A Perfect Distraction

23. Arouse

Have you ever experienced the feeling of someone hitting your head with different types of a hammer?

Right now I'm experiencing that feeling and let me tell you, it's like walking on a chunk of burning coal and glasses on barefoot. I moaned in pain and clutched my left ear as the sound of hammering increased. Once the pain lessened, I slowly opened my eyes to the bright white light blinding me. I squeezed my eyes shut and blinked a few times. I opened them again and looked around.

I was in an unfamiliar white room. The wall to my right was covered in a long horizontal blind over my head. There was an annoying beeping sound somewhere close by and my hands were all twisted up with tubes. I guess I didn't die. What day is it by the way?

"Pssst...Hey," I frowned in confusion when I heard an unfamiliar voice coming from somewhere.

"Over here, to your left" the same unfamiliar voice spoke. I slowly turned my head to my left to notice a bed similar to mine and a guy was sitting on it with a fractured arm and some bandages on his head. He was beaming at me, his white teeth out for display. I pressed my arms on the sheet and lifted myself painfully in a half-sitting and half-lying position.

"Karolia right?" the same guy asked and I nodded my head weakly.

"How do you know my name?" My voice was hoarse and I grimaced mentally. I gave him the once-over and his face looked familiar. Where have I seen him?

"We go to the same University" he smiled happily at me. "Names Tyler. Ring any bell?" he asked

I thought for a moment and after studying him, it finally clicked. I've seen him in my business class, even though we haven't had any conversation.

"Oh, Tyler. Yes, I remember now" I laughed awkwardly and he laughed along with me. I looked around the room, expecting to catch the face that I wanted to see right now. Where is he? Is he alright? But I was disappointed. There was no one else in the room. I turned to look at Tyler.

"What happened?" I asked, motioning to his wounds.

"Oh this, I fell from my skateboard. Pretty hard fall from a height" he laughed as if this is nothing.

"Oh that sounds painful" he dismissed me quickly saying he was feeling better now.

"How did you manage to get five stitches on your head?" he asked me. I was taken aback at that. Did I get stitches? I touched my head and sure I felt the gauze around my head. How did he know I got five stitches? I looked at him in confusion and he shamelessly admitted that he read my profile that is kept near my bed.

"Your boyfriend wasn't ready to fill me in," he added.

"Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, what was his name again" he appears to be thinking before his face lightens up. "Ahh, Logan, Isn't it? Pretty tough guy" he mumbled the last part softly. My heart fluttered at the mention of his name but I quickly brushed off saying he was just my friend.

Tyler asked me again about what happened that landed me in hospital and I was racking my brain how to tell him that I was kidnapped by some mafia group and almost died. Fortunately, I was saved from this almost interrogation session when the door opened and Scarlet and Patrick entered.

Upon seeing I was awake, Scarlet immediately rushed to me and pulled me into her embrace.

"I was so scared. I thought you won't – you won't be-" she started sobbing.

"Shh...It's okay. I'm fine" She pulled back and gave me a weak smile and leaned forward to kiss my cheek.

"If you die, I'll come to your grave and kill you myself for leaving me," she said, making me chuckle.