Double Dating

Chapter Twenty-Two

"...strap her in..."

"...dispatch to... hospital, inbound."

"...ride with us."

Voices swarmed around me, I could only pick up bits and pieces as I rode the wave of unconsciousness. A strange feeling of content settled over me when I heard two voices among the others.

They were here, and close. I couldn't manage to find out how close until a hand weaved its fingers into mine on my left side and followed shortly on my right. I heard them explaining our relationship to someone else, who seemed casual about the whole thing, stating that she's seen a lot in her line of work.

Which was what?

My hearing faded in and out, enough to pick up the whirring of ambulance sirens.

Why am I in an ambulance? Did one of the boys get hurt?

Like small, expanding orbs, my eyes opened to the starch white interior of the ambulance and it blinded me. The paramedic leaned over me with a smiling face. All I could think was that her Hispanic features looked like Nelly's and it made me want my best friend here.

"Hello, Mia?" She used a soothing tone that held some authority when she repeated the events, "You were unconscious when your boyfriends found you. Do you remember anything?"

I tried sitting up but firm hands pressed me down. And it wasn't one of the boys, it was the female paramedic who did not want me sitting up.

"Mia?" She tried again. "How are you feeling?"

Oh, I don't know. Like I just witnessed a murder, signed my life over to the devil, and then said devil proceeded to drug me.

"Fine." Came my scratchy answer. I needed water.

She gave me a knowing glance before nodding to another individual. She continued to assess me and, after asking me a few questions, I finally dragged my gaze to Nico and Cole. All this time I had been avoiding it and just prayed that the paramedic would keep me busy long enough so I didn't have to have this conversation here and now.

Silence stretched the air until my brittle voice broke it, "Sorry..."

Really? That was a lame apology if I ever did hear one. Come on girl, you can do better than that!

I swallowed and dug deep into my soul for some courage. "I'm sorry for what I did. Choosing him over you guys... That wasn't my intention. I just can't handle confrontation and I panicked in that moment and did something I never thought I would do. So, I'm really really sorry and I'll try—"

"Stop." Nico interrupted my mumbling with an icy command. I stopped talking as instructed and he leaned down to my level to whisper sensuously, "We were never mad at you, not really, but don't think you're getting off easy. Just you wait until we get back home."

I could only imagine how stunned my expression looked right now. The only thing I could think about is the fact that someone else might have heard him. A quick glance to the paramedic and I found her jotting more notes down, not even looking at us. She could be a good actor and was pretending like she didn't hear his perverted threat.

Either way, we arrived at the hospital without any more sexual things said by Nico or Cole. New people came to get the stretcher out of the ambulance and I thanked everyone as they wheeled me into the emergency room.

I felt fine now. I'm obviously awake. Why did I still need to be here?

I voiced these questions aloud for someone to answer and every reply was short and diverted into something else.