Don't Forget

6. Stories in the Dark

The second day of official classes, and already I was scheduled to spent the night in the hospital ward. They wanted me overnight, to make sure my wooziness would decrease. If it didn't, that would be cause for alarm—being a human meant the liquid fire had singed my veins, and from what I could gather, that wasn't a good thing. It would mean blood wouldn't get to my brain as efficiently, and I would live in a constant state of near-fainting. So they had to watch me for the night, to make certain my blood vessels hadn't caught fire.

            I knew the next day was a school day, and Jarek and I had to get up early, but I also knew I didn't want to be alone in the hospital ward for an entire night. I would have asked my friends to come, but they were at the party—and probably too intoxicated to be of much comfort to me. But I was too nervous, too embarrassed, to ask Jarek to stay the night. So I kept my mouth shut.

            The mind-reader had already stayed until eleven; I couldn't ask him to stay any later. He had helped me so much. He was the one that saved me, after all.

            He stood up, dropping my hand in the process. (Oh, and he had held my hand for the past two hours. There was no way I could've asked him to stay the night.) Stretching, he moved towards the door. But he paused in the doorway to say, "Got anything to ask me?"

            "Oh, um, no," I lied, staring at my hands folded in my lap.

            "This is your last chance," he continued, skipping over what I'd said. "So if you have something to ask, ask it now."

            I bit my lip, still unsure whether or not to say it. "Oh, well, I guess I do," I replied, voice barely above a whisper.

            His blue eyes landed on my face, and he waited. He had to prompt, "C'mon, Amy, I can read your damn mind. I know every single thought that has crossed your mind all night long, from the second you woke up 'till now."

            Despite my flaming cheeks, I shot back, "Then why are you making me ask it out loud?"

            He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms and smirking. "Because this is so much more fun."

            "Fine," I grumbled, frustrated with the mind-reader. "Will you stay the night?"

            "No. Now good night." He turned to leave.

            I gaped at his retreating figure. I shouted, "Jerk!" 

            Even though it was quiet, I could still hear his taunting chortles. They angered me, and my hands clenched into fists. I wanted to be able to get up without fear of falling over so I could punch him in the face.

            Before he could disappear from sight, he pivoted on his heel and reentered the room. He stood at the end of the bed and announced, "I came back because I'm really curious as to how hard you're able to punch me."

            I straightened in the bed and indicated for him to come nearer with my index finger. "Come closer and I'll show you."

            He arched an eyebrow, intrigued, and came within hitting range. "I swear I'll stay still. I'm too curious to do otherwise."

            I pulled my arm back, felt guilty for what I was about to do for a second, and then punched him in the nose.

            Groaning, he jumped off the bed, gripping his nose. "Goddamn," he yelled. He pulled his hand back and stared at the silver blood there. "Holy shit, human. You made me bleed."