As the doctor gathered his notes, I cleared my throat, catching his attention. "So, when do I get discharged?"
He paused, then laughed, a short, warm chuckle that caught off guard.
I narrowed my eyes. "What’s so funny?"
He shook his head, amusent lingering in his eyes. "It’s typical. Every patient thinks they’re ready to leave long before we’re ready to let them go." He adjusted his glasses, scanning his notes. "But, all things considered, you should be ready to go in about two or three days, provided there are no complications with your ankle. We’ll also set you up with a crutch and a boot to support the healing process."
"Two or three days?" I tried not to sound too horrified, but the doctor raised an eyebrow.
"It’s standard," he said gently. "And once discharged, you’ll need a week or two off your feet, so don’t plan on running a marathon any ti soon."
I groaned, slumping back against the pillows. "Fine. But the minute I hit that third day, I’m out of here."
He chuckled again, tucking his notes into a file. "We’ll see about that."
With a polite nod, he headed for the door, leaving alone with the impending boredom of another three days in this place. I shifted under the blanket, adjusting my leg carefully, already tired of feeling like a prisoner.
Just as I was sinking back into my own thoughts, a soft knock sounded at the door, followed by the hesitant creak as it opened. I looked up, surprised to see Lola poking her head in, a tentative smile on her face.
"Lola?" I asked, a little taken aback.
"Hey, Kiara." She stepped in, closing the door softly behind her and clutching a small bouquet of flowers. She shuffled to my bedside, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I... I just wanted to thank you. For what you did back there in the cafeteria."
"Oh, that?" I waved a hand, brushing off her gratitude. "It was nothing. I just couldn’t sit back and let them treat you like that."
"It wasn’t nothing to ," she replied, her voice soft but firm. She placed the flowers on my bedside table, glancing at with eyes full of gratitude. "I don’t think I could’ve managed if you hadn’t stepped in."
"Well, you deserve better than that, Lola," I said, watching her carefully. I hesitated, thinking of everything I’d overheard and pieced together about her situation. This might be my only chance to get so answers, so I leaned forward a bit, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Can I ask you sothing?"
She looked up, a little surprised but nodded. "Sure. Anything."
I took a breath, choosing my words carefully. "About what happened that night at the hotel... I an, if it’s not too uncomfortable for you to talk about."
Lola’s face fell slightly, her eyes drifting to the floor. "Oh, that..." She fiddled with her sleeve, clearly unsettled by the subject, but after a mont, she nodded. "It’s okay. I think talking about it might... might help, actually."
I gave her a reassuring nod, waiting for her to continue. She took a breath, as if gathering her thoughts.
"I rember going there after work... to the hotel, I an," she began slowly, her gaze distant. "I wasn’t really planning to stay or anything, but... there was this company event, and everyone was having such a good ti. A friend of mine suggested we all go celebrate." Her voice wavered slightly, a hint of sothing unsettled flickering in her eyes. "I thought it would just be a few drinks, so laughs. But... things got blurry fast."
"Blurry?" I pressed gently, trying not to sound too probing. "Did soone give you sothing?"
She shook her head, uncertain. "I don’t know. I had one drink, maybe two, but it was enough to... you know, everything just went hazy." Her brows knitted together as if trying to rember. "One minute, I was with everyone at the bar, laughing, and the next... I was alone in a room, feeling dizzy and strange. Everything was spinning."
I felt a chill creep up my spine. "So you don’t rember how you got to the room?"
"No," she whispered, her hands wringing together. "I don’t rember anything after that first drink. When I woke up... I felt awful, and... and I was alone. My clothes were..." She trailed off, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Then the photos started circulating. I still don’t know who took them."
I swallowed, anger simring beneath the surface as I thought about Jessica and Gabriel. "Do you have any idea who might have... you know, been involved? Soone who would benefit from all this?"
Lola shook her head, her face a picture of confusion. "I’ve thought about it so many tis, trying to piece it together, but... nothing adds up. I don’t have enemies, Kiara. Or, at least, I didn’t think I did." Her voice cracked, and she looked down, biting her lip. "Sotis, I think maybe it was just an accident... that maybe I just had too much to drink. But then, who would do this?"
The more I listened, the more it felt like a tangled web, the pieces not quite fitting together. Soone had clearly planned this, setting her up in a way that was all too familiar. I wanted to press further, but the haunted look on her face stopped .
"I’m sorry, Lola. I shouldn’t have brought it up," I said, my tone softening. "I just... wanted to understand."
She gave a small, shaky smile, wiping at her eyes. "No, it’s alright. I think... I needed to say it out loud. It’s just been so confusing. Everything feels wrong, like I’m missing sothing important."
I nodded, a heavy feeling settling in my chest. Whoever was behind this had left her broken and in the dark, the sa way I’d felt in my past life. It was a situation carefully crafted to make her question herself, to make her feel powerless. And I couldn’t help but think of Jessica and Gabriel.
Lola shifted, giving an earnest look. "Thank you again, Kiara. I’m not sure what I would have done without you. You were the only one who didn’t... judge."
I managed a smile, placing a reassuring hand on hers. "Don’t thank . Just... don’t let anyone else walk over you, alright? You deserve better than this, Lola."
She nodded, her expression a bit brighter, and squeezed my hand back. "I’ll try," she said, giving a small smile before standing up. "I should probably let you rest. But... if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out."
"Will do," I replied, watching as she gave a last grateful nod and headed for the door.
As the door closed softly behind her, I sank back into the bed, staring at the ceiling as I tried to make sense of it all. I felt like I was holding puzzle pieces that should fit together, but no matter how hard I tried, the picture wouldn’t form. If Jessica and Gabriel were involved in what happened to Lola, why? What did they stand to gain?
And, worst of all, why did it feel like this was just the beginning?
Reviews
All reviews (0)