"She's my daughter, why is she still unresponsive? You must have some more answers than that!" A woman's voice echoes round the very bright room as my eyes adjust to my surroundings. Blinking more I look down to my legs to be blessed with blankets and a funny smell hits my nostrils, we're at the hospital.
Panic rushes over me as I struggle to remember why and how, "Help!" I scream, the nurse rushes into the room followed by a very familiar face, my mother. "Aliyah!" She takes a seat on the chair beside my bed and pushes the hair back from my clearly distressed face, I wince before lifting my hand to touch my forehead, a bandage is in the area where the pain is, I frown "W-What?" She looks at me sympathetically.
"You were attacked Ms. Michaelson." The nurse comments, adjusting any of the machines beside my bed, "W-What?" I repeat, looking at my mother who has a prominent frown. "Don't worry, you're okay." She grabs my hand, "By who?" I breath, struggling to find my voice from my dry throat. "That's what the police are trying to figure out hunny, they've been here since it happened." She gestures towards the two officers standing outside the hospital room. "When did this happen?" I frown, the frustration from not remembering starting to hit me. "Monday hun, it's Thursday." I let out a sob, tears falling from my eyes as my memory fails to reason with me.
"Shh.." my mum stands to her feet to wrap her arms around me, rocking me from side to side I keep my eyes peeled on the room door, realisation beginning to hit me. "Colby" I blurt out, she takes a seat back in her chair looking at me confused, "Is Colby here?" I ask, wiping the tears from my face.
"Who?" She asks, I attempt to stand up but the nurse asks me to remain in bed just in case my concussion hasn't come around, I nod and sit back against the pillows. "Nobody has been here Ali, just a girl with blonde hair, Rose?" "Yeah she's my roommate.." I comment, "So he didn't come?" I frown more, anger starting to build back up within me.
"Do you think he did this?" She points towards the bandage on my head, I shake my head, "I don't remember..no.." my breathing slows as I sink back. Trying to retrace my steps in my head. "Who is he?"she asks, I sigh. "My boyfriend." I clear my throat and she nods, sitting back a little. I know my mum was always the first person I'd go to about little crushes or anything, she was like my best friend. I guess I really have lost touch with home.
"Where's dad?" I ask, fiddling with my gown. "He couldn't come..I jumped on a flight as soon as the cops called but..The twins." I nod, completely understanding.
"Okay, Aliyah. You've enquired quite the bump on your head. Put you into ICU for a few days as you're aware..The cops would really like to figure out what happened to you by explaining how you were found and where you were seen beforehand. I know this is a lot to take in but reason with them, ok?" The nurse explains the situation to me and I nod slowly, my mum grabs my hand as the nurse opens the door to the officers who stand at the bottom of my bed, one with a notepad in hand.
"Ms. Michaelson, I'm Officer Rhodes with the Los Angeles Police Department, this is Officer Smith. We'd like to ask you some questions regarding the situation on Monday." The officer explains, I clear my throat as I nod. "Sure."
"A student found you a few yards outside the library on UCLA campus, you were unconscious and didn't occupy any items, phone, purse." He explains, my frown remains on my face. "From what we've gathered from your roommate and the librarian, You were studying at the library for several hours, the librarian was the last to speak to you that evening, asking you if you would like anything she left you to finish off before closing." He takes a moment to let me retrace in my head. Things start to fit in as I recall Professor Cowden giving me the thumbs up to a different project, I explain that was what I was doing at the library and they note it.
"The librarian also mentioned that your boyfriend was bringing you dinner but didn't show..." I gulp, "Yeah, I figured he was busy." My mum squeezes my hand. "Ms. Michaelson, is it possible your boyfriend could have done this?" He bluntly asks, I scoff in disbelief. "No.." I shake my head.
"Okay..Well if you can retrace those steps Aliyah, it could really help the investigation. We would really like to speak to your boyfriend though, he hasn't been here.." I nod. I do feel a bit weird about them going to him now that I know he hasn't been here at all, he must know this happened. I'm truly devastated he didn't visit.. "His name is Cole Brock, mainly known as Colby Brock. He attends UCLA, but barely. Works at the burger shack at the skatepark near the campus. Stays on campus.." I tell them. They note it down before heading off.
The emotion gets too much for me so I request to be left alone, closing my eyes I attempt to think back to the evening but a blissful sleep comes over me instead.