What It's Like Loving an Idiot

Thirty || The Cold

There's definitely something cold on my forehead. Maybe a cloth? Why is there something cold on my forehead? I'm getting the chills. I open up my eyes and see white ceiling. Whatever it is that I'm laying on is cold, really cold. I look to my left and see black tile flooring. Why am I on the floor? I shouldn't be on the floor. As soon as I realize that I'm on the floor, I try to get up, but someone holds my shoulder down, telling me not to.

The voices around me are unfamiliar to me at this point. "Ryder, she's awake." Oh wait, that's Grayson.

"Should we take her to the hospital?" Another voice asks from somewhere else in the room.

Leah kneels beside me, leaning over and looking at my eyes briefly. "When did she eat and drink last?" She asks James.

"This morning, it wouldn't be that. It has to be something else."

"Well then, she's going to the hospital," Grant announces.

"I'll drive. Here, Leah, help me get her up," Grayson says and he approaches my fallen self.

Come on, guys. I really do believe that I could do this myself. I'm not a cripple like James is. But, I don't say this out loud. I don't know why I don't, but maybe I can't.

The two of them lift me up onto my feet. I furrow my eyebrows at Leah. She really had no trouble getting me to my feet, she sure is a tough little cookie. Although, I'm like one hundred and seven pounds, so maybe it's not all that of a struggle. As soon as I'm on my feet, I know I can walk if they would just let me.

"Are you okay?" I hear James's voice from somewhere around me, probably behind me.

"Yes, I'm okay," I assure him. Hmm, so I can speak. "In fact, I think that taking me to the hospital is a bit dramatic. I'm fine," I add while glancing a look at Grayson, raising an eyebrow.

He smiles, "Sorry, Ven. You were unconscious for ten minutes for no known reason, so, yeah, you're going to go see a doctor right now."

I scoff and roll my eyes at him. "Let's be realistic, if you let me go right now, I could walk just fine. In fact, I'll bet you fifteen dollars that I'm just fine."

"Vena, I'm not going to let you go and neither is Leah." Grayson tells me sternly.

I look back at James as we all walk out to Grayson's truck. "Hey, you tell them I'm fine," I tell James, as he hops along on his crutches.

He smiles at me a little bit. "I would if it were true. Ven."

I groan and look forward as Leah opens up the back door on Grayson's truck for me and they help me in.

I mean even if Humpty Dumpty didn't have a great fall, I would've still appreciated the boost into the truck because damn, I struggle getting in.

Grayson walks around to the other side with James and he helps him in. We're just a disaster today. Grayson then slides James's crutches by our feet.

James looks at me with his eyebrows furrowed. Why is he worried? I'm fine. I mean, Grant took me down last fall on vacation, so I really do think I'm going to be fine.

I smile at that thought. That was actually really quite funny. James was so mad at Grant for that. It really was quite hilarious.

So much has changed since then. Back then the most I had to worry about was James having feelings for me and vice versa, which inevitably happened. Back then, Grant had us all fooled into thinking he was dumb, when really, he's probably smarter than all of us. It's funny back then, I remember it being so much simpler than now. When we do get to the hospital, they actually let me walk by myself, but that certainly didn't stop them from hovering. After checking in and waiting for at least half an hour, nurses take me in for what feels like dozens of tests and exams.