My Worst Distraction

Eighteen

Savannah's Point of View
I left Crystal's house and drove to the nearest store to buy myself a water. My throat was drying up from nervousness, and my palms were sweaty. I turned a corner and finally reached Esai's after leaving the store. I spotted his German shepherd/husky mixed dogs in the front yard barking as I pulled into the driveway. Esai must have heard because soon he was out of his house, waiting for me to get out of the car. I got out and locked it.
"Hey." I mumbled.
"Glad to see you." He smiled as we walked into his home.
I heard voices coming from the kitchen and saw three girls.
"Savannah, this is my mom, my twin sister Clarissa, and our younger sister Casey." He introduced.
I smiled and made a little wave with my left hand.
"Are you hungry?" His mother asked. "I made a little something."
My stomach rumbled but I had only came to talk to Esai for a little bit and then leave.
"No thanks, Mrs. Hernandez."
"If you change your mind, you know where to go." She grinned.
"Follow me this way." Esai whispered, pointing in the direction of his room. We walked straight and then took a right on the second door. "You can sit anywhere you'd like."
I glanced around, liking the feel and look of his room. The wall on the side of bed was covered in posters of different bands, but the one that stood out was his favorite: Pink Floyd. The wallpaper of his laptop was a picture of he and his family.
"I like your room." I complimented.
"Thank you." He grinned. "How-"
"Don't." I interrupted. "I'm just here to talk to you, not to hang out."
"Well, that's what we're doing. Talking." He joked.
"I don't know what we can be." I stated. "Joel doesn't-"
"What do you want?" He intruded. "You know, if you were mine, I would allow you to be friends with whomever you wanted."
"But I'm not yours." I whispered. "I liked you, I did, but-"
"But he asked you out and you didn't want to embarrass him."
I stayed quiet, part of me thought it was true. I would have felt like shit if I told him no, and I had even felt a little bad telling him I liked him more than I liked Esai. Because honestly, I liked Esai a little more. I'm very confused with my feelings.
"That's not true." I half lied. "Look, I honestly don't know why I wanted to talk to you in person."
"It's because you know you wanted to see me. You missed me." He walked closer. "And there's nothing wrong with that."
I closed my eyes and whispered, "please back away from me." I opened my eyes and he moved away. "I really loved talking to you when we met, and for the time being, it was awesome being your friend. But because my boyfr- Joel doesn't want you and I to talk to each other, I'm afraid we can no longer be friends."
"Why would someone take away something that makes you happy." He replied.
"I want to at least try to make him and I work out. I won't just leave him and go to you because how I do know you won't leave me?" I asked.
"I am not that type if guy." He raised his voice, getting closer to me. "I can show you that if you leave him and come with me."
"I can't. Not anytime soon." I blinked, not wanting to look him in the eye. I was leaning against the wall and there was only two inches of space in between us.
"You're saying you want me to wait for you?" He asked.
"I'm not saying that." I replied, looking at him face to face.
"Just tell me exactly why you are here then because I don't have time for this." He shouted.
"I told you I was unsure."
"You know why!" He exclaimed.
I sighed. "You were right. I missed talking to you, and I wanted to see you."
He paused before replying, "What if I talk to him?" He suggested. "Maybe he'll change his mind, if not, well I'm still going to talk to you."
"He doesn't even know I'm seeing you right now, and why do you even care so much about me?" I asked.
"That's a good question." He replied.
I stared at him, not sure what to do. "I'm gonna go." I whispered. "Goodbye." I turned and was about to walk out of the room until he told me to wait. I turned to face him and suddenly found myself kissing him and my eyes widened. I pushed him away from me. "What the hell is your problem?" I asked. I opened his bedroom door and stopped at the front door feeling stares from his family. "It was nice meeting you." I stated. I walked out of the house and grabbed my keys from my pocket, unlocking the car and turning it on. Esai walked out of his house.
"Savannah!" He shouted. "I'm sorry."
I shook my head, feeling bad for Joel and began to cry out of frustration. I drove out of the lot and began driving to Joel's. The speed limit was 45 but I was going at about 60. I began feeling lightheaded and my head was rolling. Unexpectedly, I saw bright lights and feet.
"Are you okay?" The voices shouted. "Somebody call an ambulance."
"Get the fire out, there's gas leaking." Another voice cried. "Try to move the car."
My eyes closed.
