Every love has a story. How you first met. Who said the first word.
Even mine does.
Seven o'clock is not the time anyone will think of falling in love. But as our worlds collided, we did just that. In a moment...
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CHAPTER 17
I went to the hospital first thing in the morning. As I was walking down the fifth floor hall, all the possibilities of what could have happened kept playing in my head.
Visiting hours started from 9 a.m., and I'd arrived at the hospital a few minutes past it. When I opened the door, I saw her soundly sleeping on the bed. She had a cast on her right leg and a few cuts and bruises on her arms. I would keep her company this morning, since her father would be busy until later this afternoon.
I had brought a book with me, thinking that she would also need some rest and I wouldn't have anything to do by myself. Taking a seat beside the window, I continued reading the novel that I'd borrowed from the public library.
An hour later, I stretched my arms and took a break from reading. Laurine must be exhausted, because she was still fast asleep. Placing my book on the small couch that was near the window, I went out of the room to get something to eat.
As I was passing by the corridor leading to the canteen, I noticed a payphone. I looked inside my bag for the small notebook that I always took with me. It was where I wrote important notes, reminders, addresses, and phone numbers.
I looked for Athan's home number. When I saw it, I went to the payphone and inserted some coins. Nobody answered on the first call. Thinking that he should know about what happened to Laurine, I tried calling the number again.
"Hello?" a female voice finally answered.
"Hello. Good morning. This is Micaela. I'm Athan's classmate. Can I talk to him, ma'am?" I stammered.
"Sure. I'll just go get him. He's downstairs," she answered on the other line.
"Thank you," I muttered.
After a moment, I heard someone pick up the phone. "Micaela?"
"Hey," I replied.
"Did something happen?"
"It's about Laurine," I told him.
"I can't seem to reach her since yesterday afternoon. She told me you'd be having dinner with everyone. Is everything okay?"
"She got into an accident."
"An accident?" he worriedly repeated.
"She's fine. I mean, she's, um... her leg's in a cast, but there's nothing to worry about. It's just a minor fracture, according to the doctor. Her dad wants to make sure that everything's really okay, so she's going to undergo more examinations later. Maybe they'll discharge her tonight or tomorrow," I informed him.
"That's good to hear. Where is she?"
"She's staying at the hospital where her dad works. It's visiting hours if you'd like to come," I said to him.
"I'll be there. I'll try to make it before lunch," Athan said.
