Adjustments

Adjustments 5

Noah

I can't believe I just did that. That's a great first impression! Hi, I'm Noah Anderson and I can see right through you! What's wrong with me?

Impulsively I get up and run after her.

"Sarah, wait!" I yell down the street, continuing to run.

"Leave me alone!" She says. She turns the corner and someone pumps into her, hitting her arm, causing her to grip it. I pick up my pace and finally get behind her. I grab her left hand, turning her to face me.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

"I have to because you stormed out like you were angry."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't." She looks at me and turns to continue walking. Why did I say that?

"I didn't mean it like that!" I yell after her. She crosses the street and I hear a car horn. My heart skips a beat.

I hear myself scream her name.

Sarah

I hear a car horn and turn around to face it. I can't move. The car is coming right for me. I hear Noah screaming my name and to move out of the way, but I couldn't. It was like me feet were forever planted on the ground.

All of a sudden, I feel myself fall to the ground and someone on top of me. I wasn't on the road anymore, but on the sidewalk. The impact of the fall made my brain rattle. I feel my eyes close and the person on top of me put their hands on my face.

My body begins feels frozen. All I see is black and hard to breath. What's happening?

"Sarah!" It's Noah! He saved my life. Why the hell would he do that?

"Sarah please, get up! Open your eyes, come on!" His voice doesn't sound the same. He doesn't sound stern, he sounds scared and helpless. He starts performing CPR. Why is he doing that, I'm alive! Aren't I? I don't hear anyone else around us. It's me and him. Alone.

I keep pushing myself to open my eyes. I didn't get hit! Noah saved me, I was fine! Open your eyes! Then I feel myself take a deep breath.

"That's it! Come on!" I hear Noah. Then I feel as if I am being lifted up. I feel something under my legs and under my neck. Noah must have picked me up. I feel him press my head into his neck and run, carrying me. Where was he taking me? Put me down!

"Hang on Sarah!" Stop saying that, you're freaking me out!

He's been running for ten minutes straight. Non-stop running. Is it really that serious? Am I gushing blood? Why doesn't he call 911 or take me to a hospital?! I can't die! I'm nineteen! I have a future! I want to get married and become famous! Nobody knows that about me, I want to be famous! I want to see my name in lights and have my own star on the Walk of Fame! This can't be happening!

Noah, help me!!

I hear a door open then the sound of stomping. Stomping? Stairs! We must be going up stairs! Where are we? Where is he taking me? I heard another door open. Then, I don't feel Noah's warm body anymore. Instead, I feel a mattress and Noah's hand under my head. He slowly places my head on a pillow and I feel my head fall into it. That scares me. I have no control over my body.

I don't hear anything. Where's Noah? Did he leave me?

I hear stomping again. He's here! I hope...

Noah

I brought Sarah back to my house and laid her in my bed. My father never trusted hospitals and always fixed every injury I had himself. I am kneeling on the floor beside her with a first aid kit.

I can't believe I did this to her. I told her I didn't care and now... now I may never get to tell her how much I do care.

This can't be happening! I pushed her out of the way! Just like my father did with me!

I take out a roll of gauze from the first aid kit and roll up her right sleeve. I start to clean the blood off of her arm and I see glass. It's colored glass. What the hell is it? I take out a piece of glass that was lodged in her arm. They're pieces of a beer bottle. Someone hit her with a beer bottle!

I wrapped her arm and then moved to her head. When I pushed her out of the way of the car, but I couldn't turn fast enough to break her fall. She hit her head on the concrete. The car didn't even stop. It was going so fast she would have flown right over it.

I stay by her side for a minute and just stare at her. This poor girl is being hit with beer bottles and almost cars.

I reach for her hand and hold it; it's as cold as ice. I take the blanket, put it over her and slowly move the hair away from her face.

I go into the bathroom and wet a washcloth with warm water. I go back into the bedroom put it on Sarah's forehead. I keep telling her it's going to be okay. But honestly, I don't know if it will be.