Little Dove | Daniel Hayward

19.

I hate darkness. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because being able to see gives me a sense of control. And the darkness takes away that control.

The first thing I feel before I open my eyes is soft bedsheets. They're too soft to be mine.

I hear a voice. Multiple voices. They belong to a range of different people. My dad, Alex, Hayley, Louis and Daniel.

After what feels like an eternity, I open my eyes. Everything blurs at first, but my vision quickly focuses.

I'm must be in the girls' dorms, but not on my bed. I think it's Brooke's.

"Lexi!" My eyes glance towards the direction of the voice. Hayley is the first one to notice me. She rushes towards me and I'm soon strangled in her embrace.

Alex and dad follow suit, thanking God for my wellness. I see Daniel and Brooke standing beside the bed, accompanied by Louis and the school's nurse.

I take in my surroundings. The dorm looks like a mess. There's dust, furniture and pieces of clothes everywhere.

A sudden ache hits my head, making me groan. Everyone flinches with worry, but I shrug them off.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, rubbing my head to find a large bandage on it.

"You just woke up from losing consciousness and you ask where everyone is?" Daniel huffs, as if amused.

I shrug, "curiousity killed the cat, I suppose."

"It sure did," Hayley says. "Apparently a lose ceiling panel fell and hit you pretty hard. You have to go home for the night so dad can make sure you're not concussed."

I nod and look at dad, who's holding my hand. His face is contorted with concern and the bags under his eyes seem even darker.

"Why didn't you go under a doorframe or something?" Alex asks, narrowing his eyes.

I look at Daniel and find him smirking. My eyes return to Alex's face and I try to fight the smirk that's tugging on my lips. "It's hard to think when everything around you is shaking aggressively."

Alex rolls his eyes with a scoff. "Even when you're half dead you still find a way to be sarcastic."

I shrug, "what can I say? It runs in the family."

At least twenty minutes pass before Louis pulls my dad aside to discuss how long I'll be staying at home for. Just for a night or two.

Sophie enters the dorms and immediately rushes over to me, flinging her arms around me. "I'm so glad you're okay. Don't ever scare me like that again."

I chuckle and return her suffocating embrace. "I promise I won't." I pull away and look at Daniel, "thank you."

He nods, "anytime. Next time you lose consciousness just give me a call and I'll come to your rescue."

"Will do."

Dad finishes his discussion with Louis and walks over to me. "You ready to hit the road, sweetheart?"

"Yep. Just let me pack some stuff," I say, hoisting myself off the bed.

...

The next morning I find myself in the kitchen, sitting on the counter and staring at the wall as my dad grabs the blueberries from the fridge.

"Lexi, watch the pancakes!" He says, pointing towards the frying pan.

I hop off the counter and face the cooker, flipping over the half-burned pancake.