Keep the Change, You Filthy Animal

JACK

I ran through the airport just making my flight, I was worried, okay more than that I was sick the second after I hung up from Adam, that cunt hit my girlfriend and boy was he going to get what was coming to him, I can’t believe he did it, but I’m more shocked at me here? Of all places, going to see her, I never did that, I left a note on the table and had already told the guys, now it was just a matter of hours before I saw her in that hospital bed, Adam had told me what had happened, she made someone pass out, and she hit her ex, I was proud of her for standing up for herself, I just didn’t want to see her lying in that bed tubes sticking out of her, the thought made me feel sick.

The plane touched down in the UK at 6pm and I raced to get my suitcase and through customs before getting a cab to the hospital, I’d texted Adam asking him which one it was and it didn’t seem that hard to get to, it was just a matter of hours now.
The car pulled up into the hospital and I wrote the man a cheque seeing as I didn’t have any British money with me, I walked into the reception to be greeted by Adam he had blood down his white school shirt.

‘Dude.’ He told me and hugged me.

‘How is she?’ I asked him.

‘Awake, it’s a first she has been asleep since 12, Melissa still don’t know you’re here.’ He told me picking up the suitcase, I pulled my rucksack over my shoulder and we walked towards her, she was in her own room, Adam knocked on the door and I heard a come in from Becky, he opened the door and walked in.

‘JACK?’ Becky looked at me.

‘Yeah.’ I answered and she ran to me and hugged me tight.

‘God, I didn’t think you’d be here!’ she told me pulling away.

‘Me neither, was Melissa?’ I asked her.

‘She’s just gone to see her mum, she’s a nurse and she’s working her today.’ She told me.

‘Oh right, do you mind?’ I asked her.

‘Sure I’ll take you.’ Becky replied and I put my things down and she led me towards another ward, were I took as were Michelle worked, I saw her in the corner of my eye and she stopped speaking and Melissa turned around. I ran towards her then picked her up in my
arms.

‘Jack.’ She whispered in my ear, snuggling down into my neck.

‘I couldn’t, I couldn’t stay at home not knowing if you were okay,’ I replied. Melissa lent back and I saw the bruise on her face.

‘How you feeling?’ I asked her.

‘Better now you’re here.’ She replied leaning her forehead against mine.

I heard a cough and we drew apart again. Michelle looked at me.

‘Jack?’ she asked her voice was angry, shit, I didn’t want to get in trouble with Melissa’s mum. I placed Melissa down and looked at her. We never really met, so to see her daughter being taken into the arms of some 23 year old must look random. She didn’t know about us.

‘Yes, ma’am.’ I asked her, knowing my manners, my mother would be proud.

‘Take her back; I’ll be there at 9 to see what they’re going to do.’ She told me and I nodded, Michelle turned around and left me and Melissa alone.

‘Fuck I’ve missed you.’ Melissa told me. I picked her up again.

‘We’re your night gown?’ I teased her with.

‘Fuck wearing that,’ she replied she had my top on and small shorts, that’s my girl. I followed Becky back to the room and placed her back on her bed.

‘So what’s the damage?’ I asked cuddling up next to her.

‘Fucked up knee and bruised ribs, but I’m fine.’ She told me. I pulled her in and she kissed my chest. Bless her; I’m glad I came here now.

‘I’m glad you’re here.’ She told me, Becky and Adam had left and Brooke was on the phone.

‘Me too.’ I replied kissing her forehead.

I watched Melissa close her eyes, and soon enough I could hear small snores. It had been a long day, I thought. I closed my eyes and joined Melissa in her sleep.
I woke up the following morning, with Melissa still wrapped in my arms, I pulled my phone out my jean pocket, 9:30 it read, and I changed the time on my phone when I landed so it was right. There was a gently knock at the door and Melissa was still asleep so I answer for her.

‘Come in.’ I told the knocker. In walked a nurse she smiled at me.