~
I woke up to dim lights and a beeping sound. One of my eyes didn't want to open, and the other only opened so slightly. The sound of a door opened and I turned my head to find a nurse looking down at her clipboard. I lifted my arm to call her, but it felt heavy. I looked down and it was in a cast.
"Oh." The nurse whispered. "You're awake."
I looked at her, confused as to why I was even here in the first place.
"I'll be right back." She smiled, and with that she was out of the room.
I looked down at my body to examine what other damage had been done, and nothing else was in a cast, but I felt pain on my legs. I grabbed the blanket with my right arm and began removing it. I couldn't sit up, but I could see the some parts of both legs were bruised and had scratches. My eyes teared up as I began to freak out.
"What happened to me?" I cried.
The nurse walked in with who appeared to be the doctor.
"Hello Savannah. I'm Dr. Collins." He smiled, taking a seat on the chair to my left. "Are you aware of your surroundings?" He asked.
I shook my head.
"Do you remember the last thing you were doing?" He asked, no longer smiling. Having a face that was growing with concern.
I looked away from him and closed my eye to try and recall. Nothing came to mind so I shook my head again.
"Nothing?" He asked. "Not even one single thing?"
I blinked a couple of times, tears coming again. "I was working." I nodded. "I was working at my job." My voice cracked.
He glanced at the nurse who wrote something on her clipboard. "Where do you work?"
I looked around the room and closed my eyes again. "Um..."
"Take your time." He whispered.
I had glimpses of the restaurant and saw the name of the place. "Chili's?" I replied.
"Yes." He grinned. "Do you what day is it?"
"It's December... The sixth, 2014."
He looked at the nurse and she wrote another thing down.
"Was I wrong?" I asked, worried.
"Yes." He exhaled. "Today is December the twentieth. You do work at Chili's, but you weren't working today." He answered.
"Why am I in this condition?"I whispered.
"You were in a car crash. You were speeding and the road was a bit icy causing you car to swerve and flip a couple of times. You weren't wearing your seat belt so you ended under the car that caused the bruising on your legs and your broken arm." He explained.
"Did I cause harm to anyone else?" I asked, staring at the ceiling.
"No." He stated.
I paused, taking in the information. "So, if I wasn't working, then where was I?"
"We asked some of your friends and one said you were at your friend Esai's." Dr. Collins responded.
"Esai?" I asked.
"Do you remember him?"
"Yes, but I've just met him today. Why would I be at his home?" I replied.
The doctor looked down and when he lifted his face, he was grinning. "Your family and friends are here, would you like to see them after I speak to your parents?"
I nodded my head and the doctor left with the nurse. My parents appeared from nowhere and both had tears in their eyes. I began to stare at the ceiling again, and heard voices entering the room. I covered my legs as best I could and turned my head to see Crystal and Joel walking in.
"Hey, babe." Joel smiled. His eyes were swollen and pink, he seemed to have been crying.
"How are you feeling?" Crystal asked.
"Fine, just a little scared." I tried to sit up, but failed. "Can you lift the bed?"
Joel grabbed a remote and my bed was now sitting so I was able to see them better.
"Why were you crying?" I asked. I knew he cared because we're friends, but I didn't know he cared this much.
"I was scared for you." He replied.
"I'm still breathing."
Just then two more people appeared. One unrecognizable.
"Hey." Jorge greeted. "You look better than I assumed you would."
Crystal hit his stomach with the back of her hand and the guy that walked in with Jorge smirked.
/Since when did Crystal and Jorge talk, and why is he visiting me? We rarely speak to one another./
"You keep staring at me." The guy smiled.
I looked at Crystal who replied, "This is Rikko, remember?"
"Kids." My dad called. "Come here for a second."
"I'll be back, babe." Joel kissed my forehead.
"I'm not going anywhere." I joked.
/Why did he kiss me?/
My dad was talking to them and then they all came back.
"We have to go." Jorge said. "We'll be back to visit you tomorrow."
"Your dad says you need the rest." Crystal added. "Goodnight."
Joel didn't budge and instead took a seat as the others left.
"You aren't leaving?" I asked.
He shook his head.
"I don't want you to see me like this." I whispered. I hated sympathy and being stared at.
"Well, I'm not leaving. Your parents are allowing me to stay the first night." He replied. "I'm here whether you like it or not baby."
"Why do you continue to call me those pet names?" I asked. He usually only said it once or twice, not consistently.
He looked away. "I'm sorry."