Playing for Rya

2. Remember

Photo of La Cura Medica facility

Song: When we were Young by Adele; Cover by Ina Shai.

Rya frowned and turned over on her bed as a loud insistent banging filled her head.

She remained that way, lying on her stomach, battling the noise in her head, until she finally reluctantly rolled over onto her back, and groggily opened her eyes, squinting and blinking rapidly at the ceiling as her mind slowly registered her friend's voice calling out her name repeatedly, while simultaneously ringing the doorbell.

The banging was coming from her front door.

Her eyes widened and she sat up abruptly, her gaze drawn to the daylight pouring in through her curtains as she reached for her phone which lay on her small bedside table to glance at the time.

Realizing what the day was and that she was, at this rate, going to be late to her first day of work if she didn't get a move on, she threw back the covers, rushing out of bed and to her front door to unlock it, and without bothering to open it, rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

'Rya!' Kris's loud frustrated voice followed her into the small shower space, 'what the...? you're not ready? and you sleep naked?' she said, the octave of her voice rising with each word she spouted, 'you know what, never mind, I'll be down in the car with Pete and Jace, if you're not there in five minutes, we're leaving you.'

Rya heard her apartment door slam shut and rolled her eyes, Kris was definitely a drama queen and was sometimes known to overreact, but she knew her friends would never leave her behind, except she told them to.

She rushed through her shower as she'd often done in medical school and threw on a pair of pants and a button down shirt. Grabbing her bag, she threw in a hair brush, her deodorant and some hair clips before sliding into her flat shoes and rushing out the door.

Peter was the only one of them who had a car, it had been a graduation gift from his parents, a gesture she truly appreciated, especially on days like this, when she didn't have to worry about her mode of transportation to work.

'Really Rya?' he said turning the key in the ignition as she slid into the backseat of the car and gave a huge sigh.

'Sorry guys,' she said as she stuck her hand into her shirt to apply her deodorant and then brush out her hair before putting it up in a ponytail and then wrapping the end around in a bun and securing it with clips.

Kris shook her head, ignoring Rya's half-assed apology, 'you know, I'll understand why you overslept if you'd actually touched your drink last night and maybe could blame your lateness on a hangover, or better still, if you had a guy over, you know? But to just simply oversleep for no good reason...'

Rya froze as she suddenly remembered that she had had a guy over the night before, the incredibly hot soldier, who must've left before she woke.

Something in her expression must have given her away as her friend suddenly paused her rant to peer curiously at her.

'Or did you have someone over?' she gasped excitedly.

'Well where'd you meet him? at the bar?' she continued her questioning when Rya remained silent, 'tell me something, c'mon Ry.'

Rya finally gave in, 'there's nothing to tell Kris, we both fell asleep before anything could happen...'

'What?' both Peter and Jason exclaimed from the front in unison.

'Naw, hold on a second,' Pete said, as he turned a corner, 'you mean a full blooded man had you in his bed and just...dozed off?'