"Just Friends?"

Chapter 20

DYLAN'S POV

"I'm so sorry.." I choke the words out as I'm staring at my unconscious girlfriend. This is all my fault.
"Dylan, what's wrong?" Kelly's voice cracks at the end of her question.
"I didn't see him Kelly, it was too late when I realized. Brandi.." I can't keep the tears at bay anymore and my voice is no longer audible.
"Dylan honey, where are you?" my mom's voice comes through the phone now. I look around for street signs.
"Tribeca and Durby." I choke out the words.
"We'll be right there." my mom hangs up.

I jump back into the ambulance and rush to Brandi's side. I brush my thumb across her soft knuckles and plant a kiss on each one.

Please be okay. Please.

BRANDI'S POV

My head is pounding. My arms are killing me, my legs hurt the worst. Where am I? I hear voices, I don't recognize these voices. I'm scared. Where's Dylan? I can feel fingers brushing my knuckles.

"Is she going to be okay?" I hear Dylan choke.

"Brandi! Brandi sweetie!" I hear my mom's frantic voice. "Honey, you're okay. Mommy's here and so is Dad." she cries into my other arm.

Mom. Dad. They're here! Open your eyes, Brandi. Damn.

My eyes betray me and refuse to open. I hear my mom sobbing into my hair. I try to speak but am pulled back into darkness.

...

BRANDI'S POV

I wake up but once again my eyes refuse to open. My arms are still at my sides but I can feel Dylan's head resting on one. I think he's asleep. My right leg is elevated and in a brace, I think. There's something wrapped around my forehead, maybe a bandage.

"Dylan hun, you should go to the hotel with your parents, you haven't slept since we
got to the hospital. It's been two days, she's
not going anywhere." my mom
whispers to Dylan.

"No, I'm okay. I wanna be here when she wakes up." Dylan sniffles. Oh baby.

As I try to remember how I wound up in the hospital, I'm pulled back into the darkness.

...

BRANDI'S POV

My eyes flicker open and immediately narrow to the harsh light coming from the large window on the right wall. Dylan is passed out once again on my arm. My poor tired baby. I wiggle my free arm out from under the blanket and run my fingers through his growing hair. His soft brown eyes flutter open and a flood of relief washes over his face. He grabs my hand and kisses each knuckle like he's done since I got here.

"Hi baby." he whispers.

"Hi." I croak.

"How are you feeling?" he whispers again.

I'm extremely thirsty. I try to open my mouth but all the comes out is a squeak. Great. I look around for a water cup but of course there isn't any. I find a water bottle sitting on the stand under the tv on the wall. I weakly lift up my arm and point to the bottle and Dylan seems to understand. When he returns he unscrews the lid and tilts it slowly into my mouth.

Ahhh. I finish the whole bottle and Dylan runs to get me some more.  My sweet boy. I look around the room, it's pretty nice I guess. I have a white brace around my right leg and its elevated. There's a bandage wrapped around the top of my head. What happened to me? Dylan walks in with a water bottle and my parents. My mom rushes to my side and starts crying into my shoulder.

"How are you feeling baby girl?" My dad asks, keeping his composure.

My memory suddenly comes back to me. I was in the car, or I was about to get in the car, no I was in the car and I wanted some gum. I had just thrown up. I remember Dylan reach into the dashboard and then we were hit and ... I don't remember the rest.

I guess my silence scared my mom because when she asked again her voice was shaky.

"I'm fine. I'm sore but I'm fine." I croak