Rescue (Cameron Dallas)

Three

My eyes slowly flutter open to see harsh lighting. I immediately shut them for it is hard to see. I continue this to adjust. As soon as I adjust, I look at my surroundings. Everything is white and the stiff air smells deeply of hand sanitizer and harsh cleaning products. Oh wonderful, ER visit number five is it now? A place I am obviously not a stranger to.

I currently only have an IV in my arm, so I am lucky this time, but I certainly have not had this luck in the past.

From crappy foster homes with abusive foster parents to negligent group home "caregivers" to just living on the streets this past year after enough was enough, this has been a difficult few years. Today is my birthday. I turn seventeen. Only I care.

I guess someone cared enough to take my unconscious, frail body that was dressed in crappy jean shorts and an old t-shirt with holes in it off of the streets and pay for a who-knows-how-long stay in ICU. I wish I was dead. I have no home, no one who cares about me; I only dream about these people apparently.

I look over at the window to see my a faint image of my reflection and an overcast sky. I see my shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair that is a greasy, tangled mess and my blue eyes that have dark rings and bags under them. I look like a wreck in a hospital gown.

I hear the door open. A man with a bald head and a kind smile says, "Daniella Peterson, how are you doing?"

He must be my nurse. I answer with, "Fine. How long was I out for?"

He replies with, "Oh not long. Someone saying he was your boyfriend brought you in yesterday night. It is six in the evening now."

Boyfriend? Oh.

Before I can say anything about this unprecedented information, the door opens again. Two kind-faced people, a man and a woman, come through the door. He is cleanly shaven and is wearing a polo and khakis while she has blonde hair and is wearing a button-down top with mom-jeans.

The nurse guy says, "These are the people that have been waiting with your boyfriend in the waiting room since about an hour ago. I believe they are his parents." They wave kindly. "I will give you some privacy."

And with that, the nurse leaves the room.

I am utterly shocked and my eyes are wide.

All at once, I frantically sputter at them,"Who are you guys and Why did you save me and not let me die like I wanted to?"

The woman says,"Listen. I know this is kind of weird, but our foster son, Cameron, saw you lying on the sidewalk, was heartbroken by the sight and called us to help him save you. We checked your pulse and you were put in ER when we got here."

I thought that was a dream.

"We felt like your time had not come yet and it wasn't like we could sit there and let you die." The man added.

"I thank you very much for saving my life, but can I at least know the names of the people who saved me?" I say.

"We are Matthew and Melinda Lewis. And you are?" Matthew asks.

"I am Daniella Peterson. I can't thank you enough for saving my life." I say.

"Sweetie, we would gladly do it again." Melinda kindly says as she gives me a hug.

The door opens and the nurse says, "Daniella, you can be released today if you feel up to it."

"I would like to go, but I don't have anywhere to stay." I comment sadly.

Tears begin to fill my eyes and roll down my cheeks. I don't usually cry about my situation itself, but when I have to tell others about it, I feel embarrassed and I usually cry.

A person with an oddly familiar scent hugs me and says in a voice I haven't heard today, "It's okay, you can stay with me."

He continues to rub circles on my back and comfort me as the tears fall.

When I finally calm down, he lets go. I notice that it is only the boy and me in the room. He flashes me a soft smile. This gives me a chance to look at his chiseled features. He has chestnut fluffy hair and deep brown eyes. His tanned skin gives a perfect contrast to his pearly white teeth. Bluntly put, he is hot.

"Uhm, hello? Did I lose you for a second?" I blush and shake my head no. "I'm Cameron Dallas, by the way. You can call me Cam if you want though."

Holy crap. This is the Cameron Dallas. My best friend from childhood. He made me feel normal when my life was such the opposite. He made me feel things I have never felt before. He was my first crush, my first kiss. It's all flooding back to me now. He probably doesn't remember me at all though. I can't tell him that I know who he is, well not yet.

"Cool, I'm Daniella, but you can call me Dani." I say.

"So Dani, can I get you busted out of here?" Cam asks with a chuckle.

"Please! I need actual food!" I tell him.

Cam grins and presses the 'nurse assistance' button on my bed.

"Hello I came as fast as I could. What do you need?" he says.

"Uhm can you please take out my IV? I was told I could be released today." I ask him politely.

"Sure thing! This might hurt a little" He says back as he takes out the IV. I wince slightly at the pain.

"Okay! You are free to go! Eat and drink enough, alright?"

"Okay. I will make sure she does. Thank you for your help." Cam says to the nurse.

As the nurse leaves, I ask Cam, "Hey do you have any clothes I can borrow? I don't exactly want to wear what I was wearing when you found me."

"Sure thing." He said and handed me a pair of basketball shorts, a Panama City Spring Break 2012 t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops that were just a little bit too big. He left the room and I put on the clothes.

As we are walking out, I inform Cam,"Today is my birthday. I turn seventeen."

"Happy Birthday! You deserve a proper celebration." Cam says excitedly.

"Which is?" I ask.

"That is for me to know, and for you to find out later." Cam replies with a smirk.