‘Friend?’ she asked me.

‘Something likes that. When can she go?’ I asked the lady.

‘Friend or boyfriend? And when she wakes up.’

‘Between the two, thanks, oh, how are the other two people?’ I asked her.

‘The young girl is with a dislocated shoulder and broken nose, and the boy a broken rib and fractured skull. Buzz when she wakes up.’ She told me and left the room, god Melissa and Adam did some damage, I looked down at my sleeping beauty, she could have those days off school, I would mean me walking around for her but it meant even more time with my girl.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I saw that Alex was calling.

‘Alex?’ I answered it with.

‘How is she?’

‘Fine. She can go home today.’

‘Stay with her until you have to be home, got it?’

‘Yes sir.’

He hung up and I breathed in the smell of Melissa’s hair, why did everything happen to her? I looked at her, I had her present in my pocket, I heard a moan from Melissa and her eyelids slowly opened.

‘Morning.’ I told her kissing her gently.

‘Heyy, it’s nice to wake up next to you again. It’s been too long.’ She told me rubbing her eyes.

‘You did some damage to the others.’

‘I know. When can I go?’ she asked me.

‘Now.’ I reached over and buzzed the thing, and a nurse came in and did loads of checks on her before handing her a bag with meds in and left. She got up and looked at me.

‘What’s up babe?’ I asked her getting out of the bed.

‘I’ve got no clothes.’ She told me. I walked over to my suitcase that was still here and opened it.

‘You can borrow mine.’ I told her and pulled out my ravens top and some cropped pants. I handed it to her and she smiled, she took off her top and pulled the clean top over her head then took of the shorts and put the pants on which looked like jeans on her. I took the other clothes off her and looked at her.

‘Melissa?’ I asked her, not really sure were this was going.

‘Mmm?’ she answered with.

‘I went and got your birthday present yesterday and I only think it’s fair you have it now,’ I told her.

‘really?’ she asked me, I nodded and she closed her eyes and held out her hands, I walked around the back of her and pulled her hair up and placed the necklace around her, it was long enough and stopped just above her belly button, I picked it up the day I hung up on her when she was getting ready for school, I’d drove to this tiny shop and saw it in the window, it was a rusty brown colour, I’d bought this black fabric to make it into a necklace, but there was one thing that made it unique the key was in a shape of a J, so I knew I had to get it.

‘Wow?!’ she answered with, it didn’t cost much just 50 dollars but that didn’t bother me, or her at this point.

‘I went to this old vintage shop and bought it for you.’ I told her.

‘I love it.’ She replied with and kissed my cheek.

‘Thank you.’ She told me, I pulled her in gently for a hug, and not to tight I didn’t hurt her.

‘You ready to go?’ I asked her.

‘Yeah.’ She replied picking up her phone and bag, I pulled my suitcase off the side, and putting my rucksack onto my back, and twisting my hand into hers. We left the hospital and were met by Adam. He told me earlier on that he would take me and Melissa back to their house in London. I didn’t know how long we’d be but it must have been long as Melissa put her head on my lap and fell asleep. I joined her, falling asleep for the rest of the way back.

We arrived back to her house and I carried Melissa upstairs and took her to her bedroom, you could tell she’s a teen she had her clothes all over the floor and her bed still wasn’t made I smiled at the thought of her running around her in the mornings trying to find something, I placed her on her bed and pulled the covers over her, then I went to the end of her bed took her shoes off, and replaced the cover on her bed, I then put all her clothes in the wash and found some of my things there too. After that I made her tea and some soup seeing as no-one else was home and I didn’t know if she was going to need anything to eat, I set out her meds on a tray and took it all upstairs to her.

‘Melissa?’ I asked then shook her gently; she woke up straight away and looked at me.

‘Heyy.’ She answered with.

‘Heyy.’ I replied smiling at her.

I handed her the food and I watched her eat it. Before I knew it she was back to sleep again and I had joined her.