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I believe that two people are connected at the heart,
and it doesn’t matter what you do, or who you are or where you live;
there are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together.
~Julia Roberts
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By the end of the night, I ended up at Jared’s, despite telling Macy I didn’t want to go. After a round with her and Shannon, along with another six-pack, I was ready to party the night away and let everything go. It would be the best therapy for me. I just wanted to have a crazy night, make some new memories, and forget about the ones tearing me apart.
Jared’s place was packed. People from PHU and elsewhere filled his pad. Women were everywhere and they couldn’t seem to keep their hands off me. I took pictures with all of them, loving every minute of the attention. I forgot how good it felt to be wanted. And these women definitely wanted me. Too bad I didn’t charge them for their time. I would’ve made some serious money. Josh was right about something — The Raven was back!
Abby showed up with her clan and I talked them into going to one of the bedrooms. They were disappointed they didn’t have any of their gadgets, and I probably would’ve let them do whatever the hell they wanted to me, but I gave them what they wanted and they definitely made it worth my time.
The last thing I recalled was sitting in the kitchen with Macy on my lap. We were making out and I was still drinking, not ready to stop anytime soon. Halfway through the night, I’d switched to Crown and Coke. The beer wasn’t strong enough to take away the voices that kept popping up, reminding me Lexi still loved me. I needed to expunge all traces of her from my mind. It was the only way I was going to make it.
I was already having a hard time keeping my eyes focused when the room suddenly began to spin. I couldn’t remember the last time I got this drunk. I pulled away from Macy.
“You alright?” she asked, trying to catch my gaze.
“No. I’m fucked up.” I pushed her off my lap and tried to stand, but fell back into my chair. I was drunker than I thought. My entire body felt numb and my heart was beating so damn fast, I swore I’d just ran across the field twice. A cold sweat hit me and my stomach flipped. I was going to be sick. “I’m gonna hurl,” I told Macy, trying to get up once again.
“Let me help you.” She wrapped her arm around me and we stumbled to the bathroom. The line was long and I motioned for her to take me outside.
“No, let’s go to Jared’s bathroom.” She shuffled me down the hall.
My stomach squeezed and I grunted, holding it in until she punched the code to unlock his bedroom door. The door opened and we rushed inside. I made it to the bathroom just in time. I hugged the porcelain, tossing everything from my stomach. A weird sensation spread up from my toes to my head. My face, throat, and tongue tingled, as if one thousand bees had stung me. I wasn’t sure how I was still throwing up, but I was certain I was about to lose all bodily function. My heart continued to pound and my head felt as light as a feather. Somehow, I managed to stop hurling and sat up. The sudden movement rippled through me and the room did a double flip. I swayed to the right and then to the left.
“Raven, are you okay?” Macy wiped my face with a towel. “You’re burning up.”
I tried to talk, but the words slurred. I’d passed out from being drunk before, but this time, I knew it had to be something more than liquor. I stared at Macy, ready to rip her in two. I didn’t know whether it was her or someone else, but I’d been drugged — again. There was no way beer and Crown did this to me. My eyes became heavier by the minute and my mind went numb, until everything went black.
A bright light shined on my face and for a moment, I thought I was dead. I waited to see the pearly gates of heaven, like movies depicted, but instead, I heard indistinct voices. They shuffled around me, saying things that didn’t make sense. Was I in hell? Knowing the things I’d done, it was certainly a possibility.
“Give me twenty CCs of Narcan,” a man said, shining a light in my eyes.
Within seconds, my body turned cold. Frigid cold. My heart started to slow and my breathing evened out. No, I wasn’t in hell. If I was, I would’ve been a burning inferno. I tried to open my eyes, but they were so heavy, like dumbbells were tied to each of them, keeping them weighed down and glued shut.
Was I dying?
I wasn’t ready to die.
I had too much left to do.
Too much to fix.
Most of all, I needed to tell Lexi that I still loved her, needed her...couldn’t live without her. I tried to move my arms, but it was like every muscle in my body had dissolved, turning me into heap of weak, brittle bones.
I had no strength.
No energy.
No life.
“His blood pressure is one-forty over eighty,” a lady with an older voice said, shaking me from my rest. “And his heart rate is now at ninety-nine BPM.”
I fought, trying to peel my eyes open. I was determined to know where I was and what the hell had happened to me, but an incessant beep lulled me into a deep sleep. There was no way I could fight this.
“Good. Good. Looks like he’s stabilizing. Let’s give him some...” the male voice faded and everything went black again.
***
A familiar warmth surrounded me and I knew I was safe. Safe from whatever the hell had happened to me. But what had happened to me? Where was I? Was I dead? Hearing the beeps in the background and feeling a heaviness on my chest with each breath I took, told me I was alive and breathing.
Softness brushed across my skin, sending more chills through my freezing body. Caressing touches ghosted over my palm. There was only one person who could feel that silky. I struggled to move, every muscle weak and non-cooperative. I had to know who was here with me. It took all my effort, but I forced my eyes open.
I had to be dead; the woman of my dreams was sitting next to me. “Le-xi?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks and she looked distraught and worried. “Yes, it’s me. I’m here.”
I cleared my parched throat a few times, trying to talk. It burned, as if someone had taken a sheet of sandpaper and rubbed all the soft tissue away. “What are you doing here?”
