Pleasure

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Aria

I hear a beeping sound from the right of me. It sounds distant, but also like it's moving towards me. My eyes flutter open to see bright lights. It's silent and the only thing making noise is that constant beeping.

I regain consciousness and realize I'm in a hospital room. The last few hours are a blur to me. Or maybe it's the last few days? It hurts to think.

I look around the room, then at myself. I have a bandage on my wrist and leg, but nothing else. I feel a pounding on my head and my hand automatically reacts. I put it to my forehead to feel a bandage there as well.

I try to sit up but it hurts my ribs, so I'm forced to lay back down. Seconds later, the door clicks open and someone walks in.

My memory is foggy for a moment, but then I realize it's my mother. She looks worried and hurt. Or maybe she's anxious. I don't know, it hurts to read her expressions.

"Aria?" She questions. "Are you awake?" I nod to her, almost motionless. She rushes to my side and sits next to me. Her face is soft and caring.

"How are you feeling?" She asks.

"I don't .. remember much." I vocalize. She reaches over me and presses a red button.

A man in a white lab coat comes in shortly after holding a clipboard. He notices my presence and smiles.

"How are you feeling, Ms. Winter?" He asks, but I don't say much. "You were recently in a car accident, I just want to ask you a few questions."

"Okay." I nod.

"What's your full name?"

"Aria Marie Winter." He writes it down on his clipboard before looking back at me.

"What grade are you in?"

"Twelfth grade." I reply. Once again, he writes it down. He asks me a few more basic questions before diving into the hard stuff.

"Do you remember anything about the crash?" He questions. I rack my brain to try and remember.

"Um," I start. "I remember ... hitting my head? I'm not sure I'm sorry."

He nods and smiles. "That's fine, we're going to give you a little more medicine. It might make you a bit drowsy, but the best thing for you to do is rest, okay?" I nod. He writes some more things down, then fiddles with my IV bag before asking my mom to speak with her privately. I want to know what he has to say, but I'm too tired to pester.

My dad walks in standing tall. It doesn't take me long to recognize him. He comes in to talk but notices that I'm slowly falling asleep, which is out of my control. He pecks me on the forehead and tells me to get some rest. I do as I'm told.

I wake up feeling cold. I shiver, half consciously. I feel a blanket being pulled over my body until I'm no longer cold. My eyes slowly open, feeling the medicine's effects still drain the life out of me. I see a boy with brown hair leaning back in a chair. His green eyes stare directly at mine. He has a soft face; an angelic face. He looks like he's admiring me, like I'm a fine piece of expensive artwork or a beautiful design. I know those admirable eyes from anywhere.

"Jacob?" I groan. His lips pinch together and make a bitter smile.

"Hey." He speaks lowly. His hand is pressed up against the side of his face and his posture is tight but nonchalant. It's like he's struggling to look happy in a way.

He leans forward in his chair and looks down at me. "How are you feeling?" It seems like I'm hearing that question a lot today.

"I feel foggy." I mumble with a dry throat. "It hurts to remember some things, I guess." His eyes are filled with pain, and it's so obvious he can't hide it. "What's wrong?"

"It's my fault," he mumbles, looking past me. I look at him confused. "This is all my fault." He suddenly breaks down. A tear falls from his cheek as he folds up in his arms and falls upon the side of my bed.

"What? Hey, Jacob, stop crying it's okay. I'm okay." I comfort, rubbing his arm. He jerks away from me with red eyes.

"No! You're not okay! The shittiest part of this is you don't even remember that it's my fault!" He cries.

I feel so lost. I can't put together the pieces of what he's talking about. I want to comfort him. I want to tell him it's okay, but I'm not sure what I'd be telling him. Or better yet, why I would be telling him that.

"I made you crash! You got mad because this woman I used to ... know. She kissed me and you got upset about it, so you drove off and crashed. You're in here because of me. You crashed because of me."

Suddenly it comes back. Her sloppy limp and her tight red dress. The way she planted her lips on his. The rage inside of me was almost unfathomable. Then I remember the pain. It's all foggy, but the pain is so clear. I feel tears begin to sting the back of my eyes. Jacob's puffy, red eyes look up at me as he realizes I'm starting to remember everything.

"I'm so sorry, Aria." His words sound muffled as he chokes words out.

"Who was she?" I ask with tears in the back of my eyes. He looks at me, perplexed. "That woman. Who was she?" I look ahead, starting to remember some of what happened.

"She was a woman from my past. She ... was bad for me. I was going down the wrong path then and I met her. We did a lot of things that I regret, but that was a long time ago, Aria. I swear to you-"

"Stop." I mumble. A tear rolls down my face.

"Aria," he pleads.

"Stop!" He jolts from my words and clenches his jaw. "Please just go..."

He doesn't say anything. He clenches his fists quickly before loosening them again. He stands slowly, tears staining his eyes. It hurts to see him cry, but it hurts more to remember why he's crying in the first place.

He sniffs one time before turning and walking out of the room.