Anxious Jeopardies

Chapter Twelve

"Oh my God, you're awake," he stuttered out, shocked.

She smiled. "Surprised?" Her voice sounded raspy.

"Well, no, I mean, yeah, I mean, a little?"

Ana started to laugh. Then she coughed, and he paused, waiting for it to stop. It didn't. He ran and pressed the call button to get the nurse. She doubled over, but that hurt too, so she tried to lean back but couldn't because she was coughing so much. Tears bubbled in her eyes, but it slowed down and the tears never fell.

The attendants came and stayed calm, giving her water and medicine and updating her record.

"You know," one of them said. Jake was pretty sure it was the one that slept with his dad. "For someone with a girlfriend, he's spent a lot of time with you."

Ana glanced at Jake curiously to see his response, but he was staring at the wall. She didn't know whether or not he had heard. She waited for the other people to leave before confronting him. He was sitting, staring at his hands. She laughed when he was the only one left.

"She-" Ana started.

He interrupted and muttered, "I told her that so she'd get off my back. I don't have a girlfriend."

"I was going to say that she seemed rather smug. I don't really care whether or not you have a girlfriend," she said with a smile. He didn't respond. Her eyes wandered the room. "I feel numb," she said.

"They've drowned you in drugs."

"Apparently." He, again, didn't answer. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." She looked at him doubtfully.

"I'm injured. Don't lie to me."

"Now you play the cripple card?"

"If you're upset, tell me. You've done so much for me. I want to know if I can do anything to help you."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"You're doing the exact same thing to me that I was doing to you. I get it. But I'm over that now, so would you please just say-" She realized something and stopped. He didn't look at her. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No! No." Then he did.

"Then what is it?"

"I'm just overthinking things."

"Explain."

"Ana..."

She sighed and changed the subject, vowing to return to it later. "Where's Sophie?"

"At school."

"What time is it?"

"Eleven something."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

She looked at him again. Later came sooner than expected. "Are you sure you're okay? I don't want you sitting in here being all gloomy."

"I'll leave then."

"Wait, no. That's not what I meant. Just tell me what you're thinking. There's no point in you being gloomy outside either."

"I'm screwed up, Ana. We're not going to work. That is, assuming there's anything there to work. We're too different. My life is so messed up. I can't give you what you need."

"If you didn't want to-"

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You-" He stood up, his fists clenched by his side, not understanding why she couldn't understand. She shut up and stared at him.