• Collapsing


    xxxxxI woke up about 5:30 a.m., because the doctor was in the room again. He wasn’t really the quietest person ever.
    xxxxx“Good morning…” I muttered softly, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. My throat was a bit sore and my voice came out scratchy. I sat up and looked at him curiously. “Is everything okay?”
    xxxxx“Morning and yes, he’s fine. I just wanted to check on everything,” he responded. “You should go upstairs and get yourself some food. Juice will help with your throat.”
    xxxxxI nodded and replied, “Yes, I will. Thank you so much.” I picked up my iced-coffee from last night, which was soiled from being out all last night. I also picked up the rest of the food and trash from the night before and threw it out. I left and went to the bathroom first.
    xxxxxI washed my face and looked in the mirror. My make-up was a bit smudged and my hair was a bit wrecked. My eyes were a bit swollen and red from crying. I fixed myself up and then headed out.
    xxxxxI went upstairs where I saw Mr. Simmons sitting at one of the tables. It looked like he had been there the whole night, just watching TV with coffee in hand. His hair was it’s usually dark brown messy self, just like Davis’s, but instead he had I smiled slightly at him while I went to get my own bottle of orange juice and a fruit bowl from the cafeteria line.
    xxxxxMinutes later, I was sitting across from him.
    xxxxx“Good morning, Mr. Simmons,” I said contently with a smile.
    xxxxx“Good morning, Estree. Did you just wake up?” He responded, taking a sip of his coffee, and focusing all of his attention on me.
    xxxxx“Yes. Dr. Coleridge accidentally woke me up while he was checking Davis’s stats. Have you been here this whole time?” I replied, beginning to eat my breakfast.
    xxxxxIsn’t it weird? Mr. Simmons, and even Mrs. Simmons, isn’t a bit weird around me. I guess it’s because I’ve known them for so long. I moved here about when I was 12 years old. Allie and Kayla were my first friends. Eventually Thalia joined the group because she was new too and I befriended her during a class project.
    xxxxxI slept at my friends’ houses a lot as a teen, since my parents were always fighting. Luckily, they got a divorced when I was 14 and now I am happier because they are too. Anyway, I guess you can say I got to know Allie and Kayla’s families pretty well, so I guess I can say that I knew Davis for about four years now. We started dating last year.
    xxxxxI guess the point I am trying to make is that, it’s weird that Mr. Simmons doesn’t treat me any different now that I am his son’s girlfriend, but I guess it shouldn’t. I would assume most parents would be, but I know them well enough. I am not really sure…note to self: ask them later.
    xxxxx“Yeah, just been watching the news and drinking some coffee,” he responded.
    xxxxxI frowned slightly after taking a sip of my coffee and putting the paper cup down on the table. “You know, you should really get some sleep. It’s morning now, Allie and I can handle it. You and Mrs. Simmons should go home and take a break, get some things for Davis,” I suggested; I was just trying to be helpful in some way.
    xxxxx“No, maybe later; I doubt we could just go home right now without freaking out and running right back here. You know how she is.”
    xxxxxI laughed as much as my throat would let me and said, “Yeah, I guess that’s true…” I paused for a second, eating a piece of melon. I didn’t really know what to say. We haven’t had a person to person conversation since Davis. I usually was either hanging out with him or Allie when I went to their house. I guess this was one way that things had changed in the past year. “Hey, Mr. Simmons…”
    xxxxx“Yes?” he said intrigued. His attention wasn’t really focused on me anymore, but on the TV. There was a college soccer game on. The Simmons boys really do love soccer, don’t they?
    xxxxxHesitantly, I said, “Um…if you don’t mind me asking, why don’t you treat me any differently now that I am dating Davis?”
    xxxxxHis attention was on me again. It was either what I said or the fact that the game just went to commercial.
    xxxxx“Estree…I never really thought of that as a reason to. You’ve always been the same girl that would come over and visit sometimes for days or come with us to watch soccer games.” I started blushing around here. That was a bad habit of mine too as a teen. I really just hated my parents fighting.
    xxxxxHe continued, “There’s no difference now that you’re dating Davis. You’ll always be like my second daughter to me.” Yeah, that was sweet, huh? I felt like I was going to cry again. Haha.
    xxxxxI smiled brightly at him and said, “Thanks Mr. Simmons. I am glad you said that.”
