M+E: Snowflakes and flames (Book 1)

Chapter 18

The smell of fresh coffee and the sound of flicking through pages wake me up. I barely open my eyes and I see someone sitting in a chair right next to me.

- Good morning - says the person in a very soft and nice voice.

- Mornin' ... Michael...?

- Told you to call me just Mike... Are you ever going to start? - Sheridan smiles at me and puts his papers away on the table. He grabs a cup of coffee and hands it to me.

- Thanks - I say in a sleepy voice ignoring his words. I still don't like him enough to call him by his short name. - What are you doing? Oh my God, it's already 9 o'clock... Why didn't you wake me up earlier?

- I've been here for only thirty minutes - he apologizes with a smile.

- Thanks for the coffee... - I say as I take a sip. It's really good. Does he know how I drink my coffee? ... No, he couldn't... or could he? ...

- You said that already - he laughs softly and leans back in his chair.

- Any news?

- Not yet. The nurse just came about ten minutes ago to check... something? And she left. Didn't say anything. But your phone didn't stop beeping so I decided to switch its sounds of so you don't wake up...

- You did WHAT? - I raise my brows and hiss at him.

- Okay, could you just stop hissing at me?

- Do NOT touch my phone EVER again!

- Fine, I was just trying to let you have a good sleep... you couldn't sleep well during the night.

- Don't!

- Okay, fine. I won't.

- Did you... stay here all night long?

- Almost... I went home last night but Simon called me this morning at 5 o'clock and told me to come and ...

- Keep an eye on me ?!

- No. He told me to come and just make sure everything's OK with you.

- Simon told YOU to do this ?! But why?

- He trusts me.

- I... I don't get it...

- Look, just stop thinking about it and check your messages. Someone's really trying to call and text you.

I look at my phone and the expression on my face makes Michael laugh.

- Oh my God! - I almost scream.

- What, what?

- That's my father...

- Isn't Simon...?

- No, Simon is my stepfather... Why didn't you pick up ?! - I hiss again. - I've got like a thousands of missed calls.

- But you just said not to touch your phone ? ...

- Damn it... Hi, dad... - I try to calm my breathing because as soon as I dialed my dad's phone number, he picked up. - No, everything's fine with me... DAD! Please, relax... I'm at the hospital... Yes, that's right.... Could you please not yell at me?.... Fine. I'll meet you there... - I hang up and throw my phone away.

- Is everything.... - Michael tries to ask me but I interrupt him angrily:

- No, nothing's alright, okay ?! My best friend got hit by a car, obviously it was intentionally - I start yelling at Michael, although I know it's not his fault. - My mother went completely crazy and I don't even know why, Simon's acting really weird lately, there's Jim, who I think might be in love with me, then it's you... a selfish ... who... you don't know how to act like a normal human being with other people... and now there's my father who is on his way to the hospital with my stepfather... who also went absolutely crazy... that's my dad, not Simon... and.... and ...