Simple as Hello

Part One

"Oh, sorry. Hello."

He nods, "And..."

"And?" I am lost.

"What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Mae."

"Like the month?" He crosses his arms.

"No, like M-A-E." I say quietly.

"I like it. What about your middle name?" Why is he asking all of these questions?

"Mae Eloise."

"That flows pretty well, I like that too."

"Well, uh, thank you."

For some reason, my heart is beating so fast. It's as if I can't exactly catch my breath. I grab my water from the counter I have been sitting by and take another long sip, but this only worsens the situation. I attempt to grab the island but my hand sorta slips, and he grabs it for me. It's shaking and won't stop. He doesn't say anything, just stands there, gripping around my fingers. Suddenly, my eyes feel as if they're taped to my face and I can't open them. The floor gets closer each time I lift them up with what seems like all of my strength. I am being guided towards what I believe is the couch but I don't make it before falling to the ground, with blackness surrounding me. The last words I hear are, "dude, catch her!" and then a thud to the ground.

I wake up in some room, with loud music still pounding through the thin paper walls. My head is resting on a velvet red pillow and my knees bent up. I begin to remember what happened, however long ago I passed out. My imagination begins to wander to why I fainted. Was I dehydrated? No, I was drinking water. Was I nervous? Yeah, that guy was talking to me, but not nervous enough to pass out. Before I can think of another idea, he walks in.

"Ah, thank goodness you're okay. I was thinking I was gonna have to call 9-11 or something. Geez, you scared me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"You seriously apologize so much."

"Sorry?" I say kind of grinning.

He gives me a look and continues on, "Anyways, I think someone spiked your drink. That seriously sucks."

"Someone spiked my water?" I realize how lame I sound as soon as the words come out.

"Yeah," he laughs, "I'm guessing you don't drink alcohol much?"

"I've seen its affects, so, uh, no."

"Yeah me either. I don't mess with that stuff much for lots of reasons." After saying this he kind of goes quiet for a few moments. For some reason, the silence isn't awkward.

I try to stand up, grabbing the side of the bed frame and automatically see stars from getting up too quickly. He rushes over, grabbing my hand again. Steady. Then he has me sit back down, and joins me on the bed.

"Maybe you should just stay on the bed for a little longer. I did try to hold you up earlier, but you sorta, um, hit your head." I reach up, touching where my head is throbbing. Ouch. "Uh," he continues, "if you think you need to, I could like, drive you to the hospital." He seems so nervous saying this.

"Oh, ya know, I'm totally okay. Thanks for being there when I fell, literally. That was real nice."

"Yeah, sure thing. We were getting to know each other but then you just had to go and pass out on me."

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Mae, I'm joking with ya. No worries." How he says my name practically stops my heart.

"Oh yeah, I was explaining my name. What's yours?" You would think that it's an awkward situation, us just sitting in a random person's room, who we don't know, talking to someone we just met, right after I just fell and hit my head, but, for some odd reason, it's not.

"The name's Calvin." I repeat it in my head, but can't say it the same as him. He has a way of saying words with meaning and it envelops my whole mind, kind of leaving me starstruck.