Teenage groupie….24

Faces, nameless faces, eager, curious faces, stared at mine relentlessly, asking questions trying to ascertain if I was still breathing, if I was still sane, if I could still comprehend my environment. Intermittently I would hear doctors ask how I was doing, or feel a pinch from a nurse’s needle, she would touch my wrist and search for my pulse and that was the last thing I would feel. Occasionally, I would see the guys peering over me, with worry and concern labeling their faces. I was sure some of them got to stay the night. Once I could feel someone’s hands holding mine until morning. Then, I would feel Nick’s soft lips on mine pecking me goodbye just before he leaves for the day. I knew it was Nick because of that fruity bubblegum taste he had in his mouth that one time we kissed in the hotel. And whenever I made a move to awaken, I would feel a slight pinch in my vein from the nurse’s needle that would drown me out again.

Suddenly, I forced my eyes open, gently to avoid the sharp stinging pain that normally arose from prolonged periods in the dark. Painful as it were, it became somewhat rewarding because as I opened them, the first image that befell me was a pale faced Nick sitting beside me on the bed, one hand clutching mine, poring over my face to awaken it with tired eyes.

A smile winced the corners of his eyes when he felt my movements and he squeezed my hand tighter in happiness.

“Hey,” he smiled, leaning closer.

I forced my mouth to open, my parched throat felt icky as air passed through my vocal chords.

“Hey you,” said I, my voice deep, and scratchy. “What are you doing here?”

He smiled some more, “Waiting for you to awaken?” replied Nick.

My eyes looked around the hospital room inquisitively, searching for any landmarks for which I would acclimatize with my territory. It was a small private room, yellow curtains on the windows, fresh red roses on my bed stand, Get Well cards stood on it, and a tiny goodwill stuffed animal of Garfield the cat---my favorite cartoon character sat by my deck of cards.

Adjusting my stiff body on the bed, “How long have I been here?” It felt like years, my body had stiffened just as a Mummy’s swathed in bandages.

“Not long, a couple of days, this is the 6^th day, but they say they are going to keep you longer for observation. Doctor says you might have a slight case of excessive compulsive, manic disorder something, I don’t know,” Nick explained feebly. I didn’t blame him for his lack of knowledge of my condition; it was so complicated I couldn’t memorize the name. I found out later that it was a condition called bipolar disorder that fell into a manic blur from the damaging turn of events for the past week.

“Have you been here all the time?”

“Off and on…it’s been a whirlwind 48 hours for everyone.” He wiped off his tired eyes, reinvigorating life into them.

“Everyone?” I exclaimed, “The others are here?”

“Yep, they are.”

I looked around for them, my eyes roving around the room. “Oh, they are not here right now,” he obliged. “Well, AJ went over to get some cigs at the coin machine down the hall, he was actually sitting here a minute ago,” my heart melted at that, how sweet I thought. “Brian’s gone to get some coffee, he’s been praying Hail Mary’s all night,” how touching I said. “ Howie went to get some chips and fruit juice, you know he gets hungry at odd hours,” I gave a small snicker at this “and Kevin…ehm,” his voice lowered, “ Kevin’s outside in the other room, talking to some lawyers about you.”

“What is it what happened, did the police come back?” I shrieked, looking round suspiciously.

“No…well they did, but…ehm,” he leaned closer again, “I sorta told them all what you told me, I’m sorry, I had to. You mad?”

I shook my head, “No, I’m not…but what are the lawyers for?”

“Well, it’s sorta complicated, lawyers think you have a case against us, you know for statutory rape, under age drinking, and abduction of a minor, you know all the legal stuff…they are trying to get us to draw some papers where you can waive your right to press charges.”

I rolled my eyes, incredulously. Problems never got better; they just got another name in the pretext of turning worse. Press charges, why in the world would I want to do that, no one forced me to go along with them on their tour, I did it on my own accord, no one forced me to have sex either, I did that all too willingly. That being the case, I had a well-grounded case to prosecute all the truck drivers, teen perverts and motel clerks I had had to sleep with for taking advantage of me, knowing that I was a minor.

“So how do you feel?” asked Nick.

“Well, my throat hurts like hell, and my jaw feels like I swallowed a golf ball, apart from that I think I’m fine. My head doesn’t feel as heavy as it did before. I’m just so delighted to see you,” I finished warmly.

“Yeah, me too, me too.” His smile added some color to his pale face.

“You look better than I feel I can tell you that,” I chimed.

“Well, this time you get to look bad for a change.”

We laughed together, his hand squeezing mine comfortingly, as my eyes suddenly felt weary again. Whatever I was on, it was making me weak, and exhausted, maybe it was to relax me, but it was working. Slowly, my vision of his image gradually diminished, slowly fading into a small blond dot; the last thing I felt was his warm mouth pressed against mine sending me off to paradise.

Part 25...