The VIRGIN STRIPPER

79

***** Lisa Michaels *****
The cold seeped through my insides like I was curved empty and left to be nothing but a shell. Which in some sort of way, made me feel the same.

The smell of whatever they cleaned hospitals with mixed in with that of my fear and worry made me extremely nauseous, almost dizzying me in the process.

If I were honest, I don't remember how I ended up in the hospital,  the only thing I remembered was arguing with Dave,  cussing him out for acting like I was the one who hurt him when he was the one that locked me out.

He was the one that suggested to end things, he was the one that didn't make an effort to communicate,  he was the one that closed off when I tried to talk things through— how then was it my fault?

I wrung my hands together and exhaled, trying to swallow my heart back in as I watched a nurse walk out of the room adjacent to the waiting area.

Dave had passed out a moment into our arguement and it took a moment to realise that blood was coming out of his nose, pooling just beneath where his head had fell and hit the concrete hard.

I watched blurred figures move past me in all directions, none making sense as I felt breathless and sank into the seat I was perched on.

"Miss, are you okay?" Came a soft voice that made me open my unfocused eyes and search her blurry figure.

I think I nodded at first and then shook my head as i tried to clear my head and answer her question all at once.

"Da-ve." I squeaked breathlessly and the woman gave my cold hand a comforting squeeze before leaning down to my level.

"Try to count out your breathes," she told me softly, "one," she started to count and I failed to follow her instructions as my head began to swim and bile crept up my throat. "Take it easy," her soft voice carried and I nodded, trying to fight the haze of emotions clouding me.

"Dave," I tried to say once more and thankfully,  it came out clear.

"Stay still as I check for any update, okay?"  She offered softly and I nodded, feeling my head clear up as I waited for her return.

She took a moment before she was back but when she came back with a soft smile and a bottle of cold water, I felt my body ease up.

I reached for the bottle when she offered it and settled more comfortably on the seat.

"I have good news," she smiled gently, "he just woke up but they'll have to transfer him to a more private room." Nodding in understanding I gulped down the water.

"Can I see him?" I asked quietly and she nodded with a smile.

The nurse took me round to the emergency wing before directing me to Dave's room and leaving me at the door.

I walked in to the sight of a nurse checking his blood pressure and stood by the side, not sure what to do with myself other than be relieved.

The nurse cleared her stuff after writing down on a piece of clipped paper and walked out of the room, giving me a small nod in the process.

I stood at the same spot for a couple of seconds, or even minutes, and watched as Dave lay in his bed, eyes anywhere but on me.

When I did approach his side, he turned slightly to face me and gave me a small smile before reaching for my hand with his that was free of the needles stuck in his other one.

"I'm sorry, " he said quietly and I nodded, not sure what to say as i watched him up close.

Even with the blood from his nose cleaned and with a slightly healthier complexion than the ghostly white one he had on our way to the hospital, I still couldn't  push away the image of him passed out on the concrete off my mind.