I Hate You Ch. 09 - Windowpane

Chapter 9 Windowpane

{My thoughts} [My text]

It is currently late afternoon, and the time is 3:00 pm at Key City Hospital

{My head hurts. Where am I? What is that beeping sound? Oh shit..did I die? I'm fucking dead, and I got murdered by bananas. I aint ever gonna be able to live this down.}

"Wait, I'm not living. It doesn't even matter. I'm dead."

"Open your eyes, Craig."

"Who said that?"

"Me, wait."

"Are you an angel?"

"No, you idiot."

"You sound like an angel."

"Keisha...Nurse!" {Stop Screaming Meg.}

"Meg!" I say, sitting up from the... "Is this a hospital bed, where am I? "

"Oh my god, my beautiful brother is alive." Keisha says, running into the room to hug me.

"Oh, miss, please, we must still ask him questions." Says a blue-haired nurse.

"Oh snap, sorry. I'm just so happy."

"Yes, I understand, of Course. Mr. Turner, do you mind if I ask you some questions."

"Sure."

"What is your full name?"

"Craig Cameron Turner."

"Do you know where you are?"

"I'm guessing Key City Memorial Hospital."

"Perfect, and what day is it?"

"Saturday"

"And, what is the last thing you remember?"

"Last thing...Oh, shit, is Miss Cheryl, okay?"

"The cougar?" Megan says sharply

"Cougar," The nurse replies, looking confused.

"Yeah, she is okay, she has a bruised arm, but outside of that, she is good. She is down the hall."

"Your sister said you jumped over her to save her."

"Okay, yup, that is the last thing I remembered."

"Okay, follow this light for me." My eyes follow the light with as much precision as I can muster.

"So am I gonna be able to go home."

"Well, you were only unconscious for two hours and 33 minutes. I'll let the doctor decide if you should stay." The doctor comes into the room to release me on the condition. I return and start to have any of the symptoms he listed, I return to the hospital or call 911.

"Your free to go; you can get dressed. Your clothes are there on the desk by your wife." The blue-haired nurse says, pointing towards Megan and their desk.

"My." That is all I could muster as she closed the door behind her.

"We got married?"

"No, Craig," Megan says

"Okay, I was wondering?" I say while taking off the gown my gown.

"Are you changing in front of me?"

"Well, yell captain obvious. I say to her, walking over to get my underwear. Her eyes wander over my body. "Like what you see?"

"Hurry up and put your clothes on."

"I'm moving, and my head hurts, though, not going to lie. You good?"

"Not good. You could of."

"Could of what?"

"Nothing." Megan shakes her head.

"Relax, I live. It's nice to see you care about me, though." I say to her, sitting and putting on my shirt

"Of Course, I do, you idiot." Megan says. As I get my shirt over my head, I see her eyes turning red as her eyebrows furrow. I don't say anything. Me saying that would only make her feel vulnerable, something I know she doesn't like. I slip on the rest of my clothes, and we walk out the door together.

Keisha is standing outside talking to Nurse Britt about my release.

"Hey Meg, can you ride Craig back to the apartment? Imma pick up his medicine from Everyday Pharmacy.

"Of Course, come on Chiquita."

"Hahaha, really funny."

"Is that his wife?"

"Oh no." That is all I can make out as we walk out the hospital door. Miss Cheryl is sitting outside on the bench, talking on her phone.

"Oh my god, Mark, you're awake. I just got out from being seen." She grabs me into a hug.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't be grabbing you like this. Oh, Craig, I'm sorry I was having a bad day, and I was trying to prove a stupid point.

"No, Cheryl is all good. I'm just happy you're okay."

"Me...No, just my pride and some bruises. More than what would happen if you didn't jump in like you did. I'm so happy you're okay. You are Okay, right?

"Yeah, I'm good. Just I'm going to get some ibuprofen. I should be good by tomorrow or the next day."

"Well, okay, hey, if you need to call out tomorrow, don't hesitate. Get some rest. Alright, I will leave you with your girlfriend before she beats me up. Cheryl says, looking over at Megan." With her stoic look on her face. "Hey, beautiful, take care of him." Cheryl says, smiling at Megan. Megan shakes her in agreement.

"Yeah, beautiful." I say.

"Shut up." She says, punching me in the arm.

We both get in her car and arrive back at the apartment. Luckily Keisha drove me to work, so I don't need to get my car back from work. As soon as I return, Megan makes sure I lay down in my bed. It doesn't take long before I succumb to a nap.

I'm awakened from my nap as Megan sits beside me with a plate of food.

"I made you some food." She says, presenting me with a plate of Pasta. It smelled delicious and authentic. One thing Megan doesn't mention often is that she is part Italian from her mother's side. I sit up and grab the plate. I take a bite. It's fantastic. Flavors dance in my mouth. I've never had anything so delicious—sorry, Mom. I look up at Megan; she is sitting there looking away from me.

"What did you put in this?" I say to her, curious about her magic.

"Oh my god, dude." She says of anger.

"What? I'm just asking."

"If you don't like it, don't eat it," Megan says, shrugging her shoulders and crossing her arms in defense. I didn't know she was this defensive of her cooking. Then again, I've never had her cooking before.

"You know Megan, and I have always dreamed of you cooking dinner for me."

"What?"

"I'm serious; this is the best thing I have ever tested. It could be the conscious talking, but I don't think it is."

"It's just something I used to cook with my mom."

"It's great, not Amazing. Just like you, Meg. Thank you, for looking after me after all this."

"Shut the hell up, Craig. She mutters while looking at."

