Before you go

2: A NEW LIFE

The sound of my phone ringing becomes louder as I slowly open my eyes.
I stretch out my hand to the bedside table where I'd left it to charge to answer the call
Hello?
Hey sis, sis sleeping?
Charlee's voice comes up on the other side of the physical.
Yes, I'm talking to you from Dreamland.
I roll my eyes and sit up properly.
Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning.
Well actually an annoying someone caused that.
I was fully awake now.
Three years after the accident, Charlee went back to Costa Rica to continue her studies
I on the other hand was left here in San Diego with my Aunt Merissa.
I kept having terrible nightmares about the accident.
Most times when I woke up, I wouldn't remember what the dream was about.
I would wake up trashing about and screaming.
“Still having nightmares? Charles asked after the long silence.
It's like she could read my mind.
I sigh
Mmm mmh
I'm really sorry I had to leave Hayley
I promise I'll be back soon, okay?
“It's fine" I bite my nail. A new bad habit I'd developed whenever I felt tense.
You had to go anyways.
How's school? I try to lighten her mood
She chuckles.
Well school is school.
“You are such a block head”
You're my sister so I guess you have the same head as well
I'm...wait...you.. . Ugh never mind, I give up.
She laughs at my defeat. Take care of yourself Hay Hay, she adds
I scoff
“Don't call me that”
It reminds me of that stupid chicken in Moana.
She laughs out really loud.
But it sounds so cuuute
Charlee!!
Fine fine, bye.
Bye.
I hang up and place the phone back on the table.
I stand up from my bed and look at the room I've been left in for three years.
My hospital room was painted a very light shade of blue and has cloud stickers on the walls.
Aunt Merissa had talked the doctors into changing the look of the room so it felt like I was still in my own room back home.
When everything was still normal before the accident.
After that day, the doctor examined me and he'd said I'd ended up with a severe head injury which could cause tremors, traumatic experience or even loss of memory.
He had advised Aunt Merissa to let me stay in the hospital so the nurses could keep a close eye on me.
Plus there really wasn't anyone to go home to. Aunt Merissa was hardly ever at home and according to the doctor I needed to be watched 24/7
Things became different
I stopped going to school and had online classes instead.
Frequent therapy sessions and not to be the depressing hospital food.
Aunt Merissa still cooked something delicious for me most times though.
I look at myself in the mirror
My hair looks exactly like a bird's nest.
I had the sudden urge to poke my head out the window and start yelling
‘Vacant bird house. Five star lounge right here!’
My hazel eyes had gone deep into their sockets due to sleepless nights.
I'd grown taller.
Well not exactly, I mean 5'5 is something right?
If Dad was here he'd stop calling me Munchkin.
The thought of him brings tears to my eyes
I miss them so much
Three years and it feels like everything happened just yesterday.
I'm 19 now
I walk into the bathroom to take a shower.
My room smells like the hospital disinfectant they always use to mop the tiles. I really needed to get the smell off me
Turning on the taps, I pick up my shower gel and shampoo from the rack.
I squeeze the shampoo on my hair till I was sure it was enough to make my hair smell just like strawberry.
I let the water pour all over my face to wash the exhaustion from my eyes.
When I try stepping out of the cubicle, my vision suddenly gets blurry
Everything looked mixed up like a picture that had started to melt.
I was panicking now.
Slowly, I stepped out
One foot, then the other
I kept blinking fully my eyesight goes back to normal.
I whimper in frustration.
After a lot of tests and examination, the doctor what caused my frequent headaches.
THI- Traumatic Head Injury
When I smashed my head into the window, the sudden blow had cracked my skull and affected my temporal lobe which is responsible for my long term memories, basic behavior, speech, reading abilities and of course my personality and hearing.
So far my eyesight and reading abilities are crap.
Most times when I least expect it, my eyesight would go all apeshit on me
I'd hardly picked up a book to read in the past three years.
Except when I'm having my online classes though or studying which turns out to be really difficult.
Katlyn also helps though. She would read out the words and I would listen.
Miss Katlyn, one of the nurses that rescued me that day.
When the doctors kept running tests on me and saying words I didn't understand, she would stand beside me holding my hand telling me everything was gonna be okay
Katlyn's like a mother to me.
Whenever she's on duty, she would come to my room with loads of kit Kat and we would watch movies together till I fall asleep .
“Good morning sunshine” a familiar voice says when I step out of the bathroom
“Morning katyln” I sing and walk toward her to give her a hug.
She's holding a breakfast tray
Yummm pancakes with maple syrup and strawberry toppings
Ouuuuu Orange juice too. I'm starving!
Your aunt Merissa left them with me this morning.
She had to rush off to work but she'll be back by noon.
I Bob my head up and down too distracted but what she was holding in her hands.
I'll leave you to eat then. She smiles and drops the tray by my bedside before walking out.
I quickly towel myself dry and put on my blue denim Jean and a white T shirt.

°°°

When I'm done, I sit on my bed to finally dig into my heavenly breakfast...
Heyyyyyyy, a way too cheery human being walks into my room
Oh no.this can't be happening right now. I sigh I put the fork down on the plate.
Can you stop screaming? You're gonna affect my ears as well.
“That's not possible” she replies and winks at me.

Zoey Noyes. My best friend since... forever
After she heard about the accident, she came to the hospital to visit and she still comes even now whenever she's done with school.
Keeping me company and telling me stuff that's happening in school became her part time job.
Guess who asked me out today, she squeals grinning from ear to ear.
Who?
Guess
Who?
I said guess Hayley
Zoey you're hurting my brain
Okay, fine. She drops her bag beside the bed
Brian! She jumps up and down clapping her hands.
What, Brian as in Brian you've had a crush on since fifth grade?
Yesssss
Oh my gosh Zoey I'm so happy for you.
She does a happy dance waving her hands in the air and swaying her hips like some kinda cheer leader.
You're such a drama queen. I roll my eyes at her.
And you're such a kill Joy.
I'm about to pick up the fork to eat my pancakes but she beats me to it.
Hey!
Mwhat I'm hungry
She stretches her arm out again to pick another one
I smack her arm
Ouch, Hayley!
Get your own pancakes.
But they're so goood
I stick my tongue out at her and take a bite from my pancake.
You're such a greedy meanie, she whines and crosses her arms on her chest.
Shut up
Can I at least have the juice?
I place my finger on my chin and tap it slowly pretending to think
Let's see...nope
C'moon
No
Please?
No
Hayleyyyy
Fine
Yaaay
She picks the glass up from the tray and takes a sip from the juice.
I roll my eyes for the umpteenth time today.
You know Hayley, your eyes are gonna fall out of their sockets pretty soon if you don't quit that eye rolling of yours.
I give her a fake smile.
Gee, thanks for the heads up Zoey.
Anytime love. Anytime.
She takes another sip

And that's it for chapter 2
Hope you enjoyed it
Zoey's so full of energy right?
The perfect match for Hayley.
Don't forget to vote and comment ❤️ O:-)
Ouch, Hayley!