Plain Sight

chapter thirty-seven

Juliette

—

I opened my eyes. A persistent machine beeped rhythmically to my left. I looked to my right. Another machine hissed beside the bedside table. My head ached and I was disoriented. My eyes struggled to interpret the positions of the hands on the clock hanging next to the bathroom door.

Something tickled the skin under my nose. A tube of oxygen. I tried to move my hands to pull it away but when I looked at them, there were other tubes. Attached to needles. Protruding from my skin. I felt a tugging tightness as I moved my hands, feeling the warmth that enclasped one of them.

That's when I started to realize where I'm at, and I remembered what happened. It comes to me slowly, like I've just woke up from a long, deep sleep.

I see Tom now, he's standing now, he's saying something but I can't hear him yet. My ears ring with the beeping of the machine next to me.

It's only then that I realize he's here. He's in this hospital room with me, holding my hand. Touching me. Speaking to me. Looking at me.

'You fell for mine.'

I remember that night, he said those words and my world fell apart.

"Juliette—" he breathes. "Juliette, I'm right here, okay? It's alright, you're okay. Don't panic." His voice echoes in my ears now.

I look at him, his eyes are full of something I can't yet decipher in my current state. I don't even know if I'm fully awake right now. Everything is fuzzy. My head is pounding, and I feel this tingly sensation all over my body.

His eyebrows are furrowed, and if I'm really awake, I see that he's trembling so slightly. His breathing is deep and heavy.

I try to say something but I can't, it just won't come out.

"It's gonna be okay, you...." He pauses. "You were in an accident." He finishes.

I can't do this. I'm not ready.

Everything just gets louder, his voice and the machine. I feel this panic building up inside of me, and that feeling of claustrophobia.

I start to breathe faster, I whisper something but it's not loud enough for him to hear me clearly.

"What? It's okay Juliette, say it louder for me so I can hear you, you're safe, everything is alright." He tries to comfort me, but I don't want him here. I didn't want his face to be the first one I'd see when I woke up.

His hand rests on my temple, caressing me slowly and gently.

I didn't want his voice to be the first I would hear. And I didn't want to feel his touch first. I don't want to see him.

"get away..." I whisper, he looks confused.

He doesn't say anything, he's looking at me like he doesn't understand the words that left my mouth. Like he doesn't want to believe them.

"Juliette—"

"Get away from me!" My voice is louder now. My throat stings. It's harsh and cold now, he looks stunned. He closes his mouth and he just looks hurt. His eyes glisten with a layer of glass over them, and he swallows a lump down his throat.

"Please, I'm sorry. Just let me exp—"

"Get out! Get away from me, I don't want you here!" I sit up and try to take out all of these fucking tubes and needles attached to me to just get away from him. From this horrid, filthy man.