Trying to Survive (The Kiser #1) (8 page)

What
the Hell Happened?

    
Ah, my face hurts.
 
What’s wrong with me?
 
Trying to move, I felt weighted down.
 
My bed didn’t feel comfortable and the sheets
were rough.
 
Where am I?
 
I tried to
remember if I had went home with some chick.
 
Surely if I had, I wouldn’t hurt
this much.
 
Oh God, I hurt!
 
Why?
 
My mind wondered back to the bar.
 
I paid the bill and walked outside to call Seth, then… nothing.
 
What happened?
 
Where am I?
 
 
Cracking my eyes open to slits I
tried to look around.
 
It appeared to be
a hotel room.
 
Moving my head, I moaned
aloud.
 
Hearing someone coming, I tried
to see who it was. Then, leaning over me I thought I must be in heaven, because
she looked like an angel with long wavy auburn hair and the greenest eyes I’ve ever
peered in to.
 
 
Smiling, she said, “I see you’re finally
awake.”
 
She gently rubbed my forehead
with her hand and it felt so good.
 
Nobody had ever tried to soothe me before and this felt nice.
 
While she was rubbing my forehead, the pain
in my face lessened.

    
“
Wher
…”
 
Clearing my throat.
 
She grabbed a
cup of water and placed the straw in my mouth.
 
Taking a drink, I tried again.
 
“Where am I?”
 
I rasped out.
 
Her face looked concerned, but then she
smiled and it felt like warmth in the middle of a blizzard.

    
“You’re in my hotel room.
 
You
were badly hurt and I didn’t know what else to do.
 
I’m sorry.”

 
   
Hurt?
 
I tried to think back but could only see
pieces.
 
I didn’t understand what exactly
was going on.
 
“What are you doing, why
are you here?”
 
I didn’t know who she was
but I regretted asking her that question when I saw sadness and tears fill her
eyes.

    
She smiled and then quietly said, “Just like you, I’m trying to
survive.”
 
The back of her hand swiped
her face to remove a stray tear.
 
She
shouldn’t cry.
 
Angels should never
cry.
 
“I’m going to order you some lunch
and then give you more pain medicine.”
 

    
I wanted to tell her not to, that she shouldn’t trouble herself, but I
couldn’t find my voice.
 
All I could do
was stare at the gorgeous woman in my line of sight.
 
I heard her on the phone but then I must have
fallen back asleep.

    
“Wake up, lunch is here.”
 
She
gently shook me.
 
Feeding me vegetable soup,
I ate it like a toddler.
 
Embarrassed, I
tried to look away.
 
After I finished she
placed some pills on my tongue and told me to swallow.
 
The next think I knew, blackness engulfed me.

    
Opening my eyes the next morning, I noticed the sun streaming through
the window.
 
My eyes, they were more open
today.
 
Everything started to rush back
again.
 
Not only did I remember the alley
where three men attack me, I remembered the woman telling me it would be okay
and making me stand and walk toward the street.
 
Turning my head, I saw her sitting there watching me.
 
She smiled.
 
“Good morning.
 
You look much better
today.”

    
Clearing my throat, “Thank you, I feel better…I think.”
 
She walked over and handed me some water.

    
“I ordered you breakfast.
 
Would
you like some more oatmeal?”
 
She went to
get it but I stopped her.

    
“No, I’m not that hungry.”
 
Her
smile faded and she stood there and looked at me for a moment, like she was
hesitating.

    
“Listen, I’m sorry that you were hurt, and I’ve tried to help you but I
have to go home today. My plane leaves in an hour and I have to leave
soon.
 
Is there someone I can call for
you?”
 
She looked at me with sympathetic
eyes.

    
What on earth was she talking about.
 
She has to go home?
 
What did that
mean?
 
Maybe my mind was still
fuzzy.
 
Who could I call?
 
“Matt, you can call Matt.”
 
He would help me without judging.
 
Yes, Matt would be good.

    
“Okay, do you have his number?”
 
She asked with such sincerity that I almost believed she didn’t know who
I was and who I hang with…almost.
 

    
“555-1937.” I saw her grab her cell phone and I almost laughed.
 
Of all the ways to be able to get in touch
with me, this was new.
 
I watched as she
tapped her screen and then put the phone to her ear.

    
“Hello?
 
Is this Matt?”
 
I listened to her side of the conversation.
 
This should be good.
 
“I found a man almost dead in an
alleyway.
 
He is finally awake and is
asking that I call you.”
 
I waited to
hear more but I must have fallen back asleep, that is until she touched my
shoulder.
 

    
Looking at me, she said, “Your friend said he’s been worried sick, and
he’ll be right here.”
 
She sat down and
started running her fingers through my hair as if she’d done it a million times
before.
 
When she realized what she was doing,
she looked horrified and jerked her hand back.
 
“Sorry.”
 
She muttered.

    
“That’s okay, it felt good.”
 
Actually, it felt better than good, it felt… comforting and that was a
new concept for me.

    
Fifteen minutes later, someone knocked on the door.
 
