydrated." One of them explains. "Why was it taken out of me in the first place?" I was genuinely confused. "The doctor saw how you were over hydrated and told us to stop the flow first. Before you go to sleep make sure you use the bathroom." She said as she finished hooking me to the IV. The nurse then got up and walked out of the room. I was alone. I wonder how important this Julie person was, ever since I heard her name my headache became more bearable. Could she be….my lover? No, then that would make Adam a liar. I knew he always liked me, but was I really sure I wanted to enter another relationship? Huh, another? What was the first? Am I still a virgin? Could I really be missing some memories? Just who was that Hispanic man from before? Maybe I did know him? I got up and walked out of my room. Looking for that Hispanic man. I was able to ask around about the guest and where they usually stay. "They're downstairs, visiting hours are almost over. Did you want to see someone?" A male nurse asked. "Yes, but I forgot his name, do you mind if I go down there to see if he's still around?" I crossed my heart and prayed that he agreed. "Alright, but I'll have to come with you." He said as he guided me to the elevators. We went down to a wide lobby, there I saw the gang and the Hispanic man talking. He must definitely be someone I knew, otherwise he wouldn't be talking to them. I walked up to them and tapped on his shoulders. "Hey I just wanted to get your name." I said a little apologetic that I forgot him. "So you really did forget me. I'm your boyfriend, Anthony Vazques." Anthony stood up and gave me a hug. I have a boyfriend? But I remember sharing some kisses with Adam. Was I cheating on him? In that case…."We're over." I said pushing him off of me. "I like someone else. I'm sorry, but I don't even remember you. I'm sure you were a good boyfriend." I tapped him on the shoulder to try not to hurt him so much. "What?" Anthony said as he started getting angry. "Even when she loses her memory of how much a scumbag you are. You still don't have a second chance. It's settled, never see her again." Adam got up and pushed Anthony away. Jake got up and made sure Anthony wouldn't react. "Trying to make yourself look like a good guy wont work with us. She wouldn't have fainted if you were someone good." Janice stood up and walked to my side. "This is for hugging her like you never did anything wrong." Sarah got up and slapped Anthony square across the face. Grace rushed to Sarah to hold her back from trying to hit him again. The nurse rushed to Sarah and put her in a lock. "I'm not gonna hit him again. I won't do it I promise." She struggled to break free. "That's not right. I got injured for trying to be the best boyfriend she could ever have? The fuck is wrong with you people?" Jake must've lost his cool, because not a second went by for him to punch Anthony straight in the face. The nurse let go of Sarah and quickly detained Jake. "If you guys want to fight, please fight outside of the hospital." The nurse said, struggling to keep Jake locked in his arms. "Fight! No we're gonna jump this asshole if he ever gets close to Lizzy again." Sarah butted in while rushing in to get another hit. Grace stopped her in her tracks. "Oh come on! You know I wasn't gonna do anything. I just want to make his bruises look even." Sarah pleaded. I laughed a bit as I saw this site. Adam kissed me on the forehead and sat me down. "You never have to worry about him ever again." He said. My memories flushed into my mind. I remember who Anthony is, and even Julie. So that asshole tried to take advantage of the moment. "Adam, thank you for already being the best boyfriend a girl could ever ask for." I smiled at him. "You remember? Hey guys, she remembers!" Adam jumps up and hugs Janice. "Guys" He pauses "She remembers!" Adam was happy and he wasn't gonna let anything get in the way of that. Even when the group and him got kicked out of the hospital. I giggled a bit thankful that my friends are the way they are. "You." The nurse pointed at me. "If you want to have visitors make sure they behave themselves." He brought me back up to my room angry the whole time. "I remember, you big dummy." I giggled to myself as I slowly drifted off to sleep.