Her Eyes Say Yes

Ariana woke up with searing pain in her head. Her eyelids fluttered open and the light from outside began to make her head pound. A nurse was standing beside her bed, shooting something from a syringe into the tube going to her wrist. The pain in her head was slowly melding away as she looked around the empty room. A new feeling of fear filled her when she realized she was all alone in her hospital room. No parents, no friends, not even her boyfriend.

“Oh, you’re awake!” The nurse cheered and gave Ariana a bright smile. “I’ll let the doctor know!” As she walked out, Ariana looked around the room, spying multiple vases of flowers on the window sill. Her heart fluttered as she smiled softly. Maybe Alex really did know she was here.

“Hey! Sleeping beauty awakes!” A deep voice with a slight Texan twang to it spoke and Ariana’s eyes lazily drifted to the door, expecting the doctor but seeing a very build guy in his early twenties. He had a five o’clock shadow, tired eyes, and dark hair that was cropped short.

“Um, hello. You are?” She asked softly, unsure.

“You don’t remember what happened on the 18th. Memories came flooding back and Ariana’s eyes flooded with tears. “Hey, hey… nothing extreme happened hun,” his accent almost too convincing.

“Nothing happened?!” She shouted and the man winced.

“Well, something did happen, but it’s not what you were thinking. I got to you before that guy could do anything extremely terrible too you.” Ariana offered him the best smile she could utter and wiped her eyes.

“Thank you then, I suppose.” Ariana put her hand out to the man. “Ariana Blayne.” He took her hand gently and shook it.

“James Green,” he smiled and flashed a smile, “and I have a firmer grip, but I don’t want to hurt you too bad.” He motioned to the wrist cast and it was then that Ariana noticed the cast, the brace on her ankle, and the gauze on her stomach, thighs, and face. “Hey, don’t worry too much about the outside. It’s all still healing.” He smiled and sat down on her bed. “I hope you don’t mind, but I used your phone to tell all your friends you were in the hospital. I tried to find a number for your parents, but I couldn’t find one. I think one of your friends called them.”

“Wow, thank you so mu-“

“Ariana Blayne, glad you’re finally back to us,” a greying doctor smiled and walked into the room. Ariana forced a smile and the doctor walked over to her bedside, checking her vitals. “Well I wish I could say I could release you today, but we’ve got to see how those ribs set before you go moving around. You see, you’re actually very lucky Mr. Green found you when he did. You had some cracked ribs and one of them had even gone as far as piercing a lung. We had to go in and place that particular rib, but the others should be placed on their own in a few more days,” she looked at the bruises on her ribs, biting her lip softly. “Now, you sprained your ankle, and your wrist is broken. There were a few minor lacerations on your stomach and thighs that we took care of easily. The cuts on your face were all the same except one above your eyebrow, which we stitched up. You had a concussion when you came in, and as you can tell we’ve kept you hooked up to fluid and we’ve been administrating pain medicine through that.”

“Thank you so much doctor.” The doctor nodded with a smile and looked the charts one more time over before making his way out. “And thank you,” she grabbed James’ hand and looked into his vibrant green eyes. “Had you not been there, I would have been in a much worse situation.”

“Ari!” Kara burst through the door, followed by Janelle, Robbie, Jack, Rian and Zack.

No Alex.

“Oh my god, I’m so glad you’re okay honey!” Janelle gave the youngest of their group a gentle hug. They all turned to James to thank him over and over again and judging by the look on his face, they’d been doing this for the past few days. Kara was the next to hug Ariana, then Rian, Robbie, Zack and finally Jack.

“Where is Alex?” She looked up at her boyfriend’s best friend, who looked down at her solemnly.

“Alex felt really guilty the day after we found out what happened. He locked himself in his room and has been there, living on booze and music for the past week and a half.” Is that how long she’d been in here? A week and a half? “He said if he hadn’t been drinking, you wouldn’t have been in this situation.”

Ariana bit her lip and looked around for her phone.

@TheOneToBlayme I really fucked up.

@TheOneToBlayme Would you stay with a guy whose stupidity led to you almost getting
raped.

@TheOneToBlayme I guess you heard and you’re not talking to me too.

@TheOneToBlayme I know I’m a fuck up, but you’re the only one who can keep me sane right
now.

@TheOneToBlayme Wanna meet up and fuck?

@TheOneToBlayme Sorry for the last tweet, I’m drunk.

@TheOneToBlayme But seriously, want to? My girlfriend is in the hospital after being raped.

@TheOneToBlayme Nevermind, my ex filled your spot.

@TheOneToBlayme Her name’s Lisa, and we’re getting back together after Ariana wakes up from her coma.

@TheOneToBlayme Shit I made another mistake. I cheated on Ari, dammit I’m a fuck up.

Ariana’s eyes welded up with tears and she didn’t notice that James was reading over her shoulder, with a puzzled look on his face. Kara wrapped her arms around Ariana and whispered to her that everything was going to be okay and she’d get Alex to snap out of it and come see her.

After everyone left, Ariana laid her head back against the pillow. Kara was going to bring a bag full of clothes to Ari later that day, along with her pillow pet and snuggie. The door opened slowly and a dark figure walked in, Ariana’s heart swelling in hopes that it was Alex. When the light from behind the blinds his the figure though, she realized it was James. He smiled at her and it was then that she realized he had adorable dimples.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked on a sandwich, but you look like a steak person, so that’s what I got you. Toasted on Italian herbs and cheese with provolone cheese, spinach, lettuce, pickles, olives and mayonnaise.” Her jaw dropped and then her teasing side came out a little.

“Close, but you forgot the tomatoes, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.” She teased and he let out a soft flow of cuss words, which only made Ariana chuckle softly. He set the foot long Subway sandwich in front of the small girl before pulling out his own. “I never got to really thank you properly, so thank you.” Ariana smiled up and him and he sat down in the chair beside the bed.

“I’m glad I was there to save a gorgeous girl like yourself,” he winked and Ariana blushed a little.

“I have a boyfriend,” she teased.

“I have an EMT test coming up,” he smiled.

“And?”

“Oh I thought we were talking about things we could cheat on,” he winked and Ariana couldn’t help but double over in laughter, soon whimpering at the pain in her ribs. “Careful there wild one,” he teased, his accent thick. “Besides, I know too much to cheat, just like you’re too good of a girl.” Blood rushed to Ariana’s cheeks and she smiled softly. “Say, who is TheOneToBlayme?” Her breath caught in her throat right as she took a bite of her sandwich, coughing painfully to recover.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, I don’t mean to pry, but I saw your phone and saw that you were talking to Alex, your boyfriend, but I thought it’d be a little more than that since he knew your were in the hospital, but was asking you to fuck and talking about you in third person, saying that he cheating on you.” Ariana gazed up at him and her bottom lip quivered.

And the truth came out to someone Ariana didn’t even know.