A Job With Him

Take You Home

I woke up to the sound of beeping machines and rolling carts around me. My eyes slowly fluttered open and I saw a plain white ceiling. Where was I? What happened?

I tried moving my fingers a little. I felt someone beside me and tried to get up. I held on to my head and used my arms to sit up. My movements cause a man who was sitting on the chair beside me, and resting his head on the edge of the bed, to wake up. I rubbed my eyes and recognized him. "J-Josh?"

"Amber, are you alright? Do you feel pain anywhere? Do you remember what happened a few hours ago?" His words sank into me as I recalled what had happened. I must've fainted cause of the liquid in the syringe. I started becoming anxious and touched my neck. I felt a bandage there and no blood.

"You blacked out after that man injected a drug called Propofol into you. It's a drug that knocks someone out and too much of it could have caused you to die because of overdosage. Fortunately, I got there before he could administer all of it."

I sighed and nodded. I didn't have energy to say anything. I felt so weak. I felt Josh move and saw him take out something from the plastic bag on the table. He showed it to me and it was milk tea. Did he buy that for me? I thought he hated milk tea. He disliked the taste of it ever since I made him try it 10 years ago. And he remembered that it was my favourite drink? I tried to move my hands but they kept shaking as I reached out for the bottle. Josh then took the bottle away and went out of the room. Puzzled yet tired, I didn't do anything and just sat on the bed. He then came back with a straw in the bottle and held it near my mouth.

"Here, you might drop the bottle with those hands. I'll take care of you from now on." What he said made me think back to the time I sprained my ankle in junior college. He was there for me when I needed someone the most back then. And here he is, saving me and taking care of me all over again.

"T-thanks," I managed to utter with a small smile as I slowly sipped the cold milk tea. After drinking a bit of it, I felt so much better. Josh took it away and placed it on the bedside table.

"Josh, what happened to the guy who attacked me?" I asked while playing with my fingers. Everything that happened felt so frightening. It was traumatic for me. Josh saw how uncomfortable I felt and held both my hands in his, rubbing them with his warm palms.

"After I kicked him away from you, I tried to catch him before he could escape. But I saw the syringe and panicked when you weren't responding to me. I called the ambulance as well as the police. Don't worry, I'm sure the police will find him and arrest him once and for all. Until then, I'll make sure nobody hurts you."

I nodded but still felt a sense of anxiety inside. What if he comes for me again? Why did he want to kill me? Who on earth was he? My thoughts suddenly went to the back of my mind when I felt a peck on my lips. Surprised, I looked back to the owner of that deed and saw a smirking Josh.

"You know, you didn't come for a long time and I got worried about you. I had been so worried about you these past few weeks. Please, don't leave me Amber," Josh begged then pulled my neck in to kiss me. I instinctively responded to it. When we broke it to catch our breath, I stopped him from reconnecting them again.

"Listen Josh. I'm not mad at you or anything. I was just really hurt and disappointed by what you said. I don't want you to keep being upset when I'm with Wayne because we need to meet up anyway. I felt like you not giving him a second chance wouldn't let us have a healthy relationship."

Josh looked at me and sighed. "I talked to him before meeting you today actually. I apologized to him and said that I shouldn't have presumed that he would be the same guy from 10 years ago. I'm also really sorry to you. I didn't mean to say that you were untrustworthy or stupid. I'm the stupid one to have not believed such an amazing girl like you."

A bright smile was plastered onto my face. He apologized to Wayne and they're good now? He did that for me? I pulled him into a hug and squeezed him tightly.

"I've missed you so much too Josh. Thank you for never giving up on me."

"Me too Amber, thank you for staying with me. Now, let's go home." He said and I looked up. I nodded my head with a wide grin on my face. He took my bag and helped me stand up. I waited for him to pay for my medication and the hospital fees. We exited the hospital and boarded the bus that came to go home. I sat on the window seat and he sat beside me. He then brought my head down to his shoulder gently and started singing softly.

"...
I'm not your man
But watch over me, I need you girl
I'm not your person
I can't hold you but I'm a man
With a large back to take you home
I'll take you home
Lean on me
..."

My head felt heavy as I fell asleep to his soothing voice. The last thing I heard was him whispering, "From now on, I'll take you back home."