back to you | jadon sancho

five

I woke up in a hospital bed, still feeling dizzy. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled my nose, and the faint beeping of monitors provided a disorienting soundtrack. Blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights, I struggled to make sense of where I was and how I had ended up here.

Slowly, the events of the previous night began to resurface in my mind. Jacob, drunk and enraged, had punched me hard in the head. The panic and fear I felt in that moment were all too real, and my body still ached from the encounter.

"Imani, you're awake," a familiar voice said softly, breaking through my haze. I turned my head to see Chloe and Gio sitting by my bedside, their faces etched with worry.

"Chloe... Gio..." I murmured, my voice hoarse.

Chloe reached out and gently squeezed my hand. "We're here, Imani. You're safe now."

"How long have I been here?" I asked.

"2 days." Chloe said.

Gio's expression was a mix of relief and anger. "What the hell happened with Jacob?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "He... he was really drunk. When I tried to help him, he got aggressive. I don't even remember everything that happened after that."

Chloe's eyes filled with tears as she leaned in closer. "You were unconscious when we found you. Imani, we were so scared."

I squeezed her hand back, grateful for their presence. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Gio shook his head, his jaw clenched. "None of this is your fault. Jacob had no right to lay hand on you like that. The police are handling it now."

The mention of the police made my stomach churn, but I knew it was necessary. Jacob needed help, and I needed to feel safe. "Thank you for being here," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Chloe wiped away a tear, her expression fierce. "Of course we're here."

"Did you see what happened after he hit me?" I asked.

"When we heard your scream, we ran out to see what had happened. We saw Jadon stopping him from hurting him further, and I think he injured Jacob really badly." Chloe said.

"Jadon? Did he save me?" I asked.

"We think so." Gio said.

I never thought Jadon would do something like that. Maybe he actually meant it when he said that he would make it up to me. I thought it was just something he said to get me back.

"Is he here?" I asked.

"Yeah, he's been here the whole time. I think he even tried to sleep here, but they kicked him out," Chloe said. "I don't know where he is now, though."

Just then, the door opened, and a doctor came in. "Ah, you're awake."

"Can you please explain to me how hard that man hit me?!" I asked, my voice tinged with frustration and fear.

"Well, he managed to hit a very sensitive part of your skull, which sent you into a mini-coma. It was very serious," the doctor explained while filling a glass with water. "Here, drink this."

"Thank you," I said, glancing at her name tag. "...Dr. Hampton," I added before taking a sip. I didn't realize a two-day coma would leave me feeling so dehydrated.

She smiled warmly. "Just call me Elizabeth."

"Noted," I replied with a weak smile.

Elizabeth went on to explain how they would run some tests to ensure I didn't have any lasting brain damage. After she left, it was just me, Chloe, and Gio once again.