The Fading Oddities of Nate Smith (A NateWantsToBattle Fanfiction) --COMPLETE--

Chapter Five

"I'm guessing you didn't get much sleep last night."

I was greeted by my hospital room door being opened, with Dr. Mendez walking inside. He strode in briskly, taking a seat down next to me and grabbing the clipboard sitting on the nightstand.

My eyes narrowed at him slightly. "How'd you know?" I mumbled sarcastically.

"I just do," he replied bluntly, tapping his pen against the wood of the board. It was even more annoying than the heart monitor.

The two of us stayed silent as he examined the paper attached to the clipboard. He twirled his pen and jotted a note down every once in a while, then quickly returned to tapping his writing utensil again. His eyes were still heavy with sadness, but the fresh air of this morning must have lifted them up slightly. His glasses glared in the soft sunlight coming through the blinds behind us.

"What time did he die?" I asked in a raspy voice. I didn't know what would cause me to ask such a question, but something in the back of my mind just itched to know.

Dr. Mendez looked up from what he was doing and slowly put the clipboard down. He fixed his glasses to where the glare wasn't visible anymore, and it revealed his eyes to me.

I guess I was wrong: His eyes were as heavy as ever.

"4:30 P.M.," he replied. He had a long hesitation as he scanned my face, which was cold and emotionless. He leaned forward and spoke to me in the same soft and comforting way as he did yesterday.

"I know it's hard, Nate," he continued. "But it wasn't your fault-"

"Yes it was," I snapped, an edge of hostility lining my voice. "My seatbelt buckle came undone. I fell out of the car. It was never Hunter's fault. It was mine."

"I never said it was Hunter's fault, either," Dr. Mendez argued, keeping his calm tone and shaking his head. "It just...wasn't your fault."

I slowly turned my head away from him, shifting my gaze toward the ceiling. All the wiring and monitors have greatly limited my movement, so the only thing I could safely move for now was my head. At least it kept me from punching him in the face.

I sighed deeply. "Alright."

I could see Dr. Mendez leaning back in the chair and smiling a bit from the corner of my eye. His eyes looked just a little brighter, as though it was their own way of saying, "Good. I'm glad you understand."

But I didn't understand. Not yet, at least. I didn't want to. I still needed some time to recover. I needed some rest first.

"When do I get out of here?" I asked finally, turning my head back to the doctor.

His smile stayed as he picked the clipboard back up again. "Soon, Nathan," he replied, except this time his tone was different...it was bubblier than before. "But for now, let's just take this one step at a time."

~ ~ ~

My eyes flutter open, and I'm greeted by a soft light.

I shift slightly from my curled-up position and notice that I'm underneath a set of covers. I can feel something small and warm curled against my torso, but I can't see it. The small warmth leaves my side upon my movement, and I sit up slowly.

The room is silent. A soft and comforting light is emitted from the window to the left of the head of the bed. I can hear a faint thumping noise on the wooden floor and scattered voices from outside.

My hand slowly grabs the covers and eases me off the mattress, my worn socks landing on the cold flooring that sends a small chill to the back of my neck. I stand up and stretch lazily, looking around with tired eyes.

Out the window, I can see an entire campus. Students fill the sidewalks and lawns, chattering and laughing and studying and whatever else college kids do out there. The sun is just rising, so the scene looks a bit dim still. A yellow piece of paper on the windowsill catches my eye, and I bend down a bit to take a look.

It's small - about the size of a Post-it note - and on it is a message, written neatly in purple marker.

"Tess and I are off to class. Please don't leave the dorm till one of us gets back.

-Olive"

I smirk a bit at the note, crossing my arms and turning back around. What does she expect me to do in the meantime? Do their homework and raid their fridge? I don't even know their schedule. Who knows how long they could take!

But this is my chance to escape...to escape exposure, surprise...everything...

No. This is too big a school to do that. Someone's bound to notice me before I even get to the front gates. I'll never make it out.

A small "meow" throws me off guard, and I whip around, startled. I look down at my feet to see a small black cat. Its golden eyes stare widely at me, and its tail flicks back and forth. Another "meow" comes from its mouth, and it gets up and rubs its head against my leg.

"Wha-you again?!" I whisper-cry out at the animal, shaking my leg and taking a step back. "I thought I lost you at the train station!"

The cat sits back down and tilts its head to the side, as if it couldn't comprehend what I was trying to say.

I sigh heavily and glare at the thing. "I can't believe you keep following me. What does some stupid cat see in someone like me, anyway?"

The two of us stay silent, staring at one another. The cat's tail occasionally flicks to the side, or one of us blinks, but other than that, we're completely still.

The cat meows a third time and stands up, trotting over to the swivel chair and hopping up onto it, curling up and falling back asleep. I huff angrily at the black furball and sit down on the bed, looking back out the window.

There are few students outside now. Whatever's left is scattered around, either rushing to their class or entering a building. I look back at the cat and hunch over, squinting suspiciously at it.

That thing has been following me around for as long as I can remember. I don't know why it likes me so much, but I know that most cats don't follow random people for an entire 11 months. In a row. Ever since I left Orlando, that cat has always stayed by my side. And no matter what I do, it will always appear before me again. I lay down and stare at the ceiling, growling in defeat.

And then I remember that I also have two girls to add onto my list of things to worry about.