The Roommate

17

My eyes fluttered open, there was a faint beeping sound, the walls were white. I looked over to see a boy sitting in the chair next to me, I knew him... Everything was still registering in my head. His shoulders were shaking, he must be crying. I sat up, everything hurt. He felt my movement, and I realized he was gripping my hand. "E-Emerson!" He cried, "You're awake! Oh my god- I'm so sorry."

Chase. I remembered now, everything came back to me in a millisecond. "Chase." I said faintly.

"Emerson I'm not here to try and get you back I swear, I'm just here because I care about you and I had to know if you were okay I promise-"

I shook my head, "It's okay, I'm so sorry Chase." I tried to keep myself from crying.

"What? Why? That thing back in your dressing room? It doesn't matter! I forgive you!" he said quickly, "Don't cry Em, it's okay."

"No. I was..."

"What? You were what?"

"I was going to apologize to you Chase, that's where I was going." my thoughts felt jumbled as I searched for the right words, "I was coming back for you I wanted..."

He shushed me, "Just relax Em. I'm going to go tell the nurse you're awake okay? Just lay down."

I nodded and laid my head back down on the pillow. He began to leave, but I had one last question. "Wait! Chase?"

"Yea?" He looked back at me.

"How did you know? Know that I was hurt?"

"You still had my number under your emergency contact number in your phone. They called me before they called anyone." He explained. Then he smiled and walked out the door.

I sat there registering this, he was here and he wasn't mad at me. It seemed a little unfair, but the nurses made him leave saying that visiting hours were over. They gave me a bunch of medicine to reduce the pain, but it wasn't that bad. I'd just sprained my wrist and had a minor concussion. I could go back to work within the next week. Tomorrow I was allowed to go home, but I couldn't go alone. I didn't know how that was going to work out, but I'd have to wait and see.

I woke up the next morning right as a nurse rushed in the room, "Emerson! You're awake! Good, you get to go home!" She smiled handing me fresh clothes, where she got them I have no idea.

"Wh-What? Don't I have to go home with someone-"

"Yes! Your friend is taking you home!"

I was in a daze as I made my way to the bathroom changing. Then I headed out to the waiting room to see Chase leaning against the wall. Oh god... I walked up to him and he smiled leading me to his car. "Feeling better?"

I nodded numbly as we got into a car, I didn't know whose car it was since he had only a motorcycle. "Chase... why are you taking care of me for the day?" I asked.

"I don't have to if you don't want me to... I just, I want to be friends." He explained.

He drove me back to the house, my boss had left me a message saying we would continue shooting the following week, and I had multiple messages from magazines wanting an interview. Also Hallie called saying they were all coming over to give me a gift of some sort. I sighed laying down on the couch. Chase smiled, "Want me to pick you up something to eat?" He offered. I shook my head turning on the television to be greeted with a commercial for Keeping Quiet. I quickly shut it off. He looked concerned as he joined me. "Everything okay?"

"No!" I wailed.

He hugged me, "Hey, you can talk to me if-"

"STOP!"

"What?"

"Stop being nice to me! I hurt you and you're just being nice! I just... Chase I have to tell you something."

"What?"

"I got in an accident because I rushing to go find you. I wanted to tell you-"

"Tell me what?"

"That I'm sorry and..." I trailed off staring at the blank television screen.

"And?"

"I love you." I paused, but he didn't say anything back, "I let everything get to my head. I'm sorry and I love you and I just wanted to get you back."

He laughed at me, "I love you too Em. It's okay, I just wish you hadn't been driving so recklessly and maybe we'd be in a better situation here." He nodded down to the gauze wrapped around my wrist I shrugged. "You changed a lot."

"How?"

"Well for one you died your hair." He leaned forwards holding the strands of black hair in his fingers, "I like it though." I felt my face turn all different shades of red as I looked down at my feet, "And you seem... happier. Bitchy, but happy." he joked.

"I'm kind of happy." I said hoarsely looking around at my lonely penthouse apartment. "A little lonely but..." I looked at him and he was still smiling at me. "Do you want to move in with me?" I asked out of the blue.

He patted my head standing up, "Em you're on medication right now. Maybe you should save the big decisions for later, okay?"

I felt my eyes getting heavy as I nodded, "Okay."

"Do you want to go to bed?"

"No." I yawned laying down on the couch, "I want to stay here."

I drifted off into sleep, the last sound I heard was his soft feet walking into my kitchen. I just couldn't stop thinking how badly I wanted it to be our kitchen again. How much I'd missed him without noticing. I kept feeling this empty space inside of me, I kept searching for what it was. I guess it was him. That was the last thought it my mind before I fell into a deep sleep.