"You gonna get a plate and eat with me?"

"Yeah. Right. I'll be back." She leaves for the kitchen and, a moment later, returns with a small plate of her masterpiece. I move over to the bed close to the wall and motion for her to sit beside me. She obliges.

"Damn, this is good."

"I told you. God, if me and you were together, we would be really fat, you know that."

"Probably." She says before taking a bite.

"So, anything new in the world of Megan."

"Maybe."

"Well, don't leave it on the edge of my bed. What you got?"

"I talked with Coach."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"How did it go."

"She wants me to come out to UGA for a visit and stay at her place next weekend."

"Awesome, Athens never been?"

"I don't know if I'm going to do it."

"Wh... Okay. Whatever makes you feel comfortable, Meg."

"I know that. Megan says as she puts my eaten plate on the nightstand. She lays her head down on my lap. I place a hand on her head, and my fingers move through her hair. Megan doesn't fight it or say anything.

"Craig...?"

"What's up?"

"What do you like me?"

"Why?"

"Yeah"

"It's weird that you're asking that after..."

"I just want to know."

"Well, it's not hard to explain. The moment you walked into my house with my big-head sister. You looked over at me and smiled, teeth filled with braces. My heart dropped. I couldn't speak, think, sleep... from that moment without you being in my mind."

"You didn't say anything to me when we first met. You just sat there like a mute. "Megan says, head moving as she laughs in my lap.

"You took my breath away, as cliché as it sounds."

"It's very Corny. Aren't you supposed to be a writer?"

"Never said I was a good writer? You wanna know what I wish?"

"What?"

"I wish I was a good writer as you are a basketball player."

"Was?"

"Okay. And I'm serious. I have never felt that way about anyone at that point...or any moment.

"What about your college girlfriend?"

"I mean, she was the only girlfriend at that point to ever show interest in me outside of friendship. But something felt off, and that feeling turned out to be right later.

"Terra?"

"Speaking of Terra?"

"Never mind."

"Uh-huh."

"What about Nyla or that girl Angel."

Me and Nyla, I really don't know what is going on there, and Angel is work partner."

"When did you become so popular, even her nurse was flirting with you."

"No, she wasn't... wait, was she."

"You're so oblivious."

"I am not."

"I thought you were supposed to be my man."

"I."

"You're supposed to wait for me to get my shit together and be with me. Is this because I didn't read your Valentine's Day card."

"What."

"Is it? Are you mad at me still? You don't even know."

"Tell me."

"I told you I love you, and you didn't believe me."

"I'm somewhat skeptical, and you haven't been helping that lately. One moment your kiss is deep. The next, you can't even look me in the face. Ala, right now, your face is turned away from me."

"I do love you, but I have to understand. If it doesn't work out, I don't want to lose you and Keisha in my life."

"What?"

"Listen, you two are the best things to ever happen to me. I probably would have killed myself a long time ago without you two. So please don't try to get yourself killed over some old ass hoe who can get her life together. Because I." I feel the wetness of her tears in my lap

"Meg."

"Listen, the way you make me feel terrifies me. You put me on a pedestal that I don't believe I deserve to be. I may act cold because I want to be everything you think I am.

"Just be you, Meg."

"I can't be that girl. I was on the basketball court almost twenty years ago, and I know for a fact you aren't that boy anymore."

"You're right. I'm not. Meg, there was a time in my life when I hated that I loved you. I hated it, and I would look in the mirror and say I needed to get over this stupid crush. I'd curse your name. I wanted to hate you. Stop crushing over this Long legged, grey-eyed, brown-haired, Hard ass, beautiful woman. When I curse your name, I can't even do that right. Why can't I get her out of my head? Why does every time I close my eyes, you are there in my dreams, my thoughts? Why is every female character I'm writing like her? I hated you because I needed to. I mean, I was pretty sure you hated me; I was pretty sure I disgusted you. Was it my black skin, personality, or looks? I don't know. So, I needed to feel it and believe it to be mutual. I thought I was golden, but then I saw your face after all those years away. Oh, on top of that, with another guy I knew I could never compete with, I wanted to be strong at that moment, but I just had to fucking leave. I still loved you. I didn't Jedi mind trick myself enough. It just suppressed a beast of a feeling. Love."

Megan gets up and looks me in the face, our eyes locking in.

"Craig, I."

"Craig!!!! You awake!!" Keisha says, slamming the front door. Megan moves from the bed and stands by it. She grabs our plate and walks out of the room.

"Megan," he was alive in there.

"Yeah, he awakes. He just ate."

"You crying, girl." Megan waves her off and goes towards the sink.

"No, I'm not crying."

"Alright, Girl." Keisha walks into my room.

"Hey Keisha, you got that ibuprofen, and what the hell took you so long?"

"Yeah, I got it; Parker was working on the schedule with me, that's all."

"I could have died while you were out here baking a Betty Crocker."

"We are a Duncan Hines family."

"Sure, we are."

"So, how are you doing? Your head hurts, you feel dizzy, and nauseous, and you are throwing up."

"Just sleepy."

"Oh well, you can't go to sleep."

"What but I."

"No, if you go to sleep, you might die."

"Keisha, I got bodied by fucking Chiquita Banana. She put me to sleep for almost three hours."

"She is a bad bitch, and you were talking shit."

"Get out!" Craig says to her, pointing towards the door.

"Okay, if you need anything, call me or Meggy."

"Don't call me Meggy!" Megan screams from the living room.

"Oh, you heard me." I take my medicine and slowly fall asleep again. Am I tempting death, or am I just really, really tired?

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