Trust Me

Chapter 24

I feel... groggy. I can't remember anything. I crack open my eyes. Everything is white. It smells like a hospital. Wait- it is a hospital. Why am I in a hospital.

And then, everything comes rushing back- the fight with Josh and Tiff, getting lost with Caleb, the cougar- oh god, Caleb. I try to jump up, but my injuries won't let me.

"Help me, oh god, someone help me," I yell, tears streaming down my face.

"Lottie, your awake!" Its Josh.

"How long?" I ask.

"You've been out for 3 days. Mostly because you've been on some heavy medication. Are you in pain?"

"No, I'm fine." I say, pausing for a moment. I take a deep breath, and feel a lump rise in my throat. Tears well up in my eyes. "Caleb- is he-" I start, but I can't finish. I can't bear to ask of he's dead. Josh averts my gaze, and is silent for a moment.

"He's alive, but barely. His injuries were much worse than yours. He is in a coma- they don't know if he'll ever wake up. But there is brain activity. So there's still hope," Josh informs me.

I breath a sigh of relief. Maybe it's not ideal, but Caleb is alive. He's alive. That's all I need for now.

"Josh, I'm so sorry. For everything," I choke out, before I'm totally consumed in tears.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's okay. I'm the one who should be sorry. Obviously he's not a bad guy," He says, hugging me. "Whenever you're ready, I need to call in the nurse. And Mom, Dad, and Tiff."

I take a deep breath, and nod. Josh hits a button, and soon enough, the nurse is here.

"What is it- oh good, your awake! I'll go get your family," a petite blond nurse says.

First I see Tiff. Our eyes meet, and she runs in, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"I thought you were dead," she whispers.

"Well I'm not," I reply. We sit there hugging for a minute. Then she pulls away, and my parents embrace me.

After all the hugging and crying, I look up at them. They look like they've been living at the hospital, and they all have bags under there eyes, like they haven't been sleeping.

"Is there anything you need," the nurse asks.

"Yeah," I reply. "Please, take me to Caleb."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Josh says. "He looks like-"

"If you've seen him, I should be able to, too. I'm not weak. I can handle it. He can't look any worse than he did last time I saw him... I need to see him for peace of mind. What if he dies in his sleep tonight, and my last memory of him alive is of him lying in the forest soaked in his own blood," I rant.

"Ok, ok. You can see him. Tiff will take you," Mom cooes.

"Yeah, I'll take you! But everyone, I'd like to have a moment alone with Lottie. So scram," Tiff says, giving me a look that only I can understand. She wants all the details of what happened in the woods. And I'll happily tell her- I really think I could use someone to talk to.