Chapter 29: Chapter 29

“I’m heading over to the hospital with Grace and Sierra, don’t worry about feeding me. We’ll probably stop at McDonald’s or something.” I said into my phone. I heard Michael sigh on the other end of the call.

“Alright. Promise me that you’ll come home in one piece, you never know with Grace’s driving,” Michael chuckled.

“I promise. Now, we’re almost at the hospital. I’ll see you tonight.” I ended the call and then put my phone in my lap. The clock on the dashboard read 5:15. Grace reached for the knob to turn up the music, almost making me go deaf in the process – but I didn’t mind. I love listening to my music as loud as I can. I’m probably going to be deaf by the time I’m forty.

“Grace, you’re speeding,” Sierra chimed. She was sitting in the backseat with her feet propped up across the other two seats. Grace drives an eye-popping red convertible, with a retractable top. Right now the top was shut, due to the fact that it’s mid-November, almost December.

“I’m not speeding. Quit being a backseat driver!” Grace snapped. I started quietly laughing, which resulted with me getting death glares from my two best friends.

“You’re going sixty-five in a thirty,” Sierra said. I bit my lip. You should never, ever, correct Grace when she’s driving.

“Shut up!” Grace yelled over the music. I was now laughing hysterically. Grace turned left into the hospital’s parking garage. We drove down three levels, and then parked in one of the visitor’s spots. Sierra and Grace were the first ones out of the car, they practically ran to the elevator. I had to sprint to keep up with them. We listened to the cheesy elevator music while we toured up to the lobby.

When we reached the lobby, Grace took us to the other elevators that would take us up to Carter. The elevator was jam-packed with people, all trying to visit their loved ones. Two more minutes passed and us three girls were the only ones left in the elevator. The doors opened at our destination, the sixth floor. Carter was waiting for us in room 304.

Grace walked in, next was Sierra, the two of them hugged and said their hellos to Carter. He smiled at them both. Last was me. I walked up to the hospital bed, carefully. Carter half-smiled at me.

“H-hi,” I stuttered. To be honest, I know he’s been a dickhead the past few weeks and I should slap him for that, but I think he deserves a second chance.

“Hey,” he greeted. He sat upright, motioning for me to sit next to him. “Can you give us a minute alone? Please?”

Grace and Sierra looked at each other before nodding and leaving the hospital room.

“Kaelyn… I’m sorry,” he said. I nodded, pulling my legs up so I could sit Native American style.

“You told me that when you and Ryder visited me,” I took a deep breath and examined the bruises up and down Carter’s arms. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why everything? Why did Ryder beat you up? Why have you been such a dickhead lately? Why were you-” he cut me off.

“Do you honestly want to know?” he questioned. I thought about it for a moment, then shook my head.

“No… I um… sorry,” I lightly chuckled.

“Do you think um… things could go back to how they were before? Best friends, you and me?” he asked. I started twiddling my thumbs while I thought of a way to answer his question.

“Hmm… on one condition.” I pointed my finger at Carter. “You drop the whole ‘friends with benefits’ thing, got it? I’m with Shane, okay.”

“Got it.” He nodded. I smiled and wrapped my arms around him.

“I’ve missed you,” I mumbled. Carter smiled and tightened his arms around me.

“I’ve missed you too. I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

“Stop apologizing. Now, when are you being released from this place?” I questioned. He loosened his grip on me and I was able to jump off of the bed.

“They said they're going to run a few more tests, to make sure that no internal bleeding occurs. So I’ll probably be out by tomorrow,” he smiled. “Y’know after Ryder smashed my head into the ground, I’m surprised I even remembered your name.”

“Why were you hanging out with Ryder?” I already knew the answer to this, yet I still had to ask the question.

“It’s complicated,” he said quietly.

“I understand.” I lied. “I’m going to go tell Grace and Sierra that they can come back inside,”

“There’s no need for that. They’re right outside the open door,” Carter sang.

