From Silence

Chapter 1

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~Alex's POV~

I lay on the ground, cradling my head in my hands, my harness crushing my already brittle collarbones. The sun's rays beat down the side of my face. I could hear someone running towards me. Then everything went dark.

I wake up to the side of my head, numb and cold. The bright room blinding me, making my head throb. I shiver and am barely able make out the two faces in front of me.

"Alex?" That voice was too familiar. God knows how many times the school nurse has seen me this season because I keep getting injured.

"Y-yeah?"

"How are you feeling? "

"The lights are hurting my eyes..." I manage to mumble.

"I'm sorry I hit you...I didn't realize how close you were," says someone sheepishly. I've heard this guy's voice before.

"I-it's okay...don't worry...I probably wasn't on my dot anyway haha," I say to the stranger.

"Hey Alex, your mom said she can't leave work right now so I'm afraid you're going to have to stay here until she can get you."

"Oh okay...sorry you have to stay later."

"Can someone else take her home?" The mysterious voice asks, almost sounding hopeful.

"Well...technically no...but it is almost seven o'clock and there's school tomorrow."

"I could drive her home."

Hold up. "I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude but I don't know who you are--or at least I can't tell who you are because everything's blurry," I say in a panic.

"It's okay--I wouldn't expect you to remember me."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to--"

"Don't worry about it. I'm Chase."

"Chase..." I've heard that name.

"Yup that's me."

"Sorry about that..."

"Nah no worries aha...but would you like me to drive you home?"

"You really don't have to--" the nurse shot me a look that said "just let him take you home--" "unless you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all."

"Oh...uh...thanks. Can I sit for a little bit more though? Everything's still kind of blurry."

"Sure," both the nurse and Chase reply.

Ten minutes later I'm hobbling to Chase's car. It sucks that the parking structure is on the other side of campus though. What would have been a five minute walk turns into ten because I keep refusing his help.

He opens the door for me as I near his car. "Here," he says handing me his phone, "just put in your address." I punch my address into Google Maps and hand him his phone back. "Ready to go?"

"Mhm."

It's only the middle of September but the gusts of wind making its way through the cracked windows make my face pale and my cheeks pink.

"Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine it's just a little cold," I lie as my body begins to shake every so slightly.

I try sitting on my hands and warming my cheeks with the backs of my hands to stay warm but I still feel frozen. As we pull up to an intersection he reaches for something in his back seat.

"Here," he says tossing me a windbreaker. "It won't do much but it's all I have."

************************************

I don't remember falling asleep but an hour has passed and we're parked outside my house.

"Alex?" I hear, my head still kind of cloudy.

"Hm...?" I sit up and stretch my cramped legs.

"We're at your house."

I peer outside and see the small white house illuminated by the streetlight. I sigh and bury my head into his jacket.

"You good...?" Chase asks as he turns down the radio.

"I guess..."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know...sorry...I'm fine..." I clutch his jacket in one hand and grab my duffel bag with the other. "Thanks for the ride," I mumble as I exit his car.

"Yeah...no problem..." he says just as I slam his door shut and sprint to my front door.

I throw my water bottle on the counter and head to the bathroom.

"God I look like shit," I say to my reflection as the bruise on head turns a deep purple. I step into the shower and attempt to wash away all the misery from today.

As I open the bathroom door, a crisp breeze flies through the window. I look at the clothes dumped on the floor and pick up his jacket. I doubt he would mind if I were to wear it a little more, right? I slip it on and zip it up to my neck. It fit perfectly except the arms were too long. I crash onto my bed and cuddle my Dumbo as all the pain in my legs seep into the mattress.