“Shh.” She lowered my hand next to me. “You’re going to be okay.”
I shifted and kicked the blanket covering me. My body was hot and cold at the same time. “Is it really you?” I stared at her, unable to believe she was here with me. Using what little energy I had, I cupped her cheek. A heavy sigh released as various emotions hit. It was overwhelming and I struggled to keep them under my control.
“Yeah, babe, it’s really me.” She placed her hand on top of mine and I rejoiced in her presence.
“I never thought I’d see you again.” My eyes wanted to close, but I forced them to stay open. I flashed her a half smile, letting her know I was glad to see her.
“Well, here I am.” Tattered emotions filled her voice, making my chest ache. Lexi was one devoted person. I didn’t deserve her forgiveness. She was too good for me. But, at that moment, I just wanted to forget about what happened and hold her.
“Come here.” I extended shaky arms, welcoming her. She crawled into the bed, laying her body against mine.
Damn, I missed her.
Her sweet scent.
Her intoxicating touch.
I took long, steady breaths, pacing the beats of my heart. I couldn’t believe she came back to me. I threaded my fingers through her hair, holding her close as she rested her head on my chest. Our gazes connected and the familiar feelings rushed in, releasing all the hurt and sadness I had been feeling over the past days. Only Lexi could fill the reopened holes.
And that’s when I realized I wasn’t in my bed or at my apartment. “What the hell happened?” I took in my unfamiliar surroundings. Wires and an IV led to several beeping monitors behind me. Cream walls and plaid curtains surrounded me along with a funky sterile smell. “Where am I?”
“You’re in the hospital.” Her eyes lowered. “Shawn brought you here,” she informed me in a squeaky voice.
The memories rushed in. The drinking...the women. What I had done with Macy, Abby, Reece, and all the other girls at Jared’s. Regret furled inside of me. I was the biggest idiot. Why had I done those things?
“Aw, hell.”
“Just rest.” She gave me a gentle smile, but I didn’t deserve it. “You’re going to be okay.”
I closed my eyes, recalling more of what had transpired last night and over the past two weeks. Previous conversations flooded in, reminding me I wasn’t supposed to be with Lexi. We were done, over. As much as it hurt to acknowledge the truth, I had to face it. Lexi’s parents didn’t want me to be with her. They would do whatever they could to destroy me. I shoved away the memories, focusing on my painful reality instead. As much as it hurt to say, I had to get it over with and move on. “Why are you here, Lexi?” I shifted and gently pushed her away. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
She planted an arm on either side of me, holding her stance. Leaning in, she said with a stern voice, “Raven, tell me that everything you wrote me was a lie. Tell me it’s not true. All that we’ve shared and the time we’ve spent together, tell me it wasn’t for nothing. Tell me it meant something.” Tears poured from her eyes and my pain reappeared. “Please tell me that I didn’t walk away from everything for nothing.”
Her words gnawed at me, aggravating the wounds that had yet to heal. Then again, I wasn’t sure they’d ever heal. I needed Lexi in my life. I couldn’t make it without her. But was Lexi worth risking it all for? If her parents found out we were back together, they’d more than likely contact Coach Anderson and get me kicked off the team or out of school.
I took her hand in mine and pressed my lips together. Aligning my eyes with hers, I knew she was worth the risk. I was willing to give up everything just to be with her. Football didn’t seem that important to me all of a sudden. Not any more. Lexi meant more to me. I took in a deep breath and told her the honest truth. “It was all a lie, Lexi. Everything I said in that text. I didn’t mean one word.”
She squeezed her eyes tightly together, but the tears continued to fall. “Then why did you tell me that? Why did you leave me?”
Each breath became harder as I struggled to admit her mom had coerced me into breaking up with her. I also considered the fact that she might not believe me. It might look like I was using her parents as an scapegoat. Then again, it was the truth. If I was going to gain her trust, I needed be honest with her. But right now, I honestly didn’t have the strength.
“It’s a long story and I’ll explain it to you later.” I gathered her into my arms and drew her precious face to mine. No words could explain how terrible I felt about what happened. All the emptiness I’d felt without her. All the tears I’d shed for her...for us.
Our gazes aligned and I felt the same connection I had when I first made love to her. There was only one woman for me and if I couldn’t have her, I didn’t want to go on living. I needed Lexi and she needed me. I had to tell her how I really felt. She had to know. I wasn’t sure how many more chances I’d have with her. “I’m sorry about everything, but know this, I love you, Lexi Thompson, and I’m going to prove it to you, over and over again, just so you know and never forget.”
Her sadness instantly transpired into happiness and my heart soared. Staring deep into my eyes, she said, “I’m going to fight for you. As long as I have you by my side, I promise to give my life to you. Because I love you, Raven. I love you more than anything in this world and I’m going to stay right here next to you, just to make sure you know it.”
Our lips reunited and with her by my side, I knew I could battle my demons and win. I’d face whatever challenges her parents, Coach, school, or life threw my way. We may have been from opposite sides, but one thing was certain: we were meant to be on the same side.
Σ
To Be Continued
In
A Different Side
Part 3
In The University Park Series
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A Different Side
Part 3 from
The University Park Series
By CM Doporto