ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ꨄ

twenty four

Alice Jones

My head is buzzing, my body feels sore, my eyes don't want to open but I force them open. The steady beeping of the medical device next to me is the only thing in this room that breaks the silence.

I look down at myself as I slowly sit up in bed, I have grazes on my knees and arms, a plaster on my head and no other injuries. I hate the hospital, it's one of the worst places exciting.

The last time I was here, I was in a hospital was because my mother died. A cold shiver runs down my spine when I think back.

Then suddenly, memories flash back into my mind, Tyler, motorcycle, crash...
I remember the way he shielded my body, his much bigger body shielding mine, his screams of pain, his heavy breathing.

I'm suddenly out the bed, standing in the room. I think I just teared the needle that was in my arm out, I don't care. I run down the hall, looking for any signs of Tyler.

A nurse sees me, stopping me. "Mrs. Jones." She says, look at my bleeding arm and back up at my face. "Where's Tyler. T-the guy I came here with." She tries to calm me but I yell, I yell about wanting to see him.

"Only the closest people are allowed to see him, Mrs. Jones, he's resting-" I don't let her finish. "I'm his girlfriend, isn't that close enough?" The words spill out of my mouth before I even know it. I don't take them back, I need to see him.

The nurse finally gives in, leading me into his room. He's wearing an oxygen mask, he has trouble breathing, a small scratch on his forehead, his body looking pale.

"He broke three ribs, he wouldn't let go of you until he knew you were taken care of." The nurse says. Three broken ribs... I try to swallow the lump in my throat but it won't go away, tears start to blur my vision.

He did this for me. He shielded me. He suffered but still looked out for me, if I'm safe, taken care of.
I drop onto the chair next to his bed. I can't take my eyes off him.

The door opens again, Tyler's brother, he sees me, eyes me, my injuries. Then his gaze travels to his brother, his breath hitches in his throat as he steps closer.

"Motorcycle accident, three broken ribs." The nurse informs him. Cole curses under his breath, "Don't tell me he drove without his fucking gear." He looks at me, expecting that I answer his question.

I just look down into my lap and he scoffs. "Of course, he took a fucking girl on his bike, didn't wear any gear and she didn't either and he ends up in some random hospital in New York. God, I'm sick." He seems mad, mad but worried.

The worry is written on his face as he eyes his brother again. "God, Tyler. What are you doing, buddy..." Cole buries his face in his hands.

"It's my fault." I suddenly choke out between my tears which have been silently running down my cheeks. "He came to look for me, to explain himself... I-" I can't finish my sentence, my sobs breaking through, I cover my mouth with my hand.

I can see Coles gaze softening, he kneels down next to me. "Hey, Alice." I look at him. "It's not your fault, okay? This was no one's fault. You hear me?" I nod, looking into my lap again.

Fidgeting with the thin material of the sweatpants they gave me. "He's so stubborn sometimes, he won't listen to me." Cole runs another hand through his hair, sighing.

"He'll be fine. He just needs rest. He'll heal." I think he's saying that more to himself than to me.
Than he looks at me again.

"My brother really loves you, you know. The night at prom, after you ran away, he broke down. He punched that guy, I had to pull him away. Tyler said that guy lied, Tyler wasn't the one making the bet but that guy was, he made it on a party when he first met you. That guy is the bad guy, not my brother. He loves you so, so, sooo much, Alice. He didn't say anything that night, he couldn't get the words out, he was too shocked. Too shocked that that bastard would do anything like this and he did all of this just because he doesn't like seeing my brother happy, because he thinks he deserves the worst."