Seize the Day

Cadey opened her eyes to be greeted with bright lights and white walls. She freaked for a moment until she realized that it was just a hospital. She was in the hospital.

It took her another moment to remember exactly why she was here. She racked her brain for answers, but got nothing. The last thing she remembered was Lacey coming into Brandon and Ben’s dorm room, and her being pinned under Ben. Everything else was a blur.

Lacey…

Cadey shot up only to find herself attached to various wires and hooked up to a machine, beeping obnoxiously in her ear. Her left shoulder was wrapped and her left knee in a brace. She caught movement in the corner of her eye and glanced in that direction.

“Hey! Guys! She’s awake! Again!”

Again? Cadey didn’t remember ever being awake before.

She sat patiently as her vision focused and she saw Zacky standing near the door of the small room, waving his arm outside of the door. She didn’t understand what he was trying to do.

Lacey came running into the room, pain evident on her face as she made her way over to the bed. She held Cadey tightly, causing both of them even more pain, though Lacey refused to let go. She wouldn’t let Cadey slip away ever again.

“What am I doing here? What’s wrong with me?” Cadey asked in a panicked voice. She spotted Johnny behind Lacey while Zacky remained by the door. She was still wondering what he was doing.

“You got a concussion, Cade. Why do you keep asking that?” Lacey asked, slight worry audible in her tone.

“That’s what people with concussions do, Lace,” Johnny replied, rubbing his hands along Lacey’s arms.

“A concussion?” Cadey frowned.

Didn’t that mean she had hit her head? What had happened in that room?

Cadey felt a pang in her head and suddenly was reminded of a tall, lanky guy. Her own voice rung in her head, calling his name.

“Jimmy?” she spoke quietly, more to herself than anyone else.

“Are you wondering where he is?” Zacky asked, his head turning to face her.

She tried to nod, but stopped when she felt the pain, “Yeah.”

“Jimmy! Come on! She wants you!”

Matt and Brian were just making their way into the room when Jimmy came rushing in, shoving the other two out of the way and nearly sending Brian, who crashed into Zacky, onto the floor.

Jimmy looked at her and smiled, “You rang, princess?”

Cadey watched him blankly, unsure of what to say. So many things were running through her mind that she couldn’t think straight. She didn’t know what happened, or why she was in the hospital, or why she felt the need to call Jimmy. She wanted him to hold her and tell her it would all be okay. She didn’t understand her feelings and it was making her angry.

“I’ll go get the nurse,” Brian said, giving Cadey a sympathetic look before he left.

“What happened?” Cadey asked Lacey.

“When?”

“At…the dorms?”

Lacey paled, which only worsened Cadey’s concern. Was it something bad?

Well obviously if she was in the hospital…

Lacey opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She didn’t want to have to live through it all again, but if Cadey had to know…

Johnny gently led her out of the room, flashing Cadey a small smile, “She’ll talk to you later, okay?”

Cadey tried to nod, but remembered she couldn’t and responded, “Yeah.”

Jimmy sat down on the edge of the bed, causing it to dip and Cadey to tilt to her left side, wincing slightly but getting comfortably easily by resting her weight on Jimmy. He laughed and she smiled. She liked it when he laughed.

His expression turned serious, “So, you really don’t remember what happened?”

Cadey pursed her lips together and tried hard to think, but all she got was a fuzzy image of blood. She cringed.

“You okay?” Jimmy asked. He brushed a stray piece of hair off of her face.

She blinked, “I don’t remember anything. Just blood and…calling for you?”

Jimmy scratched his head, “The blood I get, but Lacey never said you called for me. She said you didn’t make any noise at all.”

“I don’t understand! Nothing makes sense to me!” Cadey cried, exasperated. Tears of frustration began to work their way out of the corner of her eyes.

Matt tapped Zacky on the shoulder, gesturing towards the door. Zacky cast one last, long look in Cadey’s direction and gave her a smile before nodding at Matt. The two walked out of the door, stopping Brian and the nurse from entering.

“Just leave them alone right now,” Matt said, his hand on Brian’s shoulder, “the nurse can go in after a little while.”

Zacky frowned, “It just felt like a private moment. Give them a few minutes.”

The nurse nodded in understanding and waiting outside with the other guys and Lacey, who was oddly silent.

“I’m sorry. I really am. I don’t know how to help you…I have no idea what happened either.”

Cadey frowned, not even trying to stop her tears, “It’s not your fault. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten upset.”

Jimmy shook his head, “No, you have a reason to be upset. I know that much.”

Cadey rested her head back on the pillow and smiled at Jimmy sadly, finding it hard to see him in detail through her tears.

“I’m sorry you have to go through all this.”

Jimmy looked confused, “All of what?”

Cadey lifted up one of her arms and gestured to the hospital and herself, “Everything. I’m sorry you had to get involved in my problems. And Lacey’s too.”

Jimmy shrugged, “It’s fine. I don’t mind at all.”

“I come with a lot of baggage,” Cadey stated.

Jimmy had an amused look on his face, “You? What about me? I’m a rock star who tours across the country for months on end. Not to mention my past isn’t exactly squeaky clean.”

Cadey laughed softly, “We’re talking as if we’re a couple.”

Jimmy stood up off the bed and turned to face Cadey, a thoughtful look on his face. It was as if there was a conflicting battle going on in his head.

“Do you want to be?”

Cadey licked across her lips, unsure of how to answer. Her head felt like someone was drilling it with a jackhammer from the inside and her heart was racing. She couldn’t think coherently, especially when Jimmy started leaning closer to her. Blue eyes met blue and Cadey managed to finally get something audible out of her vocal cords.

“I would love to.”