Mr. Johnson stands up and takes the files from his daughter. "You were always a hard worker." He chuckles to Zaria.
"Excuse me, sir?" I say, confused as to what's unfolding before me.
"Yes, Roxanne?" He says, staring down at me from his towering height.
I search for the correct words to express my feelings, but they seem to stay lodged in my throat. How can I accuse my new boss' daughter of lying?
Mr. Johnson's piercing blue eyes stare at me as I struggle to make a choice.
"I just want to say thank you again for giving me this opportunity!" I say, feigning joy. I'll let Zaria have this one, but it won't happen again.
"You're welcome. I think you'll be an asset to this company." He grins, his cold demeanor melting away. "I'll see you at your next shift."
"Thank you. Have a good night!" I grin back, making sure to catch Zaria's eye on the way out.
I exit the office and head downstairs to my car. On the ride home, I feel a nagging voice in my head; it's been present all day and refuses to vanish. I shake it off, refusing to let it plague my mind any further. I turn the radio up in an attempt to drown out my own fears.
"A member of the largest drug trafficking ring was arrested yest-"
I change the station to one playing music. I don't need to hear any news, right now. The pop singer's voice drowns out my thoughts, allowing me to focus on the road.
About twenty minutes later, I arrive at my home.
A delicious smell greets me as I enter. I quickly take off my coat and shoes, before following the heavenly scent to the kitchen, where I can also hear my parents speaking.
"Hi mom. Hi dad." I greet, walking towards the pan on the stove.
"Oh... hey Roxie." My mother says.
Her cautious tone calls me to turn around and look at her. She has a large smile plastered on her face, but it doesn't reach her eyes. I look over at my father, who has his head in his hands.
"Is everything okay?" I ask. The voice from earlier creeps back in, bringing fear and worry along with it.
"Yeah. I was just telling your father about a patient I saw in the hospital today. You know, doctor stuff." She says, trying to wave it off.
"Are you su–"
"You look hungry. Here, let me get you some of the food your father and I made." My mother cuts me off, moving to get me a plate.
I want to press more, but what exactly am I trying to find out, anyways? It's not like Hakeem has to talk to me everyday. He's probably at home, studying or something.
My mother turns to me and places a beautiful plate of food before me.
"Thank you." I say, pushing the thought of Hakeem to the far depths of my mind.
Hakeem POV
Beep beep
Beep beep
The beeps coincide with the thumping in my head. Their high pitched shrieks reverberate throughout the, otherwise, silent room. I lie still, wondering why I was chosen to live such a life.
A life where I could wake up in the hospital with absolutely no one by my side. A life where there were no worried parents monitoring my every movement for a sign of life.
No friends stopping by to comfort my parents.
No panicked girlfriend clutching my hand.
Not even a doctor, checking if I'm still alive.
The pain of this realization clutches my heart, squeezing it to a point that propels me to sit up on the bed. My eyes shoot open as I struggle to catch my breath. The speed of my movement causes my sore muscles to cry out.
My heart pounds against my chest as I scan the dimly lit room. My vision confirms what I already knew: no one was here. No one cared.
I lower my head to rest on the limp hospital pillow.
In an ideal world, I wouldn't have woken up like this. I would've felt missed and cared for, not dismissed and forgotten.
But, then again, in an ideal world, my father wouldn't have put me in the hospital in the first place.
My fists clench in frustration, causing the heart rate monitor to beep more rapidly. Even with the increased screeching, no one comes in to check.
I choose to rely on the only person I can count on: myself.
I take in a few deep breaths, and ease myself into sleep.
——————-
Hi guys! I'm so sorry it took me literally forever to get this out.
Thank you to everyone who has been voting and commenting, that really helped me push myself to get back to this.
xoxo
Gaëlle
YOU ARE READING
All But One
Teen Fiction"Hi!" I smile up at him. He's a lot taller than I expected, especially compared to my 5'4 height. "Hello?" He responds, raising an eyebrow. "I just... um... noticed you were in history with me and was wondering what's your name." I respond, slightly...
