Smile For Me, Baby

Chapter 22

I kicked off my shoes before stepping to my wooden floor. Suddenly, I heard Sherlyn's laughter down the hall. My head jerked up, but there was nothing on the hall. I shook my head, not wanting to imagine Sherlyn right now.

Sitting down on the couch, I heard another faint voice of Sherlyn. I turned my head to see nothing beside me. "I'm just imagining things." I said to myself.

I didn't know what's wrong with me. This is what I wanted, right? To make Selena fall in love with me again and to break up with Sherlyn? But everything felt wrong. It must have been something but I don't know. I felt my heart twist as I thought about Sherlyn.

Rubbing my hands on my face, I suddenly tried to take my mind off of Sherlyn by turning on the television. Suddenly, the news came on. As I was about to switch the channel, I heard her name.

"'The girl is identified as 'Sherlyn Duquez,' a student from County of the Arts High School in Los Angeles.'" Beside the reporter, an image of Sherlyn was shown. I freezed from my tracks as I listened to the reporter.

"'The driver of the car said that there was a girl running down the street when the street light was on go. Unfortunately, the driver tried to avoid the side and hit the lampost. Lucky for the driver, he was safe but Sherlyn was not. It was said that a van hit the victim as the driver cannot see in the dark. Right now, Sherlyn is in the ER at St. Luke's Hospital, saying that the compact with the van and the girl's body was severe-'"

I turned off the television before standing back up and putting on my shoes and getting the keys to drive to St. Luke's Hospital. I ringed up Jackie's phone, the nervousness inside me growing.

"Hello?" She answered the phone, solemness in her voice.

"Jackie," I said. "What happened to Sherlyn?" I asked desperately. She was silent for a moment before I heard her sob. A few faint voices was heard before I heard her sniffle.

"She's still in the ER." Jackie cried. "Do you know the cause of her accident?" She asked.

It was my turn to be silent. "I'll meet you there." I said before hanging up and driving as fast as I can in the hospital.

Sherlyn's parents and Jackie and her boyfriend were sitting on the plastic chairs. Sherlyn's mom was sobbing on husband's chest while Jackie was staring at the floor, her boyfriend trying to comfort her.

"Jackie," I said, running to her. She looked up, her cheeks stained with tears.

"Justin," She said in a hoarse voice.

"What's happening?" I asked, panic rising.

"They're not done." She answered in a small voice before staring back down on the floor.

I paced back and forth in front of the ER double doors, my mind only at Sherlyn at the moment. My panic grew and Jackie already was sleeping on her boyfriend's chest. I kept on muttering stupid, stupid, stupid as I paced, still waiting for the doors to open.

It was four hours when the wait ended. We all rose up on our feet as wer surrounded the doctor, waiting for what he's going to say. "Are you the parents of the patient?" The doctor asked to the couple beisde me. They both nodded their heads, not uttering a word.

"Is she all right?" Jacie asked, her voice hoarse.

"Luckily, your daughter is safe." Relieved sighs came from our mouths. "Though, she has one broken rib and has a few stitches here and there, but overall she is fine."

"Can we visit her?" I suddenly asked.

"Only her family." The doctor said. "But not now. The patient needs to rest. It'll take her at least two hours to wake up." The doctor informed. "Excuse me and I will need to visit another patient." He nod his bald head politely before walking off.

After two hours, the nurse informed her parents that Sherlyn is awake and only one person at a time can visit her. I got frustrated at first, but I agreed since I knew Sherlyn needed her mother first, also because we did have a fight.

After a few minutes, I asked again if I can go in. The nurse sighed and finally agreed after Jackie visited. I immediately walked in and froze in my tracks when I saw her.

She had a bandage on the side of her forehead. Her right arm and her rib was covered in bandages, badly broken. Almost every body part was broken, she even have a neck brace to complete the look.

When Sherlyn heard the door open, she slowly snapped her head towards my direction, her eyes suddenly narrowing. "Get out." She said firmly.

"Sherlyn, I-

"Get out." She said more firmly. I felt my heart clench with her words. "I don't need you."

"Sherlyn, I know we had a fight yesterday but please just let me talk to you-"

"We're already talking, and I want you to get out, so get out." She narrowed her chest. I heard her whimper when she moved her arm, and I stepped closer to her, only to be getting a stink eye. "Don't touch me." She said, swatting her good arm at me.

"Sherlyn, I just wanted to help-"

"Why can't you understand that I don't need your help?" She asked angrily. I stood there frozen as I watched her give me a stink eye again.

"I want to help you." I said firmly.

"You know what, I do need your help." She narrowed her eyes at me. "I need you to get out and leave me alone." She said, turning her head slowly away from me.

"Sherlyn-"

"Just get out!" I winced at her voice. Slowly, I stepped away from her. "And don't you ever talk to me ever again." She said firmly.

My heart clenched at the sight of her, and the venom you can hear in her voice. I sighed and slowly nodded my head.

Slowly, I turned on my heels and leave the door, only to be faced by Jackie. "Leave." She said. I looked at her, shocked at what she's saying. Her boyfriend held her back, muttering some words of comfort to her. "I don't want to see your face ever again." She narrowed her eyes at me. I gulped and nodded my head.

"I can't believe you could do such a thing." She muttered before sitting back down on the hospital seats.