My Favorite Song

Chapter 15: The Next Level (Part 2)

For a minute, I just stood there, trying to process what had just happened. It was right at that moment when I realized that I still had somewhere to be! So, as soon as I was able to feel my legs again, I hurried off towards the hospital, running as fast as I could; but even while running, it still took me a half-hour to get there!

As soon as I arrived, I ran straight up to the front desk to ask where Nathaniel was...but then I remembered...*AAAH! I don't know his last name! I can't ask without a full name!* I frantically paced around the room trying to decide on what to do until I heard someone call for me. "Hey, klutz!" I turned my head and saw Amber walking in my direction.

*Out of all the people...why her?!*

"Oh...hey Amber..." I said to her, to which she instantly replied "Cut the small talk and get up there! Nathaniel's been pestering me about you for the past HOUR!"

*Really...?*

"Ok, but where's his room?" I really hated asking this question to my LEAST favorite person in the world, but I knew I had no other option. "Third floor, room 301! Now get up there already!" I was REALLY annoyed with her now..."Alright, alright, I'm going...!" And with that, I stomped my way down the hallway and AWAY from her!

I took the elevator up to the third floor and made my way over to room 301. *God, I hope she isn't tricking me...* I thought to myself, hoping that I had the right room. Thankfully, I did. As soon as I walked in, I saw Nathaniel smiling at me from his bed by the window. I smiled back and walked over to him.

"Hi Nathaniel, how are you?"

"I'm fine...well, you know, besides the fact that I'm sitting in a hospital bed...but other than that, I'm doing ok."

"Hey listen, I'm really sorry about that..."

"It's ok, it wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was! If I hadn't left you there–"

"No...come here."

He gestured me to come to him. I walked closer to him and he took my hand.

"Don't worry about me. I'm just glad you're safe."

I just stood there, remaining silent. I could feel myself blushing. *He's so sweet...if only I didn't have such a complicated love life...*

"...But I wanted to ask you something."

"Ok, sure. Go ahead."

"I wanted to ask you...who was that guy you were with last night?"

I looked away hesitating for a moment before replying,

"...His name is Lysander..."

I trailed off. Nathaniel stared at me, waiting for me to continue, but after realizing that I wasn't going to say anything, he did.

"He seemed to know you...he was calling you 'Darling'...and he said you were 'three-timing' him...why?"

I remained silent, still looking away.

"...Sweetie, I need to know...are you...cheating on me?"

The tone in his voice just seemed so...sad; as if he was about to cry. Nothing in my entire life had made me feel as guilty as I did right now. I knew I had to tell him the truth...but I wasn't exactly sure how.

"No...well, yes...sort of."

"...Sort of? What do you mean 'sort of'? It's either you are or you aren't...which is it?"

"Well...it's complicated. HE likes me; I don't like HIM. He doesn't care though, and takes advantage of me anyway."

"How long has this been going on?"

"...Two weeks..."

Nathaniel pulled me closer.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

At that moment, Castiel stormed into the room.

"SLIM! WHERE did you go?! I thought I told you NOT to leave, and when I woke up, you were GONE! Oh yeah, and then I have to find out that you ran off to the hospital to visit HIM! WHY?!"

Nathaniel interrupted before I even got a chance to reply.

"What?! 'Woke up'?! You SLEPT with him? What happened to ENDING things with him?!"

I didn't get a chance to THINK before Castiel spoke again.

"Oh, so you were planning on ending things with me? Since when?"

"Since she became my GIRLFRIEND!"

"YOUR girlfriend?!"

"Julia, you didn't tell him about our date on Saturday?

"You mean the day right before she dated ME?!"

"You went out with him yesterday?!"

After all this yelling, I was starting to feel dizzy. *What...what is this? What's happening to me...?*

Nevertheless, they both continued shouting at each other.

"By the way, Castiel, do you know about someone named 'Lysander'?"

"Slim, you told him about Lysander?!"

"You know him?!"

I had such a headache, I wasn't able to listen to either of them. I felt as if I was going to pass out...but there was something else that didn't feel right. There was just one question I HAD to ask first!

"How did you find me?!"

They both froze and stared at me in shock. No answer. I didn't know how much longer I could take this, so I asked again.

"Castiel...HOW did you find me?! Answer me!"

His stare of shock turned into a look of confusion. "What do you mean, 'how' did I find you? You just sent me a text 10 minutes ago telling me that you were here."

The look on my face suddenly reflected the look on his. "What? I never sent that—" I stopped for a moment. "Where's my phone?!" I started searching my pockets frantically, but it was nowhere to be found. And then I realized... "Lysander!"

"What?!" Both of them shouted simultaneously.

"Lysander..." I trailed off, slowly sliding to the floor. Everything around me was going dark.

"Julia?!"

"Slim!"

I could hear Castiel and Nathaniel's voices echoing in the background, but I couldn't hear them over the sound of the last two things that Lysander had said to me that day. "I'll destroy your relationship with everyone you love...I want you, Darling...and if I can't have you...no one can!" That's what he said, and judging by his actions...he meant it. Lysander had stolen my phone and ended things himself. Everything had just been taken to the next level...and I wasn't sure I was ready for it. *Lysander...how could you do this to me?*

And then, everything went black...