Alyssa woke up in an unknown room, with two worried faces bent over her. She blinked, feeling at a loss. At that, the faces seemed to be relieved and they slid back to offer her a full view of the starry ceiling above her.
She blinked again, trying to remember something - anything. Slowly, all of yesterday's happenings came crashing into her mind. Alyssa felt a mild headache and lifted her hand to her forehead, only to feel a bandage there.
She groaned, turning slightly. Both Jaden and Jason were sitting there. Jaden looked worried, whereas Jason wore an unreadable, distant expression on his face. As if he had drifted off to his own world again. His phone lay still on his hand.
Jaden gingerly touched her head. "How's it feeling?" he asked.
"Perfesucky," Alyssa groaned.
Despite the situation, Jaden uttered a chuckle. "Is that even a word, you silly girl?"
Alyssa pouted. "Grow your vocabulary, Jaden."
Just then, a sharp pain hit her again. "Get me some water, please."
"Go get her the water, Jason!"
"Your house; you go."
Jaden looked at him, annoyed. "No, I'm attending to her, you useless cat."
"I can attend to her, you useless bull," Jason bit right back.
"No-"
"Alyssa clutched at her head. It was aching so badly. "Can someone, please, get me some water?" she hissed out.
But Jaden and Jason jumped up simultaneously at her tone. Jason sat back down again. Jaden glared at his friend, before rushing away.
While Jaden was away, Jason took the opportunity to explain to her. "I'm sorry, Alyssa. I know I had over-reacted, but I don't like Karson. Sure, he's Parker and Jaden's and probably your, friend. But he seems rather suspiciously secretive to me."
"And what made you come to that conclusion?" Alyssa asked, disbelief evident in her tone. Yet, she couldn't help be a little curious. After all, Karson had seemed suspicious to her, too ... until she got to know him better.
Jason looked taken aback. He stuttered for a few seconds before blurting out, "I don't know. I just ... know."
Alyssa sighed. There was no use arguing with Jason. He would just keep up with his excuses. And no matter what, he had no right to call her a slut. He'd hurt her ego, and Alyssa couldn't care more.
She was glad when Jaden finally re-entered with her heavenly glass of water. She immediately sat up and gulped it down. Though the pain in her head subsided, the one in her back erupted. She must've had a hard fall on her back then. Right where the scar stretched.
"What exactly happened?"
Jason jumped in at the opportunity to talk and said, "When you left, I was feeling so guilty. I immediately regretted what I'd told you. I had been impulsive, and later, I was sorry. I -"
"I'm asking for the facts, not your opinions."
And for a moment, Alyssa felt horrible seeing his hurt face. But what he had called her still remained in her mind. But before she could justify her harsh words anymore, he said in an emotionless tone, "You left. I ran after you sometime later.But you'c collided with a tree and fallen down before I reached you. Jaden's was the closest, so I brought you here."
When he finished, he slumped back into the chair, his face totally devoid of expressions.
And Alyssa's regret returned. Perhaps she'd spoken too harshly when he'd been genuinely sorry. After all, he had brought her here, when he could've just left her there...
He got up. "I should go. I have school tomorrow. And I can't be absent again." He left like a ghost. His footsteps were as silent as Alyssa's heartbeats.
When he was gone, Jaden turned to her. "I heard all that'd happened. Jason is instinctive, Alyssa, but he cares for you. And he's genuinely sorry. He has this habit of taking everything too heart, too seriously. Give him another chance." His voice was sad and disappointed.
Alyssa's guilt merely doubled.