Piece by Piece

Chapter 15

Aliena

I felt like an idiot when I woke up at the hospital. I felt even more as such when the doctor gave me a quick sum-up about how I was brought here because I passed out after I couldn't handle all the adrenaline that flooded my body after the attack. Or something like that.

But what made me feel most like a fucking fool was the disappointment that flooded me when I opened my eyes and was met with the sight of Lily, and when it was her scent that invaded my nostrils as she hugged me tightly, not a certain man's. More than that, I started feeling guilty as soon as I identified the emotion.

There was my lovely best friend telling me how glad she is that I'm awake and well, and how she can't believe that I was attacked, and I was sad that Sebastian didn't stick around rather than be grateful for what I had. It's moments like that when I feel like the little selfish girl I used to be. I hate myself in such moments but maybe there are just traits about me that I cannot lose, no matter how hard I try.

"When Seb called me, I didn't want to believe him. I was asleep when the phone went off and didn't hear a word for the first two minutes he spoke. Then he said you were at the hospital, and I thought he was joking.

I woke Andrew and forced him to give me a ride. He wanted to stay and wait with me but I sent him home again. Figured you didn't want a bigger audience, right? I'm sure he won't mind picking us up as soon as you're ready to go, though," she told me, practically rapping the words in a nervous beat.

Then she forced me to tell her what the hell happened to me and why I had called Sebastian instead of her. I did my best to catch her up, but my memories were jumbled and my thoughts scattered.

That's when the doctor came in to brief me about my condition and basically tell me I was in perfect health other than my split lip. Of course, he gave me the whole lecture about how I should go to the police once I'm out of the hospital and that I should be careful, and something about having gotten lucky.

And lucky is what I felt when I went to the receptionist after being released to ask for the bill only to have her tell me it was already paid for. Since Lily swore it wasn't her, it only leaves one person that could have covered it.

I was tempted to call Sebastian right then to thank him for getting me last night and for paying for the bill but then I remembered that we weren't that kind of friends. I only called him twice since I met him and those were due to absolute necessity. I decided to just thank him when I saw him next, despite not fully being over his outburst earlier last night.

Right, I don't feel so lucky now that I've been awaiting my turn at the police station for a damn hour. With nothing to entertain me other than some old gossip magazine I found lying around. Andrew dropped me off here and then went home with Lily since she wanted to change out of her pajamas. Yeah, she didn't think to do that before she rushed to me in the hospital as if I were dying or something.

I love my best friend.

Either way, they left me here an hour ago. Since I'm still phoneless after last night, I can't even ask her when she'll be back here. On a positive note, I don't have to spend all my savings on a replacement phone since Lily kept her old, very much still intact one. So it looks like I'm actually getting an upgrade on that front.

The station door opens, and like I do every time when it does, I look up from the magazine and check who it is. This time, I'm relieved to finally see my friend and her boyfriend enter, already looking around the room in search of me. I stand up and wave them over, unable to contain my smile when Lily teasingly waves my new phone in front of her as she comes closer.

I hug her as soon as she's within reach. Then I do the same with Andrew, and finally, I hug the shiny phone with its fluffy case to my chest. Yeah, the case will have to go but I'm still happy to have a phone again, no matter that I don't have any of my stuff on it yet. Just the weight of it in my hand is reassuring. It's scary how lost I felt without one.

"Thanks for coming, I was about to die of boredom. I don't know how people did it back in the day," I say, exaggerating just to see them smile and roll their eyes at me.

"Have you given your statement?" Lily asks.

"No, they keep telling me to wait," I reply and already, my mood is dimming. I just want to go home, take a shower, and change out of my party clothes. I wish Lily had brought me something to change into, I can tell the people here disregard me more than they usually would because I look the way I do. That is to say, like a beat-up hooker.

"What? You've been here for over an hour. Hang on, I'll handle it," Andrew pipes in. Before I can accept or deny the offer, he's striding towards an officer behind his desk, muttering, "Unbelievable."

Lily just looks at me and shrugs. To no one's surprise, Andrew is back with the officer at his side in a matter of minutes. I'd be offended if I didn't just want to get this over with.

"Hello again, miss. I'm ready for your statement now," he tells me, smiling nervously. What I want to retort is that he would have been ready for me half an hour ago if he had just stopped watching a recorded football game on his laptop with the screen turned away from me in the hopes I wouldn't know.

But seeing as Andrew probably already gave him shit for his lack of professionality and my inconvenience, I decide to smile back just slightly and say, "That's great." Then we go to his desk where I have to tell him every little detail from where I was robbed to any characteristics I can list about the person's appearance.

Finally, he nods to my split lip and bruise and asks, "That's from him?" I nod but to my surprise, the officer, who didn't waste a moment second-guessing any of my replies so far, gives me a skeptical look. Then his eyes flick to Andrew.

I understand what he's building up to and my protectiveness for my friend grabs me by the throat, making my next words come out harsher than they should. "I tried to swing my purse at my attacker. He grabbed the thing and pulled at it. When I wouldn't let go, he hit me. That's what happened, as I told you twice now. Are we done, here, officer? I'd like to go home and change, and I believe you have a football game to finish watching."

The man's round face turns purple and nods his head vigorously. "Yes, of course. Have a nice day." With that, he's off his chair and rushing to the bathroom. Lily and Andrew are with me the next second.

"Ready to go home?" Andrew asks as Lily throws her arm around my waist.

"Oh, yes, please."

————————
I love Andrew, he's a keeper

Anyway, have an exceptional day and don't forget to leave me a vote or comment<3