Predator [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter Fifteen

~Point of View: 1st~
~Character: (F. Name) (L. Name)~
~Location: A Local Hospital~

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" A feminine voice screeches outside my hospital room. I try to hold back my groan of pain as the door slams open, the sound causing my headache to worsen.

"Mrs. (L. Name), please calm down," comes the soft voice of someone I know very well. I lift my head slowly, but grimace in the process. The pounding, pulsing agony only increases at my movement.

Kiyoshi, who is sitting at my bedside looks at the newcomers with wary gazes. Ever since we arrived at the hospital, a couple days ago, he's been on alert. I know we're both wondering if Akashi will suddenly show up and claim innocence. "They're fine," I assure him softly. Up until now Kiyoshi has been the only one allowed to visit me, seeing as he keeps me from freaking out the majority of the time.

His brown eyes shift to my form and I give a weak, miniscule smile. He nods and turns his attention back to the people who just walked in. I return my gaze to the ceiling, trying to ignore the pain and the constant, rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor on the other side of my bed.

"What the hell happened to you Pipsqueak?" Comes the loud voice of Aomine. I flinch at the volume as my migraine responds in kind.

"Lower your voice," Teppei says a little sternly. Protectively even. I can tell Aomine is about to snap something back, so I interrupt.

"He's right. My head feels like it's about to split open," I grumble. My mother is by my side almost mere seconds after that.

"Are you on pain killers? What happened? You're fine now right? Who did this to my baby girl?" Her questions are mushed together and I don't understand a word she says.

Suddenly a soft knock on the door draws her attention away from my bruised form. "Are you Miss (L. Name)'s mother?" A masculine voice questions kindly.

My mother nods, her black hair bouncing around her shoulders in response. In my unfocused gaze I notice a few graying strands in my mother's usually pitch black locks of hair. Aging? Stress maybe? I wonder curiously, but I decide not to dwell on it as her figure leaves my peripheral vision.

"That's me. What happened to my daughter?" She asks stiffly.

"Ma'am, that's what I was wanting to speak with you about. May I have a few words with you outside?" He asks softly, almost as if he's trying not to provoke the she devil before him. I wouldn't blame him if that's the case.

My mother leaves the room and the glass door to my room slides shut. "(Nickname)-chan, what happened?" Kuroko asks as he slowly enters my line of vision. I blink at him in a lethargic manner, the words slowly absorbing into my head.

The words process slower than normal and even then I have a tough time forming a response. I can rat out Akashi and get protection from the others, or I can keep that information withheld and protect myself like the strong . . . independent . . . Who am I kidding? I'm hardly independent if I have to rely on someone else to get me out of a situation.

I open my mouth to answer when Kagami decides to speak. "It was crazy dude wasn't it?" He asks sharply. The soft murmurs of the other boys fall silent as they await an answer.

"Hai," the words fall from my mouth so slowly I fear I might choke on my own voice. At this rate I probably will. The bruises on my neck seem to turn from a dull ache into piercing little needles as my throat clenches. My eyes sting as I remember the cracks left of the bus window from Seijuro's blow to my head. My gut churns viciously as his words replay over and over in my head. My chest feels heavy at the ache of a broken heart. My bruised wrist feels paralyzed as the tears fall freely. Every injury I received tonight seems to ignore the fact I'm on pain killers, and just blazes with a intense agony.