Unexpected

Chapter 17

I woke up, and instantly was hit with a migraine. Thankfully, wherever I was, it was dark. I could hear a beeping sound close by on my left side, and it smelled like medical supplies. I tried working my eyes open and peeked around the room. Nothing looked familiar. I tried to remember the last thing I was doing before going to sleep. Did I go to sleep?

First thing, I knew this was not my room. I went to lift my hand to my head and felt a small tug. I looked over my arm and saw an IV tube hanging off me. I looked over to my other hand and seen a heart monitor attached to my pointer finger. I was in the hospital. No! No no no no, this cannot be happening! Fuck! I can't afford the hospital. Think, how did I get here?

I noticed the monitor started beeping faster, as I was sure I was about to have a panic attack. Calm yourself Treya. Maybe I just got here, and I can refuse service and they can't charge me. I slowly start to feel my body and feel bandages upon more bandages all over my body. My arm was in a cast. GREAT! I definitely feel a couple thousand dollars on my body. In the midst of trying to calm down, I went to swallow and finally registered the tube protruding from my mouth. I lay my head back down and take a mental note of how much money I have in my savings box in the floorboard of my room. That's when I finally hear the soft breathing coming from within the shadows of the room.

I squint my eyes, looking towards the corner of the room, and see a dark figure slumped in a chair, sleeping from the sound of the breathing. At first, I thought it might've been May, since she is my only friend, but when they moved slightly, I can tell the figure was too broad to be May, or even feminine for the fact. They start to move a bit more as if they are starting to wake up, so I quickly skim the bed trying to find one of those call buttons to get a nurse in here. Too late! He is leaning over wiping his hands over his face and stopping just below his nose when he spots me staring at him.

"You're awake. I was wondering how much longer you were going to be out."

I was trying to remember the voice, since I still couldn't make out his features. "H-how l-long have I been sleeping?" Please say an hour. Oh PLEASE, say ONLY an hour.

"About two days now." He must have seen the panic in my face, and swiftly moved closer to me. I shot back in shock...I was staring at Xavier. Why was he here? "I saw you run into the bathroom at school, on Tuesday, and followed you in. I found you passed out on the floor in the stall. I brought you to the hospital when I couldn't wake you up. Today is Thursday."

I was thinking about what he was saying. I do remember leaving my classroom feeling very tired and sick. I don't remember making into the bathroom. That means I haven't been home for two days, and based on how dark it is outside, I am probably going on day three now. I need my phone, which I am sure is dead if it hasn't been charged this whole time. I start frantically looking around the room, and Xavier reached over to the side table near me and opened the drawer, revealing my phone. "Thank you. Has it been going off at all?"

"The first night your dad and May called several times." My eyes shot to him, in a quick panic, hoping he didn't answer my dad's calls. "I answered May's calls and let her know what was going on, and where you were. I wasn't sure how to handle the conversation with your dad, so I left that up to May to deal with, hoping she would know how to reach him. May came by yesterday, but was only able to stay for an hour, because she is not family, and you weren't awake to verify her."

"Then how come you are able to stay?"

He had this look of guilt when he went to answer. "In one the times you awoke slightly, you mentioned my name, and referencing to a guy who was your only family. I think the doctor thought you were referring to me as your only family, and I didn't correct him." He sat there looking at me, almost as if he was waiting for me to ask him why he would want to stay. I honestly was asking myself the same question. The only interaction I have had with him, was that time we hung out at The Barn.

I could see he had a million questions running through his head, but I was not ready to answer any of them, so I cut him off at the pass. "Thank you for all you help X. I appreciate it. I am just going to have May come and pick me up, so you can leave. I am sure you have a life to get back to." I chuckled at myself for that last comment, because I know the only life I have to return to, is a deadly one.

He was about to respond when a nurse walked in. Thank you nurse lady for saving my brain from massive question overload. My psychy would not be able to go through that just yet. "Oh good, you're awake. I'm your RN, Becky, so while you're here, if you need anything you can call me with the phone right there. It rings directly to my station. How are you feeling with your pain?"

"The pain is manageable, surprisingly. I have a mild migraine, and my throat is sore with this tube in it."

She was looking over my vitals and moving wires while adjusting a few buttons on the heart monitor. "That's normal, sweetheart. You have been through hell and back. I am honestly surprised you only have a migraine and sore throat being your main concern." Becky was so comforting with her slight southern accent. She started fixing my pillows a little. "I'm glad your pain isn't too bad, unfortunately, we cannot give you anything stronger than acetaminophen because of the baby." Oh no, I forgot about the baby. My anxiety was creeping up on me when I looked over to Xavier, hoping he didn't hear that.

Wrong again! He most definitely heard that, as he stares back at me with pity in his eyes. Well, there goes my junior year and trying not to stand out. I'm sure come Monday, my name and belly status will be all over school billboards. Maybe I could salvage this and play it off like she had the wrong patient. I just needed her to look my way. Once I got her attention, I gave her a look to play along. "You must be mistaken, I'm not pregnant." I was smiling and pleading with her to go with it, but it was Xavier who spoke next.

"I already know, T. The doc told me everything and showed me all images too." The nurse looked between both of us and grabbed the hint to leave. Only, I didn't want her to leave. Not a conversation I was ready for, but here it is anyways. "Treya, what happened? The doctor said he was surprised you were even still alive, let alone your baby. You're pregnant, T. Do you know..." The strain on his face, as he swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat, told me this was not a comfortable conversation. This is why I surely did not want to have this discussion, and especially, NOT with Xavier, of all people. "Do you know who the father is?"

Suddenly my hands fiddling amongst each other on my lap, became very interesting, as I could peel my eyes away to look at him when I answered. "Yes." I whispered that so low, I barely heard myself, but I knew he heard me. He continued to study me before speaking some more.

"Does he know you're pregnant?"

"No."

"Is it..." His breathing became heavier, and I could see the anger seeping off of him. "One of the guys raping you?" My head snapped up so fast, I swear I gave myself whiplash, and stared at Xavier in shock. How? How could he know I've been getting raped? I shook my head in shame. "Do you know the people, personally that are doing this to you?" I slowly nodded, and let my hair fall in front of me. I suddenly felt so small and pathetic and didn't want Xavier to see me. "Why are you protecting them?" I swear he growled that last question out.

"I'm not."

"You are! The doctor told me your injuries are weeks old, and you have multiple abrasions in your..." His eyes softened and was looking down between my legs. I instantly freaked out. Did he see me naked? I mean he did say the doctor showed him images. What kind of images. They can't do that...can they? I mean, they did think he was family, so maybe they thought it was okay. "Which means, you haven't told anyone what's been happening to you. Why are you protecting them?"

"You wouldn't understand. I can't do anything."

"Who is it? Do I know them? I can help you."

"How can you help me? You don't even really know me. We hung out one time. It's not your problem, so don't worry about it." He was starting to get pissed, but I wasn't about to get him involved in my personal issues. I was ashamed as it was having this chat with him about something I have been trying to hide for years. Not even May knows what goes on in my life.

"Is it someone from school?"

"No."

"Your work?"

"No."

"Stop fucking playing these games Treya! You have another life to be thinking about. Is this the life you want for your chi..."

"IT'S MY FUCKING DAD!"