It Started With a Song [Shawn Mendes]

30

(Shawn's POV)

"He's waking up!" I heard as I opened my eyes. I immediately regretted it. The bright lights made my already pounding headache ten times worse.

          "Turn down the lights," I heard another voice say. Soon, the lights were turned off and I could open my eyes. I looked around the room that I was in and saw that I was in the hospital. My parents and sister were at the side of my bed, looking at me concernedly. There was also a woman in the corner who I didn't know. She must have been the doctor. Suddenly I remembered why I was here.

        "Summer!" I sat upright, causing my head to rush, and my headache to get a lot worse. I put my hand on my head and winced. Then I realized that one of my arms was in a blue cast.

        "Shawn, you have a concussion and a broken arm, you need to rest. And Summer is fine. She is asleep in the room next door." My mom put her hand on my chest and pushed me back into the pillow. 

        "Well, when she wakes up can I go see her?" I asked impatiently.

        "Maybe, but right now you need to rest," the doctor said firmly.

        I laid my head back on my pillow and stared at the ceiling. My family and the doctor left the room. But I couldn't sleep. I couldn't even close my eyes without seeing that car coming closer to us as we swerved out of control. I saw myself put my arm out in front of Summer, trying to protect her, while shards of glass flew from all directions.

(Summer's POV)

        I shivered in the cold air. I had forgotten my coat. But I kept going. I liked the cold anyway. It made me feel more alive. I started walking around the edge of the hospital, watching people  come and go, both young and old. I had to walk very tightly, because my ribs still hurt when I moved my torso. I couldn't turn suddenly without my chest bursting into pain. I walked past an ambulance that was parked right next to the curb. I wondered who was the last person that had to be wheeled through those doors. What if it was me? I could have died in that accident, but I didn't, because Shawn saved me. And now he was in a dark hospital room, alone, in pain, and I couldn't go to him. I kept walking, past the corner where I was going to turn around, and down a little side alley between the hospital and some other small building. It was a little narrow, and hidden, but I wanted to keep walking. So, I kept going.

(Shawn's POV)

        When I opened my eyes again, the doctor was back in the room and checking something on a screen. I must have fallen asleep. I guess I did need to rest.

        "Um, excuse me?" I asked.

        The doctor looked up, surprised. 

        "Can I see my friends yet? I want them to know that I'm okay."

        The doctor looked unsure, and thought about it for a second. And then she said "You know what, alright. You slept a little and you're levels seem okay. I'll go get them." She walked out the door, and I silently pumped my fist in victory. I wasn't sure whether she was including Summer in her interpretation of "friends", but I hoped so. A few minutes later the door slowly opened and Brian peeked his head in.

        "Hey man," he said and walked in. "How are you feeling?" Isabel followed him through the door, looking even more cautious. They both seemed a little nervous and twitchy, like they needed to do something important but were instead talking to me.

         "Horrible, you?" I said suspiciously.

        "We're fine except for a few bruises and cuts." Brian looked at Isabel.

        Then I asked the question that had been on my mind since I woke up. "What about Summer?"

        They both winced and glanced at each other again.

        "Have you seen her? Is she awake yet? Is she okay?" I asked, a little more desperately. 

        "Yes, yes, and yes Shawn, she just has a few broken ribs..." they said slowly. The look on their faces though told me that wasn't all.

        "But..." I gestured expectantly with my non-broken arm.

        "Well, Shawn, um, Summer, we can't find her." 

        I didn't understand what they were saying.

        "She told us she was going on a walk outside to get some air, but it's been a half an hour and she hasn't come back."

        "Have you looked for her? Are you sure she isn't in the hospital? And can't you track her with your phones?" I started getting scared.

        "Yeah, we've looked all over the hospital grounds and her parents are driving through town to see if they can find her. But so far, nothing. And she left her phone."

        "And her jacket," Brian added.

        I felt trapped, like I was going from one nightmare to the next and they just kept getting more and more real, and there was no way to wake up. 

        "But it's okay, we'll find her, you need to rest and stay here." Isabel tried to assure me.

        "That's what everyone keeps saying. You need to rest! You expect me to stay here and relax while Summer might be out there, kidnapped, unconscious, or trapped? Freezing and with no way to reach anybody? I can't rest!" I snapped.

        Isabel looked hurt, and Brian uncomfortable.

        I took a breath to try and calm myself down. "Look, I'm sorry guys, its just been one thing after the other, flying at me, and I'm just frustrated." I put my head in my hands.

        "It's okay," Isabel sighed.

        "We feel the same," Brian said.

        I slowly pushed myself to a more comfortable sitting position, and shook off the tiredness and sadness. I used my good hand to take the blanket off of me and spin my legs around off the bed.

        Isabel and Brian looked at me surprised.

        I looked at them steadily and stood up shakily. "Could you guys cover for me? I'm going to go find Summer."