Fix You ~Completed~

Act Thirty-Four

That was the first time I'd ever been to the hospital because of something Kyla had done. The only comfort I had while that doctor peeled off my hoodie and examined my scarred arms was Eddie, who stood beside me the whole time and gripped my hand.

"Are you two dating, related?" the doctor, whose name was McNeil, asked. An x-ray had already been done to determine it was in fact a break and she was now asking me questions about how I attained the break.

Eddie answered. "No, I'm just Clem's best friend."

Best friend. He was my best friend and he knew that.

"Alright. Did you see Clem fall down the stairs and injure his arm?" she asked, scribbling some notes down on a piece of paper. I watched the pen sprawling black ink inside of the little box that outline the small note. It seemed so insufficient; the paper she used was the size of an index card. What if more info was needed and they didn't have space? I supposed there was a back side, but still.

While I was thinking over that lame little detail, Eddie was responding: "No. Clem... Clem was at his apartment when it happened. At least, that's what he told me. Can you tell Dr. McNeil what happened, Clemmy?"

I woke up reluctantly from my distracting thoughts and gave her the run-through of the lie Eddie had agreed to in the car after much shoving on my part. "Eddie dropped me off after I spent the night with him and our friend, Gale, on New Year's Eve, which was two days ago. I was walking up the stairs and slipped on a huge bit of slush someone had tracked in. I slid all the way down to the floor. That's where those other bruises are from also," I explained, gesturing to the other marks Kyla left on me. I had no excuse for the stains his fingers had left on my throat. Those I prayed no one would ask about.

Dr. McNeil made a little noise with her throat. It wasn't a confirmation nor was it a groan of someone detecting a liar. "This was two days ago, you said? Why did you wait so long to come in?" she asked, her voice quiet.

"Well, I thought I just banged myself up a little. I didn't imagine my arm was actually broken until I talked to Eddie. Kyla, my b-boyfriend, he said it didn't look like I broke it. I guess I just didn't see the need," I responded, hoping I didn't sound as stupid as I felt. It wasn't as if I could tell her that I didn't get it checked out because I wasn't planning on living long enough to have cause to get a broken arm checked out. If I did, a visit to the psych ward would follow.

My mother would finally get what she'd always wanted; I'd get my head examined and reshaped.

The woman doctor sighed, lowering her notepad. Those green eyes of hers were still on my arms. They slid back and forth, as though they were scanning my cuts. Was she counting them?

"Um, sweetie, could you please leave Clem and I alone for a minute?" Dr. McNeil spoke up finally, referring to Eddie in that gentle voice of hers.

"I don't do it anymore," I blurted out quickly, wanting to get that out of the way. She stared at me. "It was something I did as a teenager. I'm over it."

Eddie knew that was a lie, but he agreed to go with whatever I said here. As long as I got myself checked out, he wouldn't push me. "I think it'd probably be good for you to talk to someone," he had admitted, though, his hand resting on my knee while we were parked outside the hospital. I asked if he thought I was crazy. "Hey, all the best people are crazy, Clemmy. I'm absolutely bonkers."

Sometimes, I couldn't help but to think that I should have met Eddie and Gale before I met Kyla. I should have formed my world to fit perfectly around them, not Kyla.

"Don't make Eddie leave. I need him here," I whispered, quickly attaching myself to my friend via my good arm. He slid one arm around me and nodded, wordless. We both understood I was serious; I needed him like a heart needed a beat.

"Alright. He can stay. Are you okay with me asking some questions?" she gave in and I told her to go right ahead. It's not like I would tell her the truth.