Markus High

Chapter Eight

Zyta's POV:

I woke up slowly, my head pounding. My throat was dry. I groaned miserably and slowly forced my eyes open and was greeted with lights shining on me. I looked at the white walls around me.

"Where...?" I croaked, still taking in my surroundings in confusion. I was laying on a bed and appeared to have an IV sticking from my arm. I gulped and the sight and tried not to freak out.

"About time you woke up," a familiar voice said from off to one side of me, slightly laughing.

I glanced over to my side. Markus was laying in his own hospital bed, tossing some cards into a plastic container that lay on the end of the bed. I raised an eyebrow at him in surprise.

"You're in a different hospital," he explained. "They moved all the patients here after the attack at the other one. It's good you woke up, since they're sending everyone who's conscious and not sick home today to make more room." He threw another card into the bucket. "Good to have 'ya back!" he grinned.

I smiled faintly. "Wait, where are the others? They're all okay, right?"

Annalee walked in right then. "Yep! We're okay!" she said, a grin on her face. "We wouldn't be if it wasn't for you, so thanks."

"Don't go overboard with the thanks," I muttered. I turned to face Markus again. "Do you get to leave today, too?" I asked, then paused. "Wait, how long was I out?" I asked, feeling my stomach growl and my face flush with embarrassment.

"Three days," Markus answered, replying to my last question. "You didn't miss much. The Broncos lost their football game, but I doubt you care about that."

"Then you're wrong. The Broncos are my favorite team," I replied, a bit sad they'd lost.

"Really? Mine, too," he agreed. "Anyway, they're saying I'm neurologically impaired and allowed to leave since they can't fix that. I'll have to live with it. I've been given medication that'll supposedly help, though."

"Ah. So, when so we get out?"

"As soon as our parents check us out," he replied.

"Ah, crud," I muttered quietly.

"You okay?"

"That depends on your definition of 'okay'," I sighed. I didn't want to go into the depressing details of my home life so I kept my explanation short. "My parents are villains. They might not come to get me out, and if I do get out of here then I've got nowhere to go."

"Oh... Where have I heard that before?" Markus asked quietly, looking over at Annalee.

"Oh, um, Markus, could you excuse us? I'd like to talk to Zyta alone, please," Annalee said quickly. Markus jumped out of bed, taking the deck of cards and plastic bucket with him.

"Um, what do you want to talk to me about?" I asked awkwardly once he'd left.

"Zyta, both my parents are villains, too. I literally have no one in my family that supports my decision about being good. The state had to take me away from my parents. I'm here for you," she said sincerely. 

"Yeah, but what am I supposed to do? Wait for them take me from my family, too? It's unlikely that they'd ever notice me," I said, whispering a faint, "Plus, all I've been is a thorn in the state's side for years. I'm pretty sure they're sick of me already" under my breath. "It's not like I have any friends to stay with," I added quietly. I wasn't sure whether her and the others considered me their friends or not, anyway.

"Zyta, am I you're friend?" she asked seriously.

I shrugged. "I dunno," I said quietly, looking down at my hands awkwardly.