You Can't Hate Me

Chapter 4

    Alia woke up, squinting as pure white light blinded her.
    Memories of what happened immediately came flooding back to her.
    She gritted her teeth and almost yelled out when she felt her cheek burn with pain. Ajax. How could one single punch from a boy her age break her bones?
    She'd never met a person who could be so cruel. She had heard of bullying and assaulting, but actually experiencing it herself? It had never crossed her mind.
    She felt furious just remembering her encounter with Ajax. He had punched her. Just like that.
    She knew knew knew that bullying was common. But she was always the one who pitied, not the actual victim. She hadn't shown it then, but she had been terrified when Ajax had yanked her into the alley and pressed her against the wall.
    Shuddering, Alia waited for the pain in her cheek to ease before taking in her surroundings.
    White walls made up a rectangular ward that consisted of twelve beds with six on each side, including hers. A single door at the end of the ward kept opening and closing as nurses hurried in and out, trying to serve their patients as fast as possible.
    One of the nurses stopped by her bed, looking concerned.
    "Excuse me, miss. Did you just wake up? "
    Alia nodded, not wanting to inflict more pain into her cheek by speaking.
    "Please remain still, I'll go and get your nurse. "
    Her nurse? When did hospitals start assigning personal nurses? And when did they start speaking so formally?
    Another nurse stopped in front of her bed, breaking her thoughts.
    "Alia Roger? "
    Alia nodded.
    "Ah, I'm Nurse Angela, your nurse. "
    Alia stared at her, still confused. "I have my own nurse? "she said, wincing as pain shot through her cheek.
    Nurse Angela laughed. "I'm just the nurse that's been assigned to take care of you most of the time, which means I'm in charge of your medications, use of bathroom and concerns e.t.c. so everything won't be a mess everytime you ask for something. "
    "Uh, okay. "
    "Do you want me to call your parents? "
    "Where are they right now? "Alia asked, speaking out of the side of her mouth to lessen some of the pain in her cheek.
    "I've been told that they're at work."
    Alia shook her head, not wanting to bother her parents while they were working.
    "Well, how about your brother? He's waiting outside. "
    Alia nodded. Comfort from Zac would be awesome right now. Though he might choose to be annoying rather than comforting.
    While Nurse Angela went to get her brother, she took her time to observe her wardmates.
    To her right, a boy about eight years old who had his leg in a cast was sleeping. And on her left, was a woman who seemed to be in her fifties, lying on her bed motionlessly. Across from her, a girl about her age was reading a magazine about models, her arms bandaged and her left leg in a plastic splint.
    "Al! "
    Alia looked up to see Zac walking toward her.
    "Zac! "Alia flung her arms around her brother as soon as he was near enough, ignoring her throbbing cheek.
    "Hey! When did you start getting cuddly? "he joked.
    Alia slapped his arm and yelled out when she felt her elbow burn.
    "Al!"
    "I'm fine... "she muttered, gritting her teeth from the pain. She truly pitied the girl across her. Who knew how much pain she had to go through before she could be able to sit there reading a magazine about models.
    "Be careful with your arm and cheek."
    "Yeah, yeah I know."
    "I'm serious. "
    "Umm hmm,"Alia mumbled distractedly, staring at her hands.
    "What's wrong? "Zac asked.
    "Nothing......? "Alia trailed of, catching Zac's skeptical expression.
    "Busted, "she muttered. Zac rolled his eyes.
    He sat down beside her, frowning a little. "You know you scared mom half to death with your face, right? "
    "You saw? "Alia asked, horrified.
    "Nah, but I got a good idea with mom's detailed description. "
    Alia groaned,burying her face into his shoulder, careful to avoid her cheek.
    "Back to the topic. What's wrong? "
    Alia bit her lip, debating internally whether to tell him.
    "On one condition, "she finally told him.
    "Okay... " Zac said suspiciously.
    "You don't tell mom and dad, "Alia blurted out.
    Zac frowned. "That's going to be hard to promise."
    "Well then maybe it's better not to tell you."
    "Okay! I promise," Zac said quickly.
    Alia rolled her eyes. But then, she turned serious.
    "Yesterday at school, I bumped into a boy called Ajax-"
    "Wait- the Ajax? "Zac interrupted.
    "Huh? "
    "One of my classmates told me that a boy called Ajax who's in your grade spent a year in jail for assaulting a girl. Well, he was supposed to, but his aunt or someone payed the bail, so he got off that. My classmate also warned me that even I shouldn't mess with him. "
    Alia sucked in a breath and closed her eyes.
    "Sounds like mine,"she muttered.
    Zac's eyes narrowed. "He did this to you? "he growled.
    "Don't be over protective. "
    Zac snorted. "Over protective?? Did you enjoy your encounter with him? "
    Alia cringed, the memory of Ajax's knuckles connecting with her cheek bones all too clear in her mind.
    Zac's eyes widened when he saw her expression. "God, Al. I'm sorry. "
    Alia shook her head. "It's okay. "
    Zac gave her a small smile.
   "How am I supposed to not tell our parents? "he sighed, his smile falling.
    "Just don't. I... don't want them to know. Yet."
    Thankfully, Zac didn't say anything. He wasn't the kind of brother who insisted to protect her.
    "I should go now, there're chores waiting for me at home,"he said.
    Alia nodded. "Visit me tomorrow. Please? "
    Zac nodded, smiling. "Bye, Al. "
    "Bye. "

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Hey guys, I hope this chapter is long enough. OK I just read it through and it's no where near long enough. Sorry! I'll try to improve. Please comment and share! Lots and lots and lots of thanks!