Forced

33 - Awake and Alive

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Luke's POV 

I rubbed my eyes as I opened to a dim-lit room, looking around me I could see only a man in uniform standing at the foot of my bed. His eyes traced over to me as I looked at him wide eyed. 

"O-Officer..?" I choked out. Honestly, when they put my on anesthesia I was hoping I would be awoken to see friendly faces, not this stern looking one. 

"Luke Hemmings." The officer said. He walked over to the side of the bed. "I'm just here to ask you for confirmation." 

"My what?" I asked. "On what?" 

"On this situation, then I'll open the doors for your friends, understand?" He asked. He flicked on the lights and I nodded my head as he took a seat. "Ivan, the other person rushed to the hospital, told me that he started the fight, that he attacked you and you were trying to defend yourself. While he did hurt you, he had no realization of what he did until after he did it." I was not expecting to hear that. "He also wanted me to tell you that he is sorry for hurting you." 

"He's sorry?" I tilted my head to the side. "But..It was my fault, wasn't it?" 

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. Was this a mutual fight, or was either one of you assaulted. He said he did assault you. I just need you to confirm that." The officer said. "Then we can press forward with charges." 

"I don't want to charge him with anything." I shook my head slowly. 

"Yes but he is to be prosecuted with this anyways." The officer said. "So Luke, you need to tell me what happened. 

"No, if anything I assaulted him." I shook my head quickly. "I threw the first punch. We were arguing and I punched him." I leaned forward and felt a sharp pain in and laid a hand near my stomach and winced as I sat back. 

"Easy there." The officer said, putting a hand out to stop me. "All of your friends said that you were the one assaulted." 

"I.." I trailed off. I had no idea what to do or what to say. Was Ivan seriously expecting to take on charges for me? I was expecting him to say that I attacked him, to turn me into the bad guy. Even though I really was the bad guy. "Is Ivan alright?" 

"Yes, he's fine." The officer said. "Luke, I need you to honestly tell me what happened." 

"I told you. I went in, we started arguing. I punched him and we started brawling. I then choked him and I guess he stabbed me." I shook my head slowly. "Everything done to me he did in self-defense. This is my fault." 

"Well then I charge you with assault, but Ivan is saying it was him and you're saying it was you.." The officer trailed off. "I need to know what happened and one of you is lying." I opened my mouth as if to say something but I could not think of anything to say. The officer looked me up and down and walked out of the room, and with that I broke into tears. 

I had no idea that Ivan would do that, honestly I should be the one in trouble for attacking Ivan in the first place. But now someone else is going to get in trouble for lying. At this point I had no idea what to do.

"Luke?" I lifted my head to see Michael, Ashton and Calum walking inside. "Are you okay?" 

I shook my head and ducked it back in my hands as they all came and sat around the edges of the bed. Calum was at my feet, and Michael and Ashton were on either side. 

"What's the matter?" Michael asked as he ran a hand over my hair. 

"Does your stomach hurt?" Ashton asked.