21

21/Ch. 5

I feel drugged. My eyelids feel heavy and I forgot where I was.

Ouch.

My arm. My arm hurts? The car crash! Rakim! I turned my head to his direction. He's still asleep. I got up and slouched to his bed. He looks peaceful. Like he has nothing to worry about...anymore. Please. Please wake up.

A nurse came in.

"Excuse me. Wh-When-Wha-Wh-What is his condition?"

"Ma'am. I think I need to escort you to your room. You seem delusional."

"NO! I'm fine. Is he?"

"Sweetie, he's great. He's doing better than we've expected."

"Then why isn't he waking up?"

"His body is tired from fighting to stay alive. I can assure you that he's in stable condition."

"Okay."

I let the woman finish her job uninterruptedly. She was checking his heartbeat when his eyes fluttered opened.

"Cherelle?"

I'm guessing that his eyes are blurred, too. He's confusing the nurse for me...or is it amnesia? What if it's permanent damage to his brain? What if--

"Where's Elle?"

"Ra-Rakim. I'm right here."

I started to get closer to his bed so that he could see me.

"I'll just leave you two to be alone."

The nurse left and my eyes started to stream.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm good. I'm sorry your birthday turned out shitty like this."

"It's better than you dying. I don't know how I'd live with you gone forever. I love you too much to imagine that."

"Lay down with me."

I started to recline next to him, feeling worse with every grunt he makes.

"Are you sure that you're okay with me lying here. I don't want to hurt you."

"Just lay down. I would be hurt if you DIDNT stay here."

I started to lie back more and he tried his best to hold in every sound effect.

"Grunt. How bad do you feel?"

"My arms have scratches here and there. My eye is a little black. My head has a few scarring. My heart is okay, though. As long as you're here."

"Did you call and tell anybody?"

"No. It's only to ourselves. If you want to tell, then you can, but my mom can't know. I'd never hear the last of it."

"I'm not telling anybody."

The silence was nerve racking.

"Elle, why don't you and your mom get along?"

"Why?"

"Just answer it."

"Because I don't like her personality. It's disgusting. I want to be treated like an adult."

"You think you're ready to be treated like one?"

"Yeah. I'm 21."

"Age is just a number. Respect comes with responsibility and maturity."

"I'm childish?"

"I'm just saying that if you think you're ready for the real world then move in with me."

"Like.... live with you?"

"It's your decision."

"I want to. I will."

"Alright."

"But when I move out of state, you're coming with me, right?"

"Moving where?"

"Rhode Island."

"Why?"

"School."

"Stay down here."

"No. I don't want to stay here. I want to move on with my life."

"I'm not leaving here."

"What do you me--"

"Wait until we get out of here to talk about this."

"No. What do you mean you're not leaving here? How are we gonna stay together?"

"I don't know."

"You're a bitch."

He grabbed my arm so I could stay in his bed.

"I gave you my reason for moving. Why should I stay?'

"Cause I'll be here."

"Leave with me."

"We'll talk about it later."

"Alright."

A quick kiss followed by him napping was all we needed to make right up.