Everly
"Can I get a water please? Extra ice!" I add, asking the bartender. He nods and walks to grab my cup as I wait for my drink.
Avery and I had at least 2 bottles of wine and she insisted on taking shots right before we left. I knew after the third shot I definitely was heading over the line of being just buzzed. Now I can feel my last shot taking over and pulling me into a drunken state. Dancing and being surrounded by bodies had me work up a sweat.
"Here you go beautiful ." The bartender slides my water over.
His voice sounds familiar but that could just be the alcohol messing with me.
I look up to thank him. He's not the bartender I thought I just ordered from maybe the other one went on a break. He's wearing a hat with the club logo on it's shadowing his face making it hard to see him but his voice sounds eerily familiar.
I take a sip of my water hoping to cool me down. I look up from my glass seeing blue eyes staring at me. Something in the pit of my stomach doesn't feel right. I shy away wanting to get back to our group. Cohen will get worried if I take much longer. I gulp the drink down and set the glass back down on the wooden counter.I stand up from my chair and my foot wobblers making me stumble. I guess I am more drunk than I thought. I feel a large hand grasp my elbow catching me before I face plant.
"Thank you, that could've been really embarrassing." I giggle as I look up to see my "hero".
"No problem beautiful. But let's go outside so you can sober up. Don't want one of these bouncers seeing you." I look up into the blue eyes of the bartender that handed my drink.
Why does he sound so familiar?
"No, it's okay I need to get back to my friends they're probably getting worried." I try walking into the direction of the group.
I stumble once again and his hand wraps around my elbow harder. I try pushing it off and telling him to let go but it seems like my words are stuck in my throat and won't come outs of my mouth or if they are they're jumbled. He doesn't listen and starts to pull me away.
I can barely keep my eyes open making it impossible to watch where I'm going. With every step I take blackness is creeping in. It feels like time is going by so fast but yet so slow. My limps feel as if they each weigh a ton and my legs are rooted to the floor. The darkness comes in further and the last thing I remember is cool air on my face and the breath of a stranger in my ear.
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Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
I pry my eyes open adjusting to the bright room. I look around the white sterile room realizing I'm in a hospital bed. My head feels foggy and all I can remember was leaving Cohen to get water after we danced. I look to my left and see dark brown hair cascade over the hospital sheet and my hand interlocked with Cohen's.
I squeeze his hand not sure if I can talk loud since my throat feels scratchy and soar.
I squeeze his hand again to wake up the beautiful sleeping man beside me. I could watch him forever but I need to know why I'm here. Did I over do it on the alcohol? Even though I slowed down drinking. Or did I fall? I can't for the life of me remember.
I squeeze harder and move my body slightly finally waking him up. His head snaps up and his eyes go from sleepy to wide within seconds.
"Baby! You're awake! Let me get the doctor!"
He jumps from his chair and runs out the room. A few seconds later a small older woman in dark blue scrubs and a white jacket walks in with Cohen right behind her.
" Hello Ms. Tanner I'm Dr.Marrero your doctor. How are you feeling?" She asks while holding what looks to be my chart.
"I feel okay. My head feels a little foggy but that's about it. Nothing really hurts." I tell her.
Cohen makes his way back into the chair he was sitting in and takes my hand into his slowly rubbing circles on the top of my hand.
"I'm glad you're feeling okay. Do you remember anything from last night?" She questions her face is straight giving nothing away of what she must already know.
"Ummm... I remember leaving my friends on the dance floor to get water to sober up and cool off." My eyebrows furrow trying to remember anything else but I'm coming up short. Dr.Marrero comes closer to the end of my bed looking at me.
"Do you mind if we speak alone? It won't take long." She looks over to Cohen and he tightens his hand around mine.
"If it's okay with you I would like him to stay." I ask not wanting his comfort to leave. I have a bad feeling that she's about to tell me something horrible.
She looks back at my chart and looks back to me. Her face showing a little sadness making me worry even more.
"You came into the ER last night unconscious. After a few test we found Rohypnol in your system. It's a date-rape drug that can be dissolved in liquids."
"Oh my god." I clasp my free hand over my mouth feeling tears in my eyes.
"If I was unconscious how did I get here? Who found me?" I question looking between the doctor and Cohen.
"I'm going to step outside for just a moment so he can explain to you since he was there. When you're done I'll come back and we can talk some more. There's still other test we need to do."She excuses herself.
