Fake [[Completed]]

Chapter Twenty-four -- Hospitals and Tears

Mystery's POV -- June 20

I groan loudly as I slowly open my eyes. I blink several times to adjust to the light coming in through the window. I'd fallen asleep on the couch in my lounge area. I sit up and rub my eyes. My face feels tight and I realize that I must've cried myself to sleep. I haven't done that in a while.

Last night, I was a mess. After I returned home from the coffee shop, I drank at least two bottles of some random junk and took a bunch of various pills just to get the high.

She had my mind wrapped around her shattered heart. She didn't even realize that it was me. That was probably what hurt the most about last night. But what she said... She left me because she loved me and her life was screwed if she had stayed with me. So she went to the ends of the earth to get away from me and her life still ended up screwed.

I don't know who I hate more. Her or me.

She said that she was so ashamed of herself that she couldn't stand to return. And I thought all wrong of her.

I groaned as I leaned back on the couch. Then I hear my phone buzz.

I pick it up off the coffee table in front of me and turn it on.

15 missed calls, 9 messages in my voicemail box, and 78 new messages.

Shit...

I forgot to call Macey back last night.

I unlock my phone and see that only 8 of the calls, 3 of the voice messages, and 20 of the texts were from Macey. All the rest were from an unknown number.

I ignore all of Macey's messages and read the unknown numbers texts first.

Mystery, this is Mr. Bird, Jane's father. She's in trouble and we don't know what to do. You're the only one we know that can possibly help. -4:17am

There are tons more messages like this one. I frantically look at the time.

1:48pm

Shit Mystery... How could you be so self absorbed?

I jump up and quickly change into a clean set of clothes, grab my keys, and head out to my car.

As I start to drive, I listen to all of the voice messages from Jane's father.

She's in the hospital and in critical condition. I need to be there for her right now. I lost her for four years and believed a lie.

Now that I know the truth, I can't afford to lose her permanently.

I speed through the city as fast as I can through all the traffic and towards the hospital where she's staying.

I get there -- ignoring my crooked parking job -- and hop out of the car as soon as I stop. I run to the front desk and ask for directions to room 389.

I hop in the next elevator and head to the top floor. I rush past a bunch of doctors and guests as I scurry down the hall. I get to a large pair of metal doors and try to open it. But they're locked.

I hurry and snatch the phone on the wall and call the desk on the other side of the door. It rings 5 times before someone picks up.

"He-"

"I need to get in." I interrupt the female doctor.

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't let you in if you don't have your pass."

"Excuse me? My pass?" I scrunch my eyebrows.

"You were supposed to receive a visitors pass at the front desk."

"Fuck..." I curse under my breath. My breathing gets heavier and my eyes start to sting. "Hey listen. Jane Bird, my only ray of sunshine, the only person who I ever truly loved, is in there on her death bed." A tear escapes and rolls slowly down my cheek. "So if you could please let me in, I promise that I'll get a pass and show it to you later. But I really don't have the time right now."

I wait. After a moment, I hear a soft click and the lock on the door turns green. I drop the phone, letting it hang on it's wire, and quickly step through the doors.

I nod quickly at the lady behind the front desk and half run, half walk down to Jane's room.

389. I found it.

I push the door open quietly and walk into a scene from a tragedy movie.

I see her mother with her face burried into the bed sheets. Her father has his hands in his face as he leans on his knees in the guest chair beside her bed. There's a red headed chick looking out the window and there's a few "get well soon" balloons and a stuffed animal or two.

And I see her.

Her face is pale and shallow. There are dark circles under her eyes and her lips are a dark shade of red, contrasting against her white skin. She's in a hospital gown and has both of her arms on top of her hospital blanket. Her arms...

More tears find their way to my cheek.

Her arms are wrapped in gauze all the way up to her elbows. That could only mean one thing. And I'm terrified that I triggered it.

"Oh Jane..." My voice cracks as I fall to my knees in the doorway of her hospital room, tears making puddles on the floor.