BRICK by BRICK

chapter 4

It's dark. Everything is dark. I can't feel my legs, my arms. I slowly open my weary eyes, I'm in a room. It's a small room. The walls have no special designs. It's very warm in here. What is this place.

I look beside me and I see..I see Xiad. Xiad? No it's probably my drowsiness speaking. I feel drowsy. Really drowsy.
"Res?, Thank God you're awake!!!", I hear someone shout out excitedly. I guess I wasn't dreaming at all. I still haven't figured out where I am. "Where...am...I?", I ask Xiad softly, my throat is sore. "You had an accident while out gallivanting with that PUNK!", Xiad yells out uncontrollably but quickly returns to his senses. " I'm.. im sorry, he just makes me soooooooo mad.", Xiad apologises while emphasizing on the "so".  Wait, did he just say accident? "You're in a hospital but you'll be fine Res, I promise." Xiad adds, this time sounding more calm than before. "Mmmoo...", I begin.  "Your mom? She was here earlier, she just left to freshen up a bit. Her and Ben have been sleeping here at the hospital since last week. Don't worry though, I didn't tell them who you were with when you crashed, I just said you and I were on "my" bike and I lost focus for a minute and we crashed, somehow I managed to convince my mom to collaborate to me having a bike in order to deceive your parents. Your dad was a bit mad when I explained it to him but I think he's calmed down a bit. I have a feeling he doesn't trust me fully yet...if only he knew I'M not the "bad influence" here."  Xiad explains. I almost don't hear a word. Everything he's saying is just too much to digest.

Did he just say that my mom and Ben slept here for a whole week? No, I probably didn't hear him right. I'm probably still dizzy from the medication, I'm sure, they've been giving me here in the hospital. He also says he covered for me. Whatever. I didn't ask him to. I still need him to stick to his story though. The last thing I want is to be sent to a boarding school. "Xiad...where's.. where's Chris?", I ask Xiad. "He's in a coma. He was badly injured, a strange woman brought you and him to the hospital and they called the school since you were still in your uniform. Luckily they called my mom and she told me about it. I begged her not to inform the principal as you'd get into trouble. You're still in trouble for the test you missed though...oh and for skipping school and for....", Xiad starts blabbering on and on. I hate how he keeps on reminding me of my mistakes. He's right though...I've messed up, big time. Right now Chris is the least of my worries..he's the reason I got into this mess. I hope he's okay though."Okay..okay!! I get it... I messed up." I reply, my voice not as loud as I intended it to be. My throat is still sore. "Ouchh", a mean escapes my lips as I attempt to sit up on the little hospital bed. My ribs..they're painful. The pain in my left hand arm is worse. I almost don't notice the cast on my arm..it must be broken, that explains the pain. "Take it easy, take it easy", Xiad advises as he helps me sit up on the little bed. He's still as cute as ever. I have to admit..seeing him does make my pain ease a little. I don't want it to but it does. "Thank you.. you know for covering up for me", I say. "It's no big deal. Just know you owe me." Xiad replies with a smile. He blinks his eye in a playful way. I hope he isn't talking about what I think he's talking about. Boys like him are only after one thing.
Before I say anything, my mom walks in.

"Oh, sweety! I'm glad you're awake. We've been worried sick about you." My mom says with a huge smile and teary eyes. Must be tears of joy? She quickly walks up to my small bed and hugs me affectionately..too affectionately. "Ouch", I moan. Her hug is too tight and my body is still in pain. "I'm so sorry, I'm just so excited to see you're okay. It's all thanks to Xiad. If he hadn't brought you to the hospital as soon as it happened then..then I don't know what I'd do." My mom sobs. Xiad must look like a hero in their eyes right now. My mom turns to Xiad. "Honey, I think you should go home and rest..you've been here the whole night, your mom must be worried sick about you. Thank you so much for being here for Res." My mom says to Xiad. The whole night? Xiad? "It's the least I could do Mrs Jacobs. It is my fault that your daughter is in this state after all", Xiad replies to my mom. Xiad took the fall for something Chris and I did. He's such a nice guy. He's still a distraction though.
"Goodbye Res, see you tonight", Xiad says while getting up from the chair next to the bed. He kisses my forehead and heads for the door. His lips felt so nice on my skin. His breath is warm too. My mom tells me I'll be getting discharged later today. That's good news. I really can't wait to dig into some vanilla ice cream. My mom says her neverending goodbyes and after several attempts of convincing her I'm okay, she finally leaves. I'm alone now and I start to think about the rebellious things I've been doing ever since I started at my new school. This isn't me. Bunking school, racing, missing tests. I'm not sure I like this person I'm becoming but I have to keep up this rebellious act if I want to survive. I keep on reminiscing of all the mischievous things I've done just until I doze off.