My heart is beating so fast and I feel like I'm about to throw up. I look over to Cohen needing answers. He looks up at me and takes my other hand in his.
"You left to the bar to get water. I tried keeping an eye on you but there were too many people for me to see you. I waited for you for one song and when it was done Avery, Liam and the guys walked back over to me . I asked if they seen you just in case I missed you. They all said no and I started to panic. I knew it shouldn't have taken you so long so me, Bret and Nate went looking for you. Ave and Liam stayed at the table to catch you if you came back. We asked the bartender if he remembered seeing you but he said no and so we looked in the bathrooms and you still weren't there. We started to walk outside to see if you just needed some air but you still weren't there until.." he takes a deep breath making me tense even more.
"We heard you screaming. It was muffled but we heard you. We ran around the back side of the club where there was a darken alley. We seen a man hovering over you while you were laying on the ground behind an old dumpster. The fucker must've heard us coming and took off leaving you on the ground. You're hands and feet were taped together and..."
I feel like I'm about to pass out. I look at my wrist and see the slight red marks from where the tape had been.
"And What Cohen?" I'm afraid of what else he might say but I take a deep breath bracing myself for what else he's about to say.
" I'm so sorry Ev. I should've never let you go by yourself. If I would've been with you none of this would've happened." I see tears in his eyes.
"What happened?"The words tumble out of my mouth. I need to know. Pleas God tell me he's not about to say it. Please.
He takes a deep breath. "Your dress was pulled up to your waist and your panties were ripped laying beside you. I'm not sure if he touched you and I pray to God he didn't." His voice is shaky trying to hold back tears.
I pull him onto the bed with me and bury my head in his neck. I'm not sure what to think. This can't be happening.Who would do something like this?
"It's not your fault Cohen. If it wasn't for you who knows what could've happened." I try to reassure him trying to suppress my sob.
Silence fills the room and I'm not too sure how long we stay wrapped into each other. There's a knock on the door and Dr.Marrero and another woman walks in. She must be a nurse. She walks closer to the bed and I can see the sadness appear across her face.
"I'm incredibly sorry Ms.Tanner for what you have gone through. Now knowing the details I advise we do an examination in case you were sexually assaulted."
I nod my head wanting to get this over with as fast as I can.
"It will take about an two hours or so. Your friends can wait in the waiting room and as soon as your done he can come right back."
I look over at Cohen not wanting him to leave but knowing he has to. He brushes back a stray hair tucking it behind my ear and gives me a soft kiss on the cheek. He slowly gets up and leaves the room.
Two hours later I'm back in the room watching Fixer Upper. There's a soft knock at the door and then I see Cohen peek around the curtain.
"I got you food. You must be hungry." He sets down the TacoBell bag on the table beside me.
He hands me a taco and sits in the chair he was in earlier.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay. The results should be in soon. I'm still confused." I look down at my taco not really hungry but knowing I need something in my stomach.
He reaches his hand over and takes mine. "No matter what I'm here. We'll get through this together."
I give him a slight smile. I'm not sure what I would do without him.
We sit and eat and continue watching Fixer Upper. He doesn't understand why I would watch people fix up beat up homes and sale them but doesn't complain and watches it as well.
"Where's everyone at?" I feel horrible for ruining their night.
"They left when I left to get food. They were here all night worried but I told them I'd keep them updated. He says waving his phone around.
"I feel horrible for ruining their night. They should've been having fun not sitting in a hospital waiting room for me." I feel the tears threatening again.
"You didn't do anything Baby, stop worrying. They insisted on staying even after I told them they should go."
"Did anyone tell my parents?" I pray to god they didn't. I'm not sure if I can face them yet.
"I thought it should come from you and when you decided to." He brushes his large hand across my cheek making me lean forward into his comfort.
"Thank you for everything. I'm not sure what I would do with out you. I know it's only been a little while of knowing each other but I'm really grateful your here." I place my hand on his.
"There's no where else I'd rather be. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me otherwise."
Why couldn't I have found him a long time ago. Before Kyle.
Another hour goes by and Dr.Marrero comes in. She tells me all the test and exams came back clean and thank god I wasn't sexually assaulted. Relief floods over me Cohen made it just in time. She tells me I can go home in the morning and to follow up if I need anything else.
I scoot over to make room for Cohen wanting him closer to me. I lay my head on his chest as we watch Friends. He plays with me hair making my eyes slowly shut. He's my hero.