Lost Connections

Chapter 1

"What do you mean she's not waking up??" I ask in a panic, hearing sirens in the background of his side of the call as I throw on a jacket and some shoes. "I don't know!" James yells.

I run my hands through my hair. "Where are they taking her?"

"Uh- I think the one you pass when you're going to my house" I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. They were headed to his house and got in a car crash. I hung up the phone, running to the kitchen where my mom was leaning on the counter with an apple and phone in her hand. "Yeah, I didn't even know she was pregnant until-"

"Mom."

She looked at me with furrowed brows and went back to her phone call. "Mom." I said once more, getting her to place her phone on her chest. "What, sweetie?"

"Loel got into a car crash, I need your car keys."

"WHAT?" My mom's eyes widened, "I'll call you back Susan." she says into her phone not long after and hangs up.

"Go ahead, please drive safely..." All I could do was nod. I hope she's ok. So far, I have no details, all I know is that she's not waking up. I don't know how they got into a crash, whose fault it was, or why she's the one not waking up. All I can do is hope she's ok.

I got to the hospital and delt with the front desk ladies' questions, trying not to cry, she finally gave me the room number and I sprinted to the room; not caring how stupid I may look. I opened the door, her parents were right beside the bed crying, James was sitting in the chair beside her bed on the phone with his mom probably.

Loel's eyes were closed, she had a huge Band-Aid on her cheek and forehead. When her parents finally noticed me standing in the doorway, they motioned me to come in, I walked over slowly and joined them in a group hug. "Is she ok?" I finally ask.

"The doctor said she had a concussion, possible memory loss..." Mr. Hollen said, making Mrs. Hollen cry all over again. I stare at the floor, collecting my thoughts. Why this... memory loss? Why couldn't she have a broken leg instead? A minor injury even, why is she in a hospital bed and not the damn driver who most likely caused it. "She'll be here for at least 3 weeks before she wakes up." Ah. The cherry on top.

I glare at James. He catches my stare, his eyes filled with pure guilt and sorrow. I take a deep breath and try to consider his feelings. He is a good guy after all, I just don't like him because he has a crush on Loel. He's all she would talk about. And now she's about to forget the both of us.

I then look at Loel, blinking away tears the best I could, which made them worse. My feet led me to her hospital bed, and once I was there, I gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. Damn, no surprise that I'm not prince charming, she didn't wake up. It sounds like a joke but I'm being dead serious.

"It's almost passed my curfew, my mom will start to worry so I'm gonna head home now. Please update me on anything the doctors say." I hug her parents. They both nod. "Of course, sweetie." Her mom whispers. And with that, I leave to go back home. As for my night? I didn't sleep.

~

"Miss Brookes! This is no time for sleeping!" An annoying voice disrupts my sleep, I have no choice but to assume it's Mr. Bradly. "Mhm." I blink slowly, sitting up in my seat with a groan. Then everyone starts to whisper, as expected. Everyone knows about the car crash, I'm willing to bet that James told Lance who told the whole school. Or posted on the school's tea page, both of which are causing pity on me and non-stop questions about it since everyone knows we're best friends.

"I feel bad for her. She probably didn't get any sleep last night!" One girl chirps. "Yeah, she's like a zombie without Loel..." The other girl says.

My urge to turn around overwhelms me. "You two can't whisper for shit." I rolled my eyes, "Worry about that F you have in this fucking class rather than gossip that doesn't concern you."

"Brookes! You are practically begging for a referral today!" Mr. Bradly scoffs, taking a pen and writing on a sticky note. "I'll be calling your mom after class, so I ask that you stay behind this evening."

The rest of class was boring, teacher taught, students fight the urge to fall asleep. Usually when I would get in trouble with this specific teacher, Loel would stick up for me. She's his favorite student, so she always took that to advantage when it came down to defending my actions, which isn't as bad as it sounds. He just hates my father and takes it out on me, but that's another story for another time.

"Brookes, since you want to sleep in class, how about you tell me what page we're on and read it out for me, hm?" Mr. Bradly snarls. "You've been reading this whole time, sir, I don't think it's fair to make her read. You also just read the last page of today's lesson, so she would be reading out the assignment page, wouldn't she?" Loel's eyebrow rose, her elbow laying on the table with her hand supporting her head. Her voice was cocky and soothing as it always was.

Mr. Bradly cleared his throat. "I guess you're right... but you do need to pay attention Brookes! I will not warn you anymore, it'll be a straight up referral next time!"

Loel chuckles. "You seriously need to stop falling asleep in class, it can't be that boring." I gave her a look, "Really?" I said, jokingly judging her choice of words. She shook her head with a smile and got back to writing whatever she's been writing.

I snap out of my thoughts of the past after hearing my teacher call my name for assumingly the hundredth time judging by the annoyance in his voice. Everyone was out of the room, and he pulled the phone off the wall after noticing he's grabbed my attention.