One
I awake to blinding lights that my eyes cannot fully adjust to. I reach out my hands and feel that I am on some kind of bed. I shift around but I can hardly move. My legs feel numb but I can still feel them. My arms ache and the pain that I have in my lower abdomen is excruciating. I try again to open my eyes and this time I force myself to focus, I see that I am in a hospital room. The walls are white and there is a distinctive smell of chemicals –a smell I remember from the last time I was in hospital. I see that there is an empty seat sitting by my bedside. There is also a small table with a coffee cup on it and a black Chanel bag. I slowly and painfully slide myself up a little in the bed and I look over at the door, which is slightly closed. I can hear people talking out in the hallway, I cannot make out what they are saying but the voice is familiar to me. I wonder of how long I have been here. I take my mind back to the last thing I can remember. Michael and I were in the car and we were going to Columbia so that I could sit my exams. I close my eyes and Michael’s gorgeous face flashes in my mind, the roar of the Lamborghini’s engine I can still hear it now. The rate at which my heart was beating as Michael and I ran for our lives, I can still feel the sweat that pulsated my body. The long, thin-faced man that followed us until he shot us. I can still vividly see his cheeky wink that he gave before he pulled the trigger. I close my eyes and I can feel tears about to pour from them. From the guilt, I have for taking Michael with me that day. It was my fault that he was shot. If anything has happened to him, I will never forgive myself. I open my eyes and I see the door push back slightly I can hear a woman talk and I recognise that it is my mom. The door opens fully and I see her walk in, her face is gaunt and there is worry in her eyes. She is wearing black skinny jeans, a black sweater her hair is golden, and in a perfect bob, she has her sunglasses pushed back into her hair. As she looks at me, her tears begin to stream down her face.
“Alanna, my dear!” she says as she rushes over to my bedside and gently hugs me. “Oh Alanna, how are you feeling?” I move my body slightly and the pain I feel is overwhelming, however, I do not want to alarm my mom so I say.
“I am a little sore but I am fine,” she hugs me again and her tears have become worse.
“Mom I am fine, please do not cry,” I say my voice is shallow and I grit my teeth trying to not show the pain.
“Alanna, do you know what has happened to you?” My mom says as she moves slightly back from me. I sigh and say.
“Yes I know that I was… shot,” tears again start to run down her face and her voice is shaken as she speaks.
“It was a horrendous random attack and the police are trying their best to find the culprit but Alanna sweetie, I am not going to lie to you, the police think that the chances of finding however did this awful thing is slim-to-none,” she says. Nevertheless, I know who did this to me and I know the reason, however, there is no way I would ever tell my mom.
“Mom is Michael okay?” She smiles at the sound of his name.
“Yes he is fine he wasn’t as hurt as you were the doctors said that he saved your life!” My mom beams at her words.
“Where is he?”
“His father flew to New York and moved him into a private hospital I am not sure if he is still there.”
“And what about Jackson,” my mom looks nervous as she considers her next words.
“Sweetie, he didn’t make it,” I gasp in horror and I have to try hard to fight back my tears.
“That’s awful,” is all that I manage to say. I cannot contemplate the fact that Jackson died because if me. I feel my heart beat double in speed and I can hardly breathe.
“Mom how long have I been here?” She sighs and reaches into her black Chanel handbag to take out a tissue.
“Today is Monday and you have been here three weeks today.”
“I have been here so long was I asleep all that time?”
“Sweetie you were badly injured you lost a lot of blood and you had to have emergency surgery to remove the bullet. The doctors thought it would be best for you to sleep for a while to give yourself time to heal.” I cannot take this in I feel the pain and it must be real.
“Can you please go and get Adrian?” My mom’s face changes and she hesitates before she talks.
“Sweetie, Adrian is not here.”
“What? Where is he?” She moves closer to me and takes my hand.
“Alanna he hasn’t been here since you were admitted no one has seen him we don’t know where he is,” I gasp and I feel that this cannot be true. He would not leave me he said he would never do anything to hurt me.