Love Never Wanted Me

5

I wake up to the sound of my cellphone buzzing away on the coffee table. Pulling the blankets up over my head, I turn onto my stomach and groan into my pillow. Christ, what time is it? Letting out a groan, I stretch out my arm and lazily grab the persistent phone. Who needs to talk to me this early? Pulling the blankets down a bit, I peer at the name on the screen through my morning haze:

Elsa.

"Nope," I groan, pressing the button on the side to end the vibrating. I toss the phone back down on the table and burrow myself back down under the blankets. I don't want to talk to her; it's too early to open that can of emotions.

Brendon had called her the morning after I got home from the hospital. Or was that technically the same day? I didn't leave there until like 1 or so. Either way, she knows that I was sick and now she's been trying to call me ever since. I guess she's concerned but, I doubt it. All Bren had told her was that I had a fever and needed to be taken to the hospital; he didn't mention the blood tests or the MRI. He assured her that I was okay and that he was only calling just to give her a heads up. He said that if the hospital tried to call her for something, just to text him about it.

My phone buzzes again, this time it's only a short vibration. Just a text, thank God. I don't have the capacity this morning to enter a full-on conversation with anyone. I pick it up and poke out my head so to read over the short message:

'We need to talk.'

So now Elsa wants to talk. After breaking our engagement and making me move out, she's ready to talk.

"Ironic." I mumble to myself.

Deciding that I should get up and face the world, I let out a loud yawn and stretch out my back. I groan as I slowly run my hand over my face. My head is pounding but not as bad as it was that night. Why do I still feel so tired? I wouldn't say that it was a peaceful night's rest, but it wasn't bad either. It was much better than the last couple of nights, that's for sure.

Since coming back to Brendon's apartment from the hospital, I haven't been able to really let go and relax. It's been a few days-4, to be exact-and I feel fine, but something is just nagging at me. Maybe it's because I don't have an answer yet as to why I ended up in the ER in the first place. I guess that's the point of the doctor's appointment today. Shit, what time is that at again? 11 something, I think.

I pick up my phone again and look at the time: 10:30. Shit, I'll be late. I quickly toss off the blanket and leap up from the couch. I hurriedly toss on my winter coat over my sweats and put on my shoes. I notice Brendon's ring of keys sitting on the side table by the door with a yellow post-it attached to it:

OUT FOR JOG. TAKE CAR IF NEED IT.

Good old Bren; always looking out for me. I quickly snatch up the keys and then bolt out the door. As I make it to the bottom, the door to the laundry room opens and Delilah steps out. She's dressed in black sweatpants and that bright red, hooded sweatshirt she had on the other night. Our eyes meet and my breath suddenly hitches in my throat. Her hazel-green eyes are something, that's for sure. Why didn't I notice that about her before?

"Hi," I say, finally letting out that breath.

"Hello," she replies, resting her laundry basket on her hip, "fancy seeing you here."

"Well, I...I do still live here," I say, sounding nervous. Why do I sound nervous? That's dumb. She's just my neighbor.

"Yeah, I know," she says, "it was a joke."

"Oh! Yeah, right. I knew that."

"Right."

"Right."