Grace and Sierra shyly re-entered the room, taking a seat on the couch next to the window.

The three of us chatted nonstop for the next hour. The nurses had to drag us out because we refused to leave even though visiting hours were over. The security guards had to escort us down to the lobby and then to our car.

“They were certainly rude,” Grace said, the moment we sat down. I laughed and shut the passenger side door. Grace turned on her car and started driving through the parking garage. It took exactly twenty minutes to get to my house – when really it should’ve taken thirty. I really need to give Grace some driving tips. I said my goodbyes to Grace and Sierra, and then walked up to the front door of my house.

I was about to turn the knob that opened the door, when I saw something was jammed into the side crevice of the door. Without thinking, I pulled the paper out, causing it to rip down the middle.

“Shit.”

I pushed open the door and the other half of the note fluttered to the floor. I picked it up and held two pieces together.

Babe, you weren’t answering your phone, so I thought I should leave a note here instead..

Come to my house, around 6:45, for dinner. I think it’s time you met my mom.

-Shane.

I started smiling like an idiot, running into the house, past Michael and into the kitchen. The car keys were on the kitchen counter, I snatched them up.

“Going back out, I presume.”

“You know it,” I smiled at Michael. He rolled his eyes and walked back into the living room.

It feels like it's twenty degrees outside, that’s what I get for not wearing a jacket in late November. I parked the car on the side of the road a little bit away from his house. I stepped out of the car and started walking. Shane’s house came into view within a thirty second walk. There were several different lights on that illuminated the house in the dark.

I walked up to Shane’s house, it was only one story, not too small and not too large. I went to the side door of the house and was about to knock when something caught my eye. Shane’s bedroom light was on and the curtain was open, but he wasn’t the one in there. I saw a girl. Light blonde hair, tan skin, and… the same face… Ali.

She was lying on Shane’s bed, in her underwear and bra.

I want to cry, I want to scream, and I want to beat the living hell out of Shane. I’m done. I backed away from the house, tears were forming in my eyes. She said that Shane would be hers again… she was right. She can have him, I’m done with his little games. A week, that’s the longest he could remain faithful.

As I was backing away from the house, tears were blurring my vision, which caused me to trip over a flower pot that was out on the deck. I fell backwards onto my butt and the pot was shattered into a hundred pieces. I didn’t bother trying to pick them up, I just fled. I ran to my car, and slammed the door shut.

The tears started streaming down my face, ruining my makeup, staining my cheeks. I hugged my knees to my chest. Do I have a sign on my forehead that says ‘cheat on me’? What about ‘use me’? I’m sick of it. I started up the car, driving like a maniac – probably worse than Grace.

When I got home, I slammed the door so loud I thought the whole house was going to come crashing down on top of me. I had to walk through the living room to get upstairs. Michael stopped me when I was in mid-run.

I was trying to calm myself down, but it wasn’t working. I was shaking with anger and sick with sadness. I was about to throw up.

“Kaelyn… what happened?” he asked. I shook my head.

“I-I… don’t want t-to say anything,” I said between sobs. Michael nodded. He dropped his hands from my shoulders and let me go upstairs.

“Kaelyn, you know you can always talk to me. Will you come back down when you’re ready?” he asked me. I didn’t answer. I slammed the door to my room and kicked off my shoes. I curled into a ball on my bed and cried.

I’ve never felt this betrayed, hurt, and angry. Actually, I have… but that was a different story. This is Shane who was cheating. The one who vowed to himself that he would never cheat on any girl because he never wanted to hurt a girl like his father hurt his mother.

I pulled out my phone, going to my messages. I hit, “compose new message” and tapped Shane’s contact.

Newsflash, Shane, you broke your promise to yourself and to me.

After that, I threw my phone on the ground and debated whether or not if I should go back downstairs to see Michael. I decided that I’ll see him tomorrow.

Maybe he won’t make me go to school. My bed suddenly felt like a sanctuary, I curled up under my covers and let the tears fall.