Damn, I Hate You

I was so lost when I awoke in the middle of God-knows-where. I looked around me. Something was familiar, something was bothersome. It was like beeping, constant and steady. In the dim light, it didn't take long for me to realize I was in a hospital bed.

I pressed the buzzar I was so used to by my bed. A nurse came in moments later. "Did you need something?" She asked, loud enough for me to know I was alone in this room.

"What am I doing here?" I asked. I had an idea. I just wanted to be certain before I got worked up over anything.

"You don't remember? You had a concussion. We thought you would be ok, but when your dad told us you had been in a fight, we decided to check and make sure. Good thing, too. You have three cracked ribs and a few pretty bad bruises. What were you fighting about that it turned out like that?" She asked. Something tells me she was used to seeing kids like me here.

"Over a girl. You know how it is." I said, smiling to show just how much I love her.

"What's her name?" the nurse asked politely.

"Jaimie. It's weird. I've known her since kinder, but up until this year, I hated her. I guess people change." I pondered as she listened to me.

"Yeah. That's what happens a lot. But she must've changed a lot for you to get into a fight like that." she mused.

"Nah, she's not the one who changed." I said a bit quietly. She looked at me for a moment. "When do you think I'll be able to leave?" I asked, suddenly remembering that I had school tomorrow.

"Well, you're pretty banged up, but I'd say by morning you should be fine." She said.

"Where's my dad?"

"In the waiting room. Oh, in fact, he can probably take you now. It's only nine thirty. You should be free to go." she thought and was about to rush out, "unless you'd prefer staying here for the night." She was challenging me. She knew damn well that there's no way in hell a kid like me could get that messed up in a fight without another kid in the next room.

"Well, I think I should leave only because I missed my first period yesterday, and I would hate to miss it two days in a row." I said back. He wouldn't do anything to me after I was in the hospital and had three cracked ribs. He wanted to control me, to hurt me; not kill me.

"Alright. I'll check and see." she said and walked out. I groaned in pain. Apparently they didn't believe in morphine here. I looked at my heart monitor. The steady beats bounced on the screen and hypnotized me.

"Well, the doc says it's probably best if you stay the night. Consider it a blessing that you don't have to go to school." she said.

"But then I don't get to see her." I blushed. Had I really just said that?

"Well, as long as you take it easy, you should be out of here around seven, make it to school by eight, and you can see her in passing period or something." She suggested. I think I like this nurse. She's very realistic.

"My dad might not be here to sign me out." I said quietly.

"Well, consider yourself lucky; you get to wheel yourself around a hospital all day. I'll bring you a wheelchair to raise hell if you can't get out of here." She promised.

"Thanks." I said. "Wait, where are my pants? Can I have my cell phone?" I asked, realizing I had taken Jaimie's number while we were talking earlier.

"Yeah, here." she said, going over to a bag that contained my stuff. Should I text her now or wait until the morning? I don't want to worry her, but I don't want her to feel bad if I don't show up tomorrow.

"You should text her in the morning." the nurse practically read my mind.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"I can read you little boys. You think you're so smart and so cool, but all us girls know how much you think about us and how much you care. Trust me, if you don't want her to worry, tell her in the morning. Then she won't lose any sleep and she can decide whether she wants to text you in class or come visit you and ditch." she smiled slyly.

"You're a smart one." I smirked at her.

"And you're a cute one." She said, ruffling my hair. "Just tell me something."

"Sure, what's up?" I asked.

"Who was this alleged fight with?" She was staring me down. She knew damn well what was going on.

I sighed, quietly so it wouldn't be painfully obvious that I was lying. "Just some jerk ex of hers." She smiled at me, a worried look in her eyes, but still a sweet, inviting smile on her lips.

"Alright. Get some rest, kiddo. It's past your bedtime." and with that, she was gone.