Whore.

Chapter 9: Heavy

Feelings played in my heart as I answered a call from Emmet. He announced excitedly that Jason was okay. I basically ran to the hospital. Emmet hugged me at the reception and took me to Jason's room. Alex and Jason were talking excitedly when I arrived.  Jason was dressed in hospital clothes and looked as healthy as the last time I saw him. I couldn’t believe he had recovered so much in such a short time. Then again, he was Jason. He often talked about all the fights he had gotten into when he was in College. He spotted me and got up, grabbing me in a tight bear hug. Tears welled in my eyes as I hugged him back. I was so happy.

"Jason..." I could only manage to whisper his name. He stepped back from me and I smiled, looking into his eyes. He was as handsome as ever. I spotted someone behind him and peered around. Robert was sitting in a chair, smiling one of his rare smiles. Even someone as detached as Robert could spare a little emotion every once in a while.

"The doctor said I'll be free to go today. I'll have to come back for another check up in a week."

I nodded. After a few minutes of chatting and hugging, we were set to leave. Jason was wheeled to the front of the hospital and when he got up to leave, he hugged the nurse. Typical Jason. He hugged everyone. The nurse smiled and waved us all goodbye. We got into Alex’s car. Alex took the driver's seat and Jason got in front. The rest of us climbed in the back. A little uncomfortable as we were three adults and Alex's car wasn't really big. But it was okay. Jason was alive and that was all that mattered.

The drive home was a lively one. Jason and Alex talked more while Emmet chipped in from time to time. Robert and I remained observers. One of the very few things we had in common. I looked out of my window, happy that things were back to normal. We were still driving and chatting when I glanced at the other car. There was no time to react. A loud sickening crunch slammed into my senses as it smashed into Jason from the right side, spinning the car wildly out of control. Alex slammed into Jason and whiplashed, crashing out of the window; he wasn't wearing a seat belt. Emmet and Robert slammed into me as out car careened onto the side of the road. Jason's neck snapped as he twisted unnaturally and spun to face me. Blood. Glass. His dead eyes stared at me and I screamed.

I woke up in a pool of sweat. Nightmare. Just a nightmare. I was panting like I had done a marathon. It was 3:49. Light from a street lamp angled into the room, casting pale shadows from objects on the floor. I looked beside me. Malone was lying on his stomach, snoring lightly. I rubbed my eyes and slipped out of the bed. I picked my phone out from my jeans that were strewn on the floor. I wanted to look at something else. Anything to strengthen my grip on reality. Nine missed calls. All from last night. I didn't hear anything because I'd left the phone on silent mode. Five were from Emmet. Four from an unknown number. My heart started beating wildly. Maybe something had happened to Jason and Alex and Emmet had been trying to call. That's who I guessed the unknown number was. I considered calling them back but I figured it was too late. I breathed nervously as I walked back to bed and sat looking at the screen. Jason better be alive. Jason better be alive. I kept repeating it, remembering the dream I just had.

Please Jason, stay alive.

I cleaned the tears that were starting to form and fell back into bed.

The soft breathing against my neck woke me up to Malone's kisses. I kissed him lightly. I didn't want to taste morning breath. He peeled himself off me and got out of bed, walking to the bathroom.

"I left money for a cab on the dresser."

I got out and pulled on my clothes, the grabbed the $100 bill. I heard the sound of tooth brushing and I called out a goodbye. I felt I had to get out as fast as I could. There was a pang of guilt somewhere inside me. Maybe it was because I was here enjoying myself while a friend was possibly dying in the hospital. As soon as I got into a cab, I called the unknown number.