out loud.
“I guess. Maybe I did and just thought it was something else. Stress … a pulled muscle … a full stomach … something.” I shook my head and it was quiet again for a few minutes until I was the one to finally break it.
“Why aren’t you at school?” I asked.
“And leave you here having fun all by yourself?” Nate gave me one of his playful smiles. “Actually, I’ve been here since yesterday. I feel responsible since I’m the one who brought you here. Of course Aria sure wasn’t happy about that.”
Alarmed at the mention of Aria’s name, I tried to sit up but the pain smacked me back down. “Wait, what? Aria knows I’m here?” Any hope of keeping this secret was now gone.
“So does Kris and Alicia,” Nate nonchalantly informed me. “And I also know that Alicia told Jensen. He called this morning and made me promise to have you call him the minute you woke up.” Nate looked at me for a response.
“Great, good news travels fast,” I grumbled. Fucking friend hotline.
“You’d better call him, you know. Jensen was pretty serious when he said that if he didn’t hear from you soon he’d be on a plane.”
“What? No!” I yelled.
Nate put his hand on my arm. “Relax, just call him.”
“And say what, Nate? I can’t tell him about this,” I whispered harshly, putting my hand to my stomach.
“Why not? It was his kid, wasn’t it?” Nate eyed me questioningly.
I was about to answer angrily that yes, it most certainly was, when the shrill ring of the telephone broke the silence. Taking in a sharp breath, I stared at the little red light on the phone as it lit up. Nate reached over and answered it, but not before giving me a look that told me I’d better be ready to deal. Saying hello into the receiver, I saw Nate take a deep breath before looking at me once again.
“Hey, Jensen,” he said. “She’s—”
A streak of alarm rushed through me and I held up my hand, shaking my head fiercely to let him know I did not want to speak to Jensen right then.
“Ah, Jensen, Mia’s asleep right now.” Nate listened for a few seconds, telling Jensen that he wasn’t sure when I’d be awake and that me being in the hospital wasn’t serious enough for him to come home. Evidently Jensen asked him what the matter with me was because Nate told him that the doctor hadn’t been in to give any explanations. He then did his best to answer Jensen’s questions without giving anything crucial away, and was more than happy to tell Jensen he’d have me call him as soon as I woke up. “Damn, Mia. Your boy is not happy and I totally just lied for you. You owe me big time,” Nate said, figuratively as he hung up the phone.
“Do you think he can wait an hour? I need time to think.”
“A half-hour at the most, unless you want him hopping the next plane. He’s literally freaking out and sounded like he was throwing clothes in a bag.”
I sighed and was resigned to the fact that Nate was right. I needed to call Jensen back. “What did you tell people about why I’m in here?” I asked.
“I didn’t.” Nate shook his head back and forth. “I really didn’t know why you were in here, and as far as they’re concerned I still don’t. Although I did call school and work to tell them you’re in here and won’t be able to go back until next week. Your doctor mentioned that the last time she was in here and I offered to call them.”
After thanking Nate again for all he had done, I asked if I could have some privacy to call Jensen. My friend looked a little like he was being put out. He kindly handed me the phone before waving and heading out the door. When Nate was gone I slowly dialed Jensen’s dorm, and after two rings he answered.
“Mia?” Jensen sounded more than just worried.
“Hi there,” I murmured.
“What’s going on?” he quickly asked. “Why are you in the hospital? I’m about to fly up there!”
“No, no. Stay where you’re at, I’m fine. It’s nothing but a case of food poisoning and subsequent dehydration,” I lied. Figuring that another lie couldn’t hurt, I said, “I’ll probably be out of here in a few hours.” I couldn’t tell him the truth just yet after everything that happened with Savannah and Solveigh. No, it was much too soon. On top of that, there was the business of him cheating, me cheating, and Aria’s freak-out at my house.
“You had me so damn worried,” Jensen said weakly into the phone. “Especially when you didn’t call me back right away and I had to hear from Alicia that you’re in the hospital. Mia, I love you.” He stopped for an uncomfortable amount of time before going on. “What happened with Fallon … I—”
“Jensen, I can’t do this right now,” I solemnly cut him off.
“Okay, okay. I just want you to know how sorry I am and that I love you.”
“I know. We’ll talk about this later. I just can’t right now.”
After telling me he loved me once more, we hung up. Nate came back about twenty minutes later and reached for the TV remote that was lying next to me on the bed, pressing the button and causing the screen to come to life. I told him I’d like to rest for at least thirty minutes, and Nate said he’d keep the sound low. I barely heard the last of what he said before quickly nodding off to the quiet buzz of daytime television in the background.
To what sounded like a slamming door, I startled awake and blinked my eyes several times before looking out the window to see the settling dusk. Just out of sight I thought I saw something move and turned to see a hand pull the chain to the lamp beside my bed. Immediately a bright light filled the room and made me cringe. “Nate? What are you doing?” I groggily asked.
“No, it’s not Nate. He went to get something to eat.”
Recognizing Alicia’s voice, I squinted harder and saw her standing by the window with her hands on the hips of her light blue Guess jeans. Her red sweater seemed to intensify her irritation, if that were possible. “Alicia?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s me. Why does my brother think you’ll be discharged tonight? You look horrible and I doubt you’re going anywhere!” Nate returned before I had a chance to answer. “She looks terrible, doesn’t she? There’s no way she’s being discharged tonight,” Alicia complained to Nate.
“They thought she would be able to, but she still needs fluids. Probably another day.” Nate is covering for me! Why? I could visually see Alicia relax as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“So … food poisoning? Where did you eat so I steer clear of that place? I’d hate to wind up in here.” Alicia gingerly picked up a box of tissues from the moveable tray over my bed and looked at it like it was some kind of germ machine.
“I’m fine, Leesh, really,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You can tell Jensen that, too.”
Willing him not to open his mouth, I threw a quick look at Nate who
