The Promise of Friendship

Chapter 8

I slowly woke up to the pain of my whole body aching. I couldn't move and more importantly I couldn't make sense of the sounds in the room. There was a beeping sound droning in the background with other noises I couldn't put my figure on. Finally I opened my eyes to a harsh whiteness.

This isn't my house. I thought. Even though my whole body hurt I tried to move, just to be pushed down gently by a familiar hand.

"Oh no. You need to stay still." I looked to my right to see Ben standing right next to my bed with Riley right behind him.

Suddenly everything came rushing back, my father and trying to escape, but how did I end up in a hospital?

I looked back at Ben and felt tears coming. Ben was right. I needed to get out of my father's house but I didn't know how to do that. I still didn't want to turn my father in. It wasn't his fault that he didn't want me. I was just grateful that he took care of me this long.

"Hey you're okay." Ben said whipping a tear away with his thumb. "Everything's going to be okay."

I simply nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak.

"You completely had me freaked." Riley spoke softly. "When Ben called and told me to get over to your house I thought you and your dad were in trouble but than I saw you alone at the end of the road. You collapsed. I thought you were..." He wasn't able to finish.

"But you're okay." Ben said for the third time. "Do you remember what happened?"

I looked at Riley for a second before my eyes landed back on Ben. I wanted to tell Riley what happened but what would he think? I didn't want him to think any less of me.

Ben, knowing me all too well, turned to Riley. "The nurse wanted to know when she woke up. Do you mind finding her and letting her know?"

Riley nodded and squeezed my hand before leaving the room. As soon as he was gone I busted into tears. Ben grabbed my hand to offer some comfort and I pulled him down to give him a hug. Ben silently held me as I cried and waited patiently for me to calm down.

"You were right." I croaked. My voice was ruff from not being used in – well I didn't know for sure how long. "H-he never loved me. He said I was a m-mistake."

Ben's arms tightened around me until I gasped from the pain. He whispered "sorry" before pulling away to look me in the eye.

"Is he the one who did this to you London?"

Shedding a few more tears I nodded.

I saw anger lite Ben's eyes as Riley walked back in with a middle-aged nurse. As she walked over I saw her nametag said Julie. "Hello, London." She said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I have some pain." I told her. "But everything else seems find."

"Can you rate your pain for me?"

I thought for a moment. "Right now it's like a six."

Nurse Julie nodded and wrote some things down on her clipboard. "Have you moved much yet?"

I shook my head. She wrote something else down on the clipboard.

"I can give you some pain medication. It will help the pain and help you relax. Would you like that?"

I looked at Ben and Riley. I really wanted to talk to them for a while. "Will it make me sleep?"

Nurse Julie smiled. "Only if you want it to dear."

I nodded my head and nurse Julie moved to add something to my IV. Within a few minutes I felt my whole body relax and the pain started to subside. "Better?" she asked.