Starting Over

11. I'd Leave If I Were You

Light tries to intrude into my eyes as I flutter them open and closed trying to adjust to the bright lighting of the atmosphere. I look around the room and I can't figure out where I am. Still trying to guess where I am, I notice someone sleeping next to my bed on a chair.

How uncomfortable.

I shift a little on the bed. Due to the amount of unnecessary noise the bed made, the person sitting next to me wakes up.

"Ella, your awake." The person gasps.

"No shit Sherlock. Where am I and who are you?" I question, raising an eyebrow.

"Ella, you don't remember anything?" He stands up from his chair and walks in front of my bed.

"Again, I wouldn't have asked those freaking questions if I didn't remember. Why am I talking to you, I don't even know you?" I snap.

"Ella, you are in the hospital and I am Jake, Jake Smith. From your old school." He sighs running a hand through his hair.

What, is he doing here?

Everything's now coming back. I remember how someone pushed me down the stairs and I remember Jake. Very well actually.

Why are you even here? I thought I told you to leave me alone?" I say getting annoyed as I try to sit up but instantly feeling a sharp pain pierce through my head.

"Ella I care about you. I wouldn't just stay home if I heard you were in hospital after a horrific accident." He exclaims.

"I would have preferred if you did," I roll my eyes, "How did you even find out?" I ask frowning.

"It doesn't matter how I found out but what does matter is that you're okay," Jake clarifies making my curiosity grow even more.

"Jake, please leave, I-" I'm cut off by the door opening. "Jackson, what are you doing here?" I asked shocked.

"I was the one who found you," he says, my stomach erupts with butterflies.

JACKSON PRETTY MUCH SAVED MY LIFE!!

"Oh, well I wish you were the one here when I woke up, not him." I cross my arms over my chest, smiling at Jackson.

"Really Ella?! That wasn't necessary." Jake scoffs.

"Yeah, well, guess what Jake? I told you to leave me alone. I don't want you here. You're the one that hurt me not anyone else. It's your fault that we are like this." I say rolling over to look out the window again.

"Ella, I didn't mean to say it angrily."

"Buddy, the lady said to leave, so I'd leave if I were you," Jackson says.

My insides mush together causing heat to rise to my cheeks.

"Yeah well you say every time you didn't mean it, but deep down I know you did. It's your way of hurting me isn't it?" I ask, still looking out the window as I talk, not even looking at Jake.

"Ella, why would you think that?"

"I don't think that Jake, I know that." Without getting an answer back I hear the door slam shut.

A tear rolls down my cheek. Quickly wiping away the tear, Jackson comes beside my bed and sits next to me.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up." He says grabbing my hands.

"Don't be sorry, it's okay. Can you get a nurse, please? I wanna know when I can get out of this place." I sniffle.

"Sure thing." He kisses my forehead before heading to the door. For some reason what Jackson did just put a huge smile on my face.

***

"You seem to be doing well and your tests have all come back with good results. But you'll be in a cast for three weeks. I suggest you take the rest of the week off and go back to school the following week. This all means that you are free to go home either tonight or tomorrow morning." The nurse explains.

"Oh, I'm definitely going home tonight. Thank you." The doctor chuckles in response as she leaves the room.

I get off the bed and a wave of dizziness rush through my head. Jackson notices immediately and holds onto my hand to stable me. Once the dizziness has gone away I start walking towards my duffel bag.

"I've got it," He says, picking the duffel from the floor and hanging it over his shoulder

Jackson watches me carefully as I get in his car and puts my bag in the backseat. Shortly after he starts the car and drives towards my house.

Jackson and I barely know each other and he is willing to help me. Without having my brothers or my dad with me is tough. But, I knew that moving here would mean, I would be away from my family and that things are going to be harder to communicate.

Jackson is someone I didn't really want to get involved with. He was rude and arrogant, but I'm starting to see who he is as a person and I guess he's not that bad.

As I'm Looking out the window, a sharp pain explodes through my skull causing me to yelp.

"Ella, is everything okay?" Jackson asks, with so much concern in his voice.

"Can you pull over?" I ask holding my head in my hands.

"Of course." Jackson pulls over onto the side of the road and stops the car. He shifts in his seat to face me placing his soft hand on my shoulder facing him.

"Ella, what's wrong?" He asks again rubbing his hand on shoulder in a circular motion.

"There's a really sharp pain in my head." I wince, scrunching my eyes.

"When do you need to take your medication?" He asks.

"I don't know the paper is in my bag." I lean my head back against the car seat. Jackson climbs over the seats and goes through my bag. Seconds after he finds the prescription and is scanning it quickly.

"Yeah, you need to take it now." He instructs.

"Okay grab my water as well." I take the water bottle from Jackson, down the pills with the water and swallow them. I lean back in my chair and close my eyes. I tilt my head over to look at Jackson, who is staring at me contently.

"Can I ask you something, Jackson?" I ask.

"You just did." Jackson plasters his signature smirk on his face. I roll my eyes in response. "Go ahead." He says.

"How come your here, like why are you so willing to help me?"

"Well, it seems to be that I'm the only one that could actually come to the hospital and as if I wouldn't." I stare right at his eyes while I give a small smile.

Jackson starts the car again and drives the route towards home.