My mind awakened before I opened my eyes.
Footsteps.
I slowly blinked my eyes open, the light blinded my vision, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, finally taking in my surroundings, I'm in hospital. My hands were smudged in eye liner that I just rubbed off.
"Shit" I whispered with a dry throat.
I rubbed my eyes again trying to get the rest of the messy eye liner off. Then letting out a deep sigh, I brushed my hair back through my fingers, suddenly finding bandages around my head. My heart accelerated in panic.
What happened?
I can't remember how I got here. I remember Trevor... With the blade in my mouth... I
Remember tasting blood, my hand jerked to feel where he cut me, it was small but it stung. My tongue made a habit of touching it, it hurt touching it but my saliva eased the dry stringing. Until it started to bleed, using the back of my hand to try and stop it from dripping and leaking out onto me and the hospital bed.
I groaned as forced myself to sit up, my head ached and my hand smudged blood across my face, I could feel the wetness tickle my skin.
The back of my hand was smirred in red.
How long have I been here?
I feel gross just sitting here, my skin is sticky, my hair is greasy and my makeup is smudged over my eyes.
I let myself go into a trance, trying to remember how I got here.
Trevor and his gang. They-they were going to hurt me, violate me. Then someone saved me? I didn't get a look at them but who would save me? I've never had a rescuer before. Well God bless who ever it was.

"Oh you're up"
I shot my gaze up to the sudden voice, it was a nurse, she was very thin and chirpy. Her blonde hair tied back into a ponytail and her uniform sat over her loosely.
"I'll get you something to eat, you must be starved." She smiled and walked back out to the hall.
Shortly later she came back with a tray of hospital food and she was followed by a dark hair male doctor. He had a strong bodybuild that looked kinda threatening.
The nurse placed the tray on a small table beside me and the doctor looked over some notes on his clipboard.
"Cindy. Collin?"
I nodded, though he didn't see as he kept his eyes on the pages in front of him.

"Well, you're one lucky gal. You took a hard blow to the head but surprisingly didn't have any hammering," he glanced up and finally looked at me smiling.
"But you did get 50 stitches on the back of your head and a concussion. Looks like someone above is looking out for you." He smiled once more.
I agreed with a light chuckle.
"Yeah, thank you doctor."
"Not a problem," he ripped out a piece of paper from his clipboard.
"If you start feeling woozy and start vomiting come straight back here, alright? Other than that the stritches should be out in three weeks."
I nodded again.
"Well, your father is here to pick you up, be safe now." He smiled again before leaving.
"Here, eat something before you go, don't want you running on a empty stomach now." The nurse chirped. I honestly forgot that she was still here after the intense moment with the doctor.
Looking down at the tray of food, there was a sandwich, a jelly cup, small cookies and a juice box.
She sat the tray down in front of me. My belly grumbled looking at the food, the nurse smiled.
"I'll bring you a wheel chair." And she left.
I couldn't find it in me to eat any of it, so I only choose the juice box, taking small sips at a time, the Orange flavor tingled my taste buds.
Once again the same nurse came back with a wheelchair. She made me sit in it after getting me out of the hospital bed, my legs gave way and I fell into the chair, she gasped so loudly she hiccuped.
As she pushed me out into the hall, sick people displayed the sanitary state of this place, dark bags hung under the eyes of the patients pacing the halls looking for more medicine. Old people in wheelchairs napped in the door ways of each ward, some had stands with dips. They clung onto them for dear life as it was hooked into their arms. Screams and coughing echoed through the halls.
This place is absolutely sickening.
The nurse pushed me through to the waiting room, it seemed like the only sane place in this hospital, it was quite, not really clean though. The seats were stained and the floor was no longer polished, though the room still had a friendliness to it, it greeted with 'hi! Welcome, this is where you can be treated with dirty needles and be happy about it!'
But one odd thing stood out from this all, standing by the reception was my father, the bitterness in his disappointed expression showed it all, he wasn't happy. After I got up out of the wheelchair and the nurse left, I stood by my father as he chatted to the receptionist. I glanced around the room, we were the only ones in here apart from a pregnant woman by the outdated magazines. But then my eyes caught something. A old shortish man stood by the corner staring directly at me, smiling. His eyes were mismatched sizes, one big, one normal. His white mid length hair draped over his head, parted in the middle to expose his creepy face, he wore a doctor's jacket but it doesn't look like he worked here. He made a gesture to me, I didn't understand it at first but then I realized he was gesturing a smile out of me.
I flinched and tried to focus on something else, anything but that old man, I looked up to my father who was looking back down at me with an un-amused look then he placed his hand on my back and shoved me forward, walking me to the sliding doors. I dropped back as my father stormed out, taking one last glance to where that old man was, and he was gone. Nowhere in sight, I let it go and kept behind father to his jeep.
Instantly after I got in, he slammed his door and started yelling.
"Why weren't you at school?! You know I had to leave work to pick your ass up! What the hell were you doing! You only think about yourself!"
He kept yelling as he turned on the ignition and sped off out of the car park and onto the main road.
The whole way home he ranted. Making up anything so he could yell, especially bringing things up from the past.
When we arrived home I didn't wait to leave the car, father slammed the car door behind me and sped off again to go back to work.
Once I got inside I instantly made my way upstairs to the bathroom, my reflection in thr mirror showed exactly what I thought I would look like, smudged black around eyes, my cheeks were pale but rosy in guilt, my hair flat and knotted and blood stained my lip and cheek where I smudged it. The bandages still wrapped around my head like a beanie, carefully, I unwrapped the bandages, revealing the rest of me, a coldness washed over my scalp as if it's the first time having fresh air after a long period of time.
How long was I in hospital?
I then decided to take a shower so wash the horrid filth off of me.
Being able to take my dirty skinny jeans and jacket and shirt off was relieving, the water spat out cold from the head at first, then adjusted to warm. What was once dry blood ran down my body along with the shampoo bubbles and escaped through the drain beneath me. I let the water hit me back in a calming rythum while I contemplated what happened before the hospital, but all I could think about was that old man. The creepy doctor.

