What Did I Tell You?

Chapter 8

When Tarja came to, the first thing she thought was, Ow. The second thing was, Where am I? She slowly sat up, then realized she was in a hospital bed. Her left leg was in a cast, and her left arm and ribs were bandaged.

"What happened?" she murmured, struggling to remember. She remembered a dark blur rushing at her out of nowhere, the force of the impact as it hit her car, and then...nothing. Just blackness. And pain. The curtains around her bed parted, and a nurse walked in.

"Oh, Tarja, you're awake," she smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Um...my leg hurts," Tarja said, wincing. "And so does my head."

"I'll bring you your medicine in a moment," the nurse told her. "In the meantime, there are a couple of people who've been waiting to see you. Are you up for visitors?"

"Yes, that's fine. Bring them in," Tarja said. The nurse left the room,and a moment later, Alissa and Floor entered.

"Tari!" Floor cried, running over to the bed and giving Tarja a very gentle hug. Alissa did the same.

"Hey, Floor," Tarja said, hugging back.

"We were so worried about you. Sharon called me and told me you had gotten in an accident, and I freaked out." Floor blinked back tears. "But you're alive."

"Yes, but as you can see, I'm not in great condition, either," Tarja said, gesturing to her body.

"That's one heck of a cast," Alissa said. She leaned down to kiss Tarja, but Tarja pulled away.

"Erm...Alissa? Why are you...trying to kiss me?" Alissa stared at her in horror, tears filling her eyes.

"You...you don't remember me?" she whispered. Tarja shook her head.

"No, I don't. I mean, I know who you are, but...why did you try to kiss me?"

"She must have hit her head or something, don't take it personally, Alissa," Floor said reassuringly, putting her arm around the bluenette. Tarja frowned.

"Well, it does hurt."

"I'll bet that's why. They said a truck hit you. T-boned you from the left. That would be enough to cause serious damage," Floor said. She patted Tarja's hand. "It'll be okay, you'll get your memory back."

"I hope so," Tarja said, looking worried. "Because, well, I'm gonna assume she's," here she gestured at Alissa, "my girlfriend, even if I don't remember her. And she seems like someone I want to remember." Alissa squeezed her hand.

"Even though you don't remember me, you're still sweet to me. That's a good sign, right?"

"Of course," Floor said, smiling at the other two. Her smile seemed to light up the room, making Tarja, and then even Alissa a little bit, smile. When the nurse came in, Tarja was sitting up a little, laughing at something Floor was telling her.

"Alright, alright, Tarja needs to take her medicine, and then she has one more person waiting to see her," she said, setting a glass of water and some pills on the bedside table.

"Sharon wanted to see you, too, but she offered to go last. Only two people at a time," Floor said. "So we're gonna get going. Actually,wait a minute, can we sign your cast?"

"Can they?" Tarja asked the nurse, swallowing her pills.

"Sure," the nurse answered. She handed Floor a marker. Floor wrote:

Get well soon, Tarja. I miss you.

Your best friend, Floor

on the cast in her slightly messy cursive. Then she handed the marker to Alissa. Alissa thought for a minute, then wrote: