Back To You (gxg)

Part 40

"I'm nervous as fuck to see what my face looks like."

I said this to Carmen, Danielle, and Stephanie after the cops left.

I knew that I was going to have to look at myself at some point. I couldn't avoid mirrors forever.

"Just remember, it will heal," Carmen said to me, "It's not going to look swollen and bruised forever. This isn't permanent."

Danielle had picked my phone up from the ground when it had fallen during the attack, and it was now next to me on my bed.

"I'm going to look at myself in my camera," I said, "I need to get it over with."

I picked my phone up off my bed, and put in my password, which was 9697, standing for Riley's birthday, September 6th, 1997.

I then opened my camera app and turned it on selfie mode.

I almost gasped out loud when I saw myself. I knew that it was going to be bad. But actually seeing it was something else.

I had scrapes on my forehead and cheeks, which made sense because my forehead and cheeks stung like hell.

The worst part was the bruising and swelling. I had a dark bruise around my right eye, right where I had been punched.

I didn't recognize the person I was seeing on the screen. It was me, but it didn't look or feel like me.

Immediately, I felt my eyes well up with tears. Seeing how I looked was making this even worse if that was possible.

Danielle, Carmen, and Stephanie rushed over to me when they saw tears escape.

"S-sorry," I said, "Seeing my face is just awful."

I tried to wipe my eyes, but touching around my eyes caused a lot of pain, so I moved my hand right away.

"Don't you dare apologize," Stephanie said, "This is an extremely traumatic situation, and seeing yourself injured like this is very difficult. Any feelings you are having about this are valid."

"Thank you," I said to Stephanie, the tears still flowing, "I'm so grateful that Riley and I are going to be okay, but seeing myself look like this is fucking with me."

"Even under the bruising and swelling, you're still you, Jenny," Danielle said, "Like Carmen said earlier, you will heal and this isn't permanent, Keep telling yourself that every day."

"I'm really lucky to have friends like you," I said, my voice still shaky, "Thank you for being here with me."

"We're not leaving your side until you get discharged," Danielle said, "And whatever you and Riley need after you leave the hospital, we are here for you."

Stephanie and Carmen nodded in agreement.

"I appreciate that more than you'll ever know," I said, leaning my head against the pillow behind me, "I just really want to see Riley already.

"That does it," Stephanie said, "You need to see her. She needs to see you. We're making this happen. Let me go get your nurse."

Stephanie left the room, and moments later, she came back with Bailey.

"How are you feeling?" Bailey asked me.

"Everything hurts, but I really want to get up and go see my girlfriend," I said to her.

Bailey cracked a smile, "Go ahead. You don't need my permission, Jenny."

"Demarcus just texted me that she's in room 310. Want to go?" Danielle looked at me.