After getting out of the shower, I stood in front of the mirror again, de-knotting my hair with a towel wrapped around me.
Suddenly an hallucination displayed itself in front of me, in the mirror, that creepy doctor, making the smile gesture again.
I made an inaudible scream and ran to my room. Quickly drying off and getting changed then making a ran for it out of the house. I stormed off down the footpath headed for town with no real destination. Some fresh air is all I need for sure.
The stitches on the back of my head stung from having a shower. 50 stitches?
Then I remembered that I had my skateboard thrown at me. Where is my skateboard?
By the time I reached town it was late, the place was nearly deserted. Some shops still remained open and others where just opening for the night shift. Some roamers in the distance giggled, echoing in the cool breeze. This of all is my favourite time of day, the sun is beginning to set and left a Orange hue across the sky. I took in a deep breath, letting the aroma of sweets and savories mixed with the fresh air enlighten me from the inside. I was engulfed by ecstasy.
"Cindy!" Someone's voice rang out, cutting my peaceful trance short.
I looked around me but found no one in particular but some lunatic guy waving at me from across the road, he waited for a passing car to go by before crossing with a sprint.
"Cindy hey,"
I gave him a confused look.
A wave a realization washed over him in his expression.
"Oh, that right. Uhh, I'm Jordan, the one that saved you..and took you to hospital..." He trailed off slightly while rubbing the back of his neck, the awkward hesitation clear in his deep voice.
His hair was a dark brown that just passed his shoulders and he wore a tank top with a hoodie jacket, ripped skinny jeans and vans. He had the stoner look, he brushed hair hair back with his fingers, his hair looked so soft and it matched his dark eyes, he smiled, sending chills through me as he displayed his dimples.
He was stunningly perfect.
"Oh? Oh. That's right! Um, thank you so much for that."

"It's my pleasure, I'm sorry that I couldn't stay with you the whole time though, to keep you company."
His enthusiasm confused me for someone of his looks. He was just too nice.

"That's fine, I figured things out pretty quickly-"

"Really?" He interrupted.
"When did you get out?"
It startled me how a perfect stranger would care so much about me. It doesn't seem real at all.

"Um, today, this morning. I- uh. I got out this morning..."
He looked at me for a moment, I can't quite read the expression on his face but I knew he was thinking something over, maybe I confused him.
Is this the part where I scare him out of his wits and he runs away?

"Would you like to get some coffee?"
He startled me again.

"I don't drink coffee..."
"Me neither, but there are other drinks." He was just too quick on his toes.

"Uhm, yeah sure." I agreed.
He smiled again, he's imperfect beautiful smile.

We walked a long while chatting, at this point I thought it was more of a kidnapping than a coffee run. But he lead me to a 24h diner at the end of the street.
We took our seats at a booth, as he sat down after me, I noticed as his jacket moved out of the way, on his tank top sleeve was a spot of blood. I diverted my eyes to the table and tried pretend that I didn't just see that, but when his hands laid out on the table, he wore tattered gloves with dirt visable for all to see.

"So?" I started. "Do you always go around saving people?"

He glanced up at me, and then down at his own hands. I guess he noticed the dirt on them too because he pulled his hands away on to his lap.

"No, it was really a one time thing" he murmured.

"Why?" I asked, pushing the subject on.
"Why, what?" He questioned confused.

"Why did you save me?"
His eyes flickered, trying not to look at me directly.

"You were in trouble...do you always question everything?" He asked in annoyance.

"You're the one that asks a lot of questions." I remarked.

"Yeah, well..." He lost his argument.
"I did you a favor." He finally remarked.

"A favor?" I questioned.

The waitress came over just in time and broke off the tension that was slowly building between us.
"Hi y'all, what would y'all like this evening?"

"Just a milkshake" Jordan didn't look at the waitress for more than a second.

"What flavor? We got, vanilla, banana, strawberry, chocolate or speramint?"

"Chocolate, please."

"Sure thing!" She smiled flirtatiously at Jordan, but he didn't notice.

"And you miss?" She didn't even look at me. Rude.

"Just tea please." She wrote it down on her notepad.

"Alright, I be right over with you're things." She smiled once more at Jordan.

Once she was gone Jordan looked up at me again.

"Tea?" He chuckled.

"Yes, I'm pommy" I joked.
He chuckled again.

"My mother used to drink tea, I guess I was just raised with it" I admitted, not knowing why. I diverted my eyes away from him again.

"So this favor?" I brought up again.

"Just forget it." He muttered.

I sighed to myself, we were both silent until that waitress came back, she gave Jordan his milkshake first and walked away again, I glanced at her from behind the bar, She was talking to another waitress.

"I think she likes you." I commented.

He looked up at me while taking a sip from his milkshake.
Once he finished his sip he looked over to the waitress, she was looking back at him smiling.

"What makes you say that?" He asked, moving his glance back to me.

I motioned that I didn't have my tea.
" And she keeps smiling at you" I stated the obvious.

"She probably just wants a tip" He said casually taking another sip.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow at his obliviousness.

"Well she's not going to get much wages here" he remarked.

I laughed out louder than expected. He smiled in return.

"I'll bet on it." I chuckled. He smirked and made a small wink at me.

The waitress returned and gave me my tea, she placed it down roughly in front of me.

"Thank you."

She hummed in reply.

Jordan finally took action, he looked up at her sweetly and smiled.
"Could you take a picture of me and my lovely girlfriend? I'll tip you."
I smiled in shook and embarrassment, face palming myself.

The waitress looked stunned and turned away quickly and stormed off.

"Jordan?" I laughed.

"Yeah, she hates me now." He smiled to himself.
I couldn't stop laughing and when Jordan noticed I was still giggling he joined in, though I'm sure he's laughing at me.

After the diner we continued to stroll around through the night casually talking.
I felt so comfortable telling him anything it's like I've known him for years.

"So where is your car?" I asked awkwardly casual.

"What car?" He asked confused.

"The one you saved me in."

"Oh, that wasn't mine, it was a mates" he said.

"So my knight in Chevy armor just happened to be cruzing in his mates car and decided to save a girl from a few routy boys?"

He chuckled deeply to himself.
"Yeah I guess."
I laughed out as I replayed in my mind what I had just said.

"I mean I saw those boys dragging you around I couldn't just let them do that" he said out of nowhere.
"Why though?"

"Who were they anyway?" He avoided my previous question.

I breathed out a shameful chuckle.
"Just some dickheads from school."

"Ew! You go to school?"

We both had our eyes laid on the ground as we walked.

"Noo" I laughed out.
"I dropped out."

"Why?"

"Well you saw what happened, it's a lot worse at school"

He stopped suddenly. I stopped mid step ahead and looked back at him.
He looked dead straight at me.

"Why would anyone want to hurt you?"

I sighed and glanced off to the right, we were in a park now, surrounded by trees. It was dark now, park lights glowed all around us and the moon shown it's way down and Illuminated the night scene.

"I have a dark past." I admitted quietly. Hanging my head in shame.
"And I have no one." I whispered to myself, not expecting Jordan to hear.

I heard his footsteps approach me but I didn't look up.
Suddenly I felt him bring himself close to me and he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me.

"You're not alone" he cooed in his deep voice. He rubbed circles into my back and caressed his fingers through my hair. He's body warmth radiated and pierced through me.
I hugged him back gently. I hugged the perfectly good stranger and I never felt so calm doing so.