    xxxxxWe resume our previous activities after that. I continued to finish off my yummy, juicy fruit and coffee, while watching the game with him. I laughed occasionally when the team would make a goal, since Mr. Simmons would always cheer loudly.
    xxxxxThis was nice. I had almost forgotten where I was since I was watching my second ‘dad’ and since I too was wrapped up in the game. This must be why Mr. Simmons never came back to the room. I wouldn’t have either.
    xxxxx“Estree! Dad!”
    xxxxxWe turned and looked to the cafeteria entrance and saw Allie walk in, a bit out of breath. I watched bemused as she walked slowly to them table and then stood at the very end of it. It was pretty obvious she has been running.
    xxxxxShe said through many breaths, “I’ve been…looking for you….guys everywhere…”
    xxxxxI smiled and giggled, “Sorry Allie, I probably should have left a note or something to make it easier on you.”
    xxxxxShe looked up at me and smiled back, “You think…Anyway…Davis just…woke up…”
    xxxxxI was shocked, but I really shouldn’t have been. It was almost 6:30 by now. “That’s great news…” I managed to say.
    xxxxx“Well…I should go see him now,” said Mr. Simmons as he got up. I nodded and watched him.
    xxxxx“I’ll come too. What about you, Estree?” Allie said who was probably happy that her breathing was back.
    xxxxx“Um…I’ll come in a bit; I want to finish my fruit. I’ll get some coffee for your mom too. She’ll need it,” I replied, picking at the rest of my fruit.
    xxxxxI should be excited too, I know, and I would think that I would be running to his room and tackling him into a hug, without hurting him. I’m just not. I’m happy that he’s awake, of course. I just don’t think I can face him for some deep reason in my subconscious. I sighed as I thought about this, while watching them both walk away together...well…Mr. Simmons was; Allie was pulling him to go faster. I smiled at this.
    xxxxxAfter they got into the elevator and the doors closed, I got up from my seat. The only thing left in my fruit cup was grapes. I didn’t like the peel and I wasn’t going to waste my time peeling a bunch of grapes; seriously, would you?
    xxxxxI threw the purple grapes and went over to the coffee machine. I got Mrs. Simmons’s coffee ready and grabbed my juice, before going to the room.
    xxxxxDown the hall from the room, I saw Dr. Coleridge come out. He looked at me and smiled. Taking that for good news, I smiled back and walked fast to the room, carefully trying not to spill coffee anywhere. I slid open the door. Yeah, I hope you can tell that I’m excited now.
    xxxxx“Hi Davis, you’re awake...” I said joyfully to him as I stood at the doorway. I caught the attention on all the Simmons in the room. Apparently, I had interrupted their joyous conversation. What an opening right?
    xxxxxI stepped inside and slid the glass door clothes. I walked over to Mrs. Simmons, and handed her the cup of coffee, “Here you go, Mrs. Simmons; one cream and two sugars.” I then sat down in my seat by his side that I had slept on morning in. “How are you feeling?” I asked, moving my hand over his.
    xxxxx“I’m doing fine…” he replied hesitantly. He was probably still trying to comprehend everything since he had been unconscious since the car accident.
    xxxxxSmiling, I looked at Allie. She was smiling too. I was so glad. “That’s great. I was so worried about you…,” I said moving my attention back to him.
    xxxxxHearing a door open, I shifted my eyes over there. I saw Mr. Simmons leading Mrs. Simmons and Allie out the door. I silently thanked them and looked back at Davis.
    xxxxxTaking the chance, I gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. I had done it many times before, but it worried me. He didn’t respond.
    xxxxx“Hey, is something wrong?” I asked urgently.
    xxxxx“Well, kind of.” He looked at me with his darken brown eyes and continued guilty, “I am sorry, but I can’t…I don’t remember who you are…”
    xxxxxMy heart stopped, or it felt like it did. It was either that time had frozen for a bit. I am not sure, but all I knew is that it just hit me and now my world collapsing. I felt tears coming and my throat began to close. “Are you sure, Davis? It’s me, Estree…” I asked nervously.
    xxxxxI watched him nodded to me, obviously feeling guilty that he couldn’t remember. I bit my lip tightly, before grabbing my bag and running. “I am sorry…,” I said, holding back tears and leaving the hospital room. Running somewhere…I wasn’t sure where yet…I just knew I couldn’t stay with him after that just happened.