Baton Rouge.

Chapter 48 - Hell's Kitchen. [Part 2.]

Jionni was in complete shock. His mouth dropped and he started breathing heavily as he rushed up to Melissa, hugging her tightly and clutching her close to him. He continued to breathe heavily as tears shot out if his eyes in disbelief. She was up and awake, which is all he wanted. Confused, Melissa cracked a small smile and hugged him back, not understanding what was going on.

"What's..........what's going on...?" Melissa asked in a very weak tone.

Jionni was so happy that he couldn't speak. He buried his mouth and nose into her shoulder, closing his eyes and letting out some more tears. Tears of happiness, tears of joy, and tears of worry. Jionni looked back at Melissa, placing his hands on the sides of her face and taking it all in.

"Is you okay?" Jionni gasped.

"I feel a little sick....." Melissa mumbled. "What's going on?"

Jionni couldn't tell her about everything. Not at the moment. Still, he did want to tell her how she winded up at the hospital. Jionni sat down in the stool next to her bed, placing his tongue on the side of his mouth.

"Somebody poison'd you." Jionni murmured, scratching the back of his head. "Somebody placed sleepin' pills and rat poisonin' in yo' Gatorade."

Melissa scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, looking down.

"You mean......before the swim meet..?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah.."

Jionni couldn't even look Melissa in the eye. The guilt was twice as bad as it was before. Melissa scratched the back of her head, confused on everything.

"But.....how...?" Melissa murmured in her frail drugged tone, trying to think as hard as she can. "I...My juice always stay in my locker I......"

Jionni continued to look away as Melissa continued to try and think.

"Fucking psychos. I hate that fucking school." Melissa growled to herself, getting angry. "When I find out who did that shit I swear I'm gonna beat their ass. Or asses."

"Melissa..."

"No I'm serious! Somebody tried to KILL me?! What if I would've swam and drowned?" Melissa said in a sharp and angry tone. "That's just taking shit to the extreme!"

Jionni couldn't bear to look at Melissa anymore. He took a deep breath and got up to leave when Melissa slowly sat up.

"Wait, where are you going?" Melissa asked.

"I gotta go home." Jionni said in a low tone, turning around. "They closin' u-"

"No, stay here!" Melissa plead, coughing a little. "I don't wanna stay here by myself."

"Ion' thank dey'll let visitors stay-"

"No no! Let me ask the doctors." Melissa said in an extremely raspy tone. "Please!"

Ironically while they were having this conversation, Melissa's doctor walked in. Right away, she jumped back and gave Melissa a shocked look.

"You're awake?" The doctor gasped again.

"Huh?"

"We didn't think you would wake up, sweetheart! You've been in a coma for a week." The doctor smiled as she walked up to her. "You've made EXTREME progress!"

"Can my boyfriend sta-"

Melissa looked over at Jionni, fixing her sentence.

"Can my friend Jionni PLEASE stay the night?" Melissa plead. "I don't want to stay here alone and I really don't want to call my parents."