Through Her Shattered Eyes ✔

Chapter 12

Sunlight streams into my bedroom. Despite my curtains being drawn closed, the light somehow manages to penetrate through the crevices and make my room too bright. I moan, grabbing my pillow and placing it atop my head to try to block out the light. When it seems like I'm finally beginning to drift away again, my phone rings loudly. I press the pillow against the side of my face harder, clenching my teeth. I'm not going to answer it. Whoever's calling can leave a voicemail or something.

Ring, ring, ring...

Still not going to pick up.

Ring, ring, ring...

Ring, ring, ring!

Flinging my pillow across the room, I roll off the bed and snatch my phone. If this is some advertising company, I'm going to give them a piece of my mind and tell them to go screw off. I turn the phone around to look at the screen. It's Nathan calling. Oops. My finger swipes the green icon to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Alexis?" Nathan says.

"Yes?"

"Oh, good. I wasn't sure if this was still your number. I'm sorry but did I wake you up?"

Yes.

"No. It's fine, don't worry about it. Why did you call?"

"Well, I wanted to tell you I got in touch with Clifton Avenue Medical Center. It's a hospital near Buckhead. They also took in the body of your donor and examined them," Nathan explains.

"Really?" I ask, more awake.

"Yeah. I spoke with the staff fifteen minutes ago. I told them I'm investigating a case involving the deceased and they provided me with some papers pertaining to your donor. I've been looking at them the whole time. I sorta have my thoughts on it but wanted to hear yours. That's why I called, to see if you wanted to come take a look."

"Y-yeah! Certainly! Where are you, in the hospital?" It's hard for me to contain my excitement, my heart is ramming against my chest.

"I'm parked in front of the building," Nathan says.

"Okay. Could you give me the address? I can program it on my Dad's GPS," I reply, already grabbing a sheet of paper and a pen.

"Sure. It's 4550 Clifton Avenue, Atlanta."

I quickly write it down. "Great, got it. Thanks. I'll be there soon."

"All right. See ya."

I toss my phone in my purse and trade my nightshirt in for a Georgia Bulldogs t-shirt and jeans. Then I fix my hair by styling it into a low messy bun, leaving a few curls to dangle from each side of my head. I open my bedroom door and walk across the hall. I stop at my parents' bedroom door, knocking on it.

"Mom?" I ask in a somewhat hushed tone. "Can I come in?"

There isn't a reply. Sighing, I open the door only to a crevice so I can peek inside first. My parents look like they're zonked out. I stride across the room to their bed, bending down and tapping Mom on the shoulder.

"Hm?" she stirs, her voice thick with sleep. "Oh, hi, sweetheart."

"Hey, would it be okay if I can borrow your van?" I whisper.

"What for?"

"Uh, I need to drive into town to get something. Would it be all right if I can borrow it?"

Mom's eyes close as she buries her head in the pillow. "Mm-hm."

"Great, thanks."

I leave, closing their door behind me and walking to the garage. I hop into the driver's seat and turn on the car, opening the garage door. I stare at the steering wheel and my hands clutch onto it. A little smile forms on my face. I'd forgotten how fun it is to drive. It felt like I was free driving down the road.