MARI'S POV
Where am I? Why does my eyes hurt? What's that noise? Why is it difficult to open my eyes? All these questions stayed unanswered until I finally opened my eyes. It took a while to adjust my eyes, but I still could not tell where I was. It seems like a hospital, but what hospital? I hated the beeping sounds of the machines, I pulled out every needle from my hands. The last one was so painful, I had to bite my lips to bear the pain. Then I realised I was not the only one in the room.
I turned to see a man seated, but he looked like he was sleeping with his head laid back. I dragged myself out of the bed and tried to stand up, maybe run away to find answers. But then, I tripped.
I tried standing up again, but I could not. I was lacking strength, and my legs had no strength either. I found myself looking for support, my hands reaching out to the man seated on a chair. He was oblivious to his surrounding, otherwise, he would have known something happened the moment I tripped.
With my hands moving up his legs for support, I rest my head against his legs, feeling too weak to move. Then he jumped, my hands fell back to the ground; I had to press my palm against the floor to support myself. For a while, the room was silent, aside from the beeping sounds of the machine.
Then he squat down beside me, his warm breath reaching my ears, leaving me at a place of discomfort. I didn't like that he was that close, it felt annoying. I scowled, but not at him, my face was down. "Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was gentle, so gentle; could this be a dream?
I looked up at him… I was feeling teary, I could not help it. "Who are you? Where am I?" I finally asked those questions as tears streamed down my cheeks. It felt odd how he took my face in his palms, "are you crying?" he asked. I wanted to shake my head in decline. But I could not, instead the tears came flooding my face.
"Who are you?" I cried, unable to control myself anymore. He muttered something and carried me up, then placed me back on the bed. He pressed a button several times then stopped. He looked at me, his eyes made me recoil.
"Let's hope the nurse shows up soon. I don't know how you pulled out all those needles, your arm is bleeding," he said like he was scolding me, but trying not to be harsh. But I don't know him, I've never met him before.
And why the hell am I breathing? Could this be another life?
Soon, a lady dressed like a nurse and a man wearing a doctor's outfit walked into the room.
"Bloody hell!" The doctor screamed.
"Fix her!" The stranger of a guy said.
Then, they were all over me, like a broken car. They examined my hand. Placed me on drips and fixed me to the monitors.
And soon, I could feel my whole body crashing. Next thing, I was out.
I don't know how long I was out for, but when I woke up, he was still there. His eyes were open this time.
"Don't move!" He said.
"Who are you?" I asked, but my voice was hoarse. My throat itched, and I felt thirsty.
I gulped down dried spittle. "Do you need water?" He asked, like he could read my mind.
He didn't even wait for me to answer before getting me a cup of water.
He also helped me lift my head, and fed me the water. "You've been in coma for the past 48 days."
No sooner had the words left his mouth did I spit out the water. "What?" I yelled, but soon regret it as I felt a pang of pain in my head.
I placed my hand on my forehead, and tried to press my head with my fingers. "You must be hoping you were dead, right?"
"What sort of statement is that?" A familiar voice said.
It was Kelly.
She walked in looking all defensive and aggressive. She stood with her back to me while facing the stranger.
"You run someone over, and this is what you say to them when they eventually come out of coma?" She asked.
The moment she said that, memories of that day came flooding in.
Shit!
Shame mixed with anger swept through my veins. I can't believe I failed at dying. I can't believe… shit.
"I didn't start this shit Miss Kelly or whatever you call yourself." He said, sounding pissed.
"I am glad your friend is back to the world of the living, and that's only because I finally get a chance to clear my name." He said.
Now, I feel more ashamed.
"I knew you rich folks are sick in the head, I didn't know it could be this bad." Before Kelly could complete her sentence, he was already gone.
She stood watching for a while before turning to face me. She looked both happy and sad, I could not tell which was supposed to be her actual feel.
"Mari!" She called softly with tears in her eyes.
This shit pisses me off. She doesn't even like me like that….
"Do you know how horrible it has been without you these past 48 days?" She said, suddenly busting out in tears.
"I thought I was going to lose you!" She cried. "You don't know how happy I am right now, seeing you up and alive." She added. Then she paused and looked at me like it was her first time seeing me.
"Can I hug you?" She asked, catching me off track.
"What?" I was confused.
"I heard you hurt yourself. I want to know if I can hug you still." She said.
"I've missed you too much Mari."
Somehow, something did tug in my heart. It was like, I was seeing something for the first time – a miracle.
Was I wrong? Was it all real and not pretence?
Does Kelly actually like me?
"What do you say?" She asked, flashing me her white teeth while sniffing in her snort.
"Please, don't tell me you watched me for 48 days."
I don't know how that was the only thing coming out of my mouth. But it was. And she just shrugged her shoulders.
"George's cousin, the guy you saw earlier. He decided to watch you yesterday, so it wasn't all 48 days." She said.
Now, I hate her. How could someone be so benign?
She's too kind… too nice for me. "Kel," I broke into tears.
"I'm such a horrible person. I don't deserve you." I said amidst the tears.
"Don't say that." She said sweetly, sitting right by my side.
"You are my best friend." She said. And that ruined me even more.
My heart shattered, and I felt shameful.
"What if I tell you that I wanted it?" I said.
"Wanted what?" She asked with that innocence I once considered pretence.
"I wanted to be dead, Kelly." I said, breaking it to her. "I ran into the car myself, Kel. I did it because I wanted to die." I started to cry in horror, my body shook terribly.
This wasn't how I wanted to feel when I said it.
"But why? I don't understand?" She said, confused about what I had just said.
"Because I'm trash, and my mother's right." I replied as I look into her eyes.
I could barely see. The tears already blurred my vision.