The Fire he Ignited in Me

Chapter 3

My head is in so much pain that no matter how I move it or where I rest it, a shooting pain

permanently bothers me and keeps me from sleeping.

Giving up, I blink my eyes open slowly to see the beautiful sight of my two best friends and my

brother hovering above me.

"Thank God, Annabelle," my brother says with a sigh.

I assume he sits as he's out of my vision.

"Yeah. I mean, everyone knew you're a bad driver, but wow. A semi truck? How do you hit

that?"

I scowl at my friend Will who gets a slap on the shoulder, curtesy of my friend Jayla.

"Shut up. She's had a traumatic experience."

She hands me a glass of water as Will uses a remote to lift my bed and I take in the fact that I'm

in the hospital. Figures. Don't call and drive folks.

A cool relief encases my throat as I rehydrate and I nearly moan, despite the pounding in my

skull.

"So what are you doing here," I ask directed at all of them, only to see my brother Spencer is no

longer in the room. "I thought you had a trip with your church group," I say to Jayla.

She purses her lips and scrunches her chocolate face sourly.

"Well I was about to get on the bus when Spence called me and said my best friend was headed

to the hospital."

I smile guilty as Will crosses his arms and nods.

"Yeah, and I was playing fortnight when I got the call."

I roll my eyes. Of course he was.

"Well, I'm all good," I assure them just as Spencer comes back in with a doctor.

"Actually," the man in glasses says holding up his clipboard.

"You have a small concussion and whiplash. You'll be better soon, but take it easy for the next

two or three weeks. Your medicine is in this bag, take two pills a day for a week even if you feel

brand new. Got it?"

I smile at the short dark-haired man and nod gratefully.

"Yes. Thank you."

Spencer goes to sign me out and Will waits outside while Jayla hands me a change of clothes and

my purse.

"You had me worried there for a second," she says solemnly.

I sigh and give her a quick hug.

"It's nothing to worry about J."

She scowls and smacks me with the pillow on the bed.

"Then stop saying you'll die in a car accident!"

I let a laugh bubble out of me remembering that's how I was set on dying. I had tried being

psychic for a week.

"Deal."

•••

"No, you need to stay awake," Spencer argues taking my pillow away and throwing it to Jayla on

the other end of the couch.

I groan and lean against his bony shoulder.

"Okay, White Chicks or Jurassic Park?"

A resounding, "White Chicks," answers his question and that's what we end up watching.

"I bet you could do that," I say smiling to my big brother. He's a detective on the police force and

I base most of what I think he does off of movies.

He shakes his head and looks at me dumbly.

"I'm not a crossdresser."

Three and a half hours later, the movie is over and we've all had a nutritious pizza dinner.

"I have to get going," Jayla says Patti my knee. "Church camp is still on."

"Me too," Will says giving my forehead a kiss. "Fortnight won't play itself."

They leave and Spencer takes care of all the trash while I lay on the couch and steal my thrown

pillow back.

"Do you want me to stay with you?"

I shake my head and curl up under the blanket.

"No, you need real sleep before your shift."

"Do you want me to take you upstairs or is down here good?"

Always the accommodating brother.

"I'm good here. The fridge is closer."

Spence chuckles and hugs me before heading out and I sigh thinking about my accident. Luckily,

it's not that big of a town we live in and the essentials are all in a couple miles. I'll need a new

car. Ms. Paega's wedding! I'll have to trust my partner took care of everything.

Closing my eyes, I let myself drift off to sleep. But before I lose consciousness, the face of the

man who pulled me out of the crash flashes through my mind.