I heard her answer it and then Matt stood
looking down at me.
 
“My God, you look
like shit!
 
I almost didn’t recognize
you.
 
What the hell happened to
you?”
 
Matt asked as he sat down on the
bed.

    
“I think I got jumped coming out of a bar.”
 
I rasped out.

    
“The clinic doctor thinks it was a mugging.
 
They couldn’t find a wallet or any personal
belongings.
 
Here is his bottle of pain
medicine.”
 
She handed the bottle to Matt
as we both turned our head to stare at her.
 
“Sorry, I didn’t know his name so I just made one up.”
 
The lady said to Matt.
 
For the first time I noticed her suitcase
packed by the door.
 
“I have to go, or
I’ll miss my flight.
 
I’m already late.”
 
She peered down at me and said, “You need to
be more careful.”
 
Smiling, she turned
and grabbed her suitcase then headed out the door.

    
“Who was that?”
 
Matt asked as he
watched the door close behind her.

    
“I don’t know but I’m sure she’ll call you soon enough and ask for my
number.”
 

    
“You’re an asshole, you know that?
 
You’ve been missing for three days and apparently she’s been taking care
of you and that’s all you can say?”
 
He
truly looked disgusted.
 

     
“Wait, what do you mean almost three days?
 
What day is it?”
 

    
“January 2
^nd
.
 
You
missed everything, bringing in the New Year, the Gala, everything.
 
I’ve been calling around and searching
everywhere I knew, but you were nowhere to be found.
 
Now I know why.”
 

    
“Oh no, I bet mother is pissed.”
 
Moaning, I covered my eyes with my forearm.

    
“I don’t think pissed is the word for it.
 
That mini me is even worse.
 
Why would you even agree to go out with her?”

    
“I didn’t, remember?
 
Mother asked
and she jumped on it.”
 
I sat up now that
I was feeling better.
 
The room was small
with just the bed, and small sofa, a chair, and a bathroom.
 
Where had she slept?
 
I didn’t remember her being in bed with
me.
 
Surely, she wouldn’t have slept on
that tiny sofa.
 

    
“You need to get dressed so I can get you home.”
 
I looked down and noticed I lay here in just
my underwear.
 
Where were my clothes?
 
What had she done?
 
She probably took pictures so she could
blackmail me.
 
I give her a week to
contact me for money.

    
Matt came walking out of the bathroom carrying a bag.
 
“Man, these are your clothes but there’s no
way you can wear them.”
 
He said while
peering in to the bag.

    
“Why not?”
 
He pulled my shirt out
and I felt the blood drain from my face.
 
It was covered with blood, and I didn’t mean a little either.

    
“I guess she wasn’t kidding when she said you were almost dead.”
 
He pulled my pants out and they looked just
as bad as my shirt.
 
“You stay here, I’m
going to run to the gift shop and get you something to wear.”
 
Matt said before leaving.

 
   
I needed to use the bathroom
and as I tried to stand, the room spun around and I almost fell.
 
How had I used the bathroom the last three
days?
 
My mind repelled any thoughts that
tried to enter and I shivered.
 
I wasn’t
going to even think of what might have happened.
 
Holding on to the side of the wall, I slowly
walked to the bathroom and propped against the wall while I relieved
myself.
 
Exhausted, I slumped down to the
floor and just sat there, and that’s where Matt found me.

    
“Dude, what are you doing?”
 
Matt
asked, finding me on the floor.

  
  
“I had to take a piss.”
 
I peered up at him, still exhausted.

    
“Let’s get you dressed and I’ll have the doctor meet us at your
penthouse.”
 
Matt spent the next twenty
minutes helping me get dressed and walking me down to his car.
 
My mind wandered back to the woman who had
cared for me.
 
How had she possibly moved
me?
 
Maybe she had help, probably someone
to help her blackmail me.

    
Arriving at my penthouse, I greeted Dean as I walked through the
door.
 
He looked alarmed, maybe slightly
horrified at my appearance.
 
I did feel
like shit and leaning heavily on Matt. He helped me until I was happily lying
in my own bed, exhausted.
 
“Thanks
Matt.”
 
I murmured at the same time the
doorbell rang.

    
Matt left to answer the door.
 
“Thank you for coming Dr. Harrison, he’s in his bed.”
 
Matt showed him to my room.
 
After Dr. Harrison’s examination, he
confirmed that I did have a concussion and gave more instructions to rest.
 
After showing him out, Matt came back in.
 
“As bad as you are now, I can’t imagine how
bad you were in the beginning.
 
You
should have seen a doctor!”

    
A doctor… hum, I did see a doctor… I think.
 
“I think I did, I have pain medicine.” I
wondered where I went.
 
I didn’t really
remember much.

    
“That’s right, let me get your pill bottle and I’ll see who gave it to
you.”
 
Coming back in, he read the
bottle.
 
“It says the prescription is for
Jake Smith.”
 
He kept looking it over.
 
“Hmm, it was given to you by a Dr.
Sutherland.
 
I’ve never heard of him.”