New/returning readers:
Start here: Let it Rock Chapters 1 & 2
Click here to read the previous chapter, or click here instead to see the full Table of contents
Listen along to our custom Spotify Playlist
LYNN
It should have been simple, just walking out, but of course it was more complicated than I wanted. The math department secretary would only let us call the campus police, who had to come and interview us first, before agreeing to call the State Police. The secretary also insisted on an ambulance for me, so I was gone before the real cops arrived.
The rest of the day went by slowly. The cops finally showed up at the hospital, and there were a lot of questions to answer. Different doctors came in and out, and nurses took blood samples and poked me in a few different places. I had x-rays. Mom was at work all day, but eventually, I managed to get through to her at the office. There was a lot of crying on the phone as I tried to explain things to her about me and Jim. She told me she’d be here tomorrow to see me and to figure out what to do about Jim, who was still held by the police. They hadn't arrested him yet, though.
Eventually, they set my arm. The doctors were worried I had a concussion, so they were going to keep me overnight for observation. They gave me pain medication that made me loopy, and I tried to sleep.
----
A few hours later, a nurse woke me up in the hospital. He asked me my name and who was the president, then left me alone to stare at the sky blue walls and the dark blue curtain between me and my neighbor's bed, which were drawn.
I heard snoring and saw my watch sitting on the small table blink. It was 1:30 am.
Did Angie call today, or was that a dream? I remember the phone rang, and she told me something about the cops making jokes, calling her and Kanu "Daphne" and "Velma". Also, I had that octopus dream again. Kanu? Was she in it? What was that dream about?
Next to the watch on the table was a note. It was one of those pre-printed "While you were out" papers, which said, "call Mom - re: Jim".
I can't call her now, it's too late.
I lay down and tried to roll over and go back to sleep, but the bed was hard and I couldn't get comfortable. My arm kept getting in the way. The sheets were scratchy, too, but no worse than my bed back at the apartment. Thankfully, my hip was only bruised. I'm sure these doctors would find a way to put a cast on that, too, if they could.
So much happened yesterday, so quickly. One minute, I'm just a regular kid in college, taking classes and making friends. Suddenly, I'm catching criminals! Well, Angie is catching criminals. I'm helping. And Jim. I can't believe it. He finally let me know how he feels about me, and everything. He let everything out.
I closed my eyes. C'mon, sleep. C'mon, sleep.
But Jim. Jim was scared, really scared. I don't remember that time he was in jail before, but I'm sure he doesn't want to go back.
Stop thinking about him! I had to do it. At least, I think I did. He could have apologized. I forgive him, though. It's just like that Don Henley song goes,
I've been tryin' to get down
to the heart of the matter but my will gets weak,
and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness, forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore
And then what? I forgave him, but I couldn't do anything for him. I couldn't lie to the cops about him. I rolled my head back and forth on the pillow. No, I'm not doing that anymore. I'm going to be as honest as I can, now.
But maybe, if he had apologized, we could have called the cops together. Maybe they wouldn't have taken him right away to the police station. Maybe he would have been with me on the ride to the hospital. Maybe then I wouldn't be alone...
Except that it doesn't matter now what could have happened. This is how it happened, and he needs to face up to what he's done.
My head cleared. I also need to face up to what I've done. I need to face up to Kanu.
She was there for me today. Kanu was the one who convinced us to go to his office. She convinced Jim to listen to us. Also, earlier, Kanu was the one who drove Angie to the bar. If it wasn't for Kanu, I might still be lying on the floor of the bar, or worse, dropped into some river to drown. I owe her. A ton. I have to apologize right now.
At this thought, I opened my eyes, sat up, and reached for the phone next to the bed.
"Reception."
"Hi, can you connect me to the University campus?" I said, quietly.
"It's nearly 2am; are you sure?"
"Yes, I know it's late. Please connect me to the main number. Thanks."
The main number led me to the University's phone mail system, a complex sequence of options that seemed to lead nowhere. After a few wrong turns, I finally managed to get transferred to a random number in the Kimball House dormitories. It rang, and rang, and then just when I was ready to give up, a tired voice spoke in my ear.
"Hello, Kimball House computer room." It was a guy.
"Hi, can you help me? I'm trying to find out what room number Kanu Ah...Kanu Acharya is in."
"Sorry, whozzat? No, I don't know her. Do you know what time it is?"
"Okay, what about connecting me to room 312? Can you transfer me over?"
"Uh, okay. Sure. Weirdo." I heard another beep.
I pictured the guy who answered the phone. Was he really in the computer room at this time of night? Was he in his pajamas?
A few more clicks on the phone, and then I heard it ring. It only rang twice before a familiar voice picked up.
"Hello?" She sounded tired.
"Hi, Angie? It's Lynn."
"Lyn-nn." She yawned. "Lynn, what are you doing calling at this time of night? Are you home?"
"No, I'm still at the hospital. I need to talk to Kanu, but I don't have her number."
"Kanu-ooo?" She yawned mid-word. "Now?"
"Yes, it's important. Can you transfer me over?"
She suddenly sounded awake. "I'll do better. Hang on a second."
The line went silent. I didn't hear a dial tone, so I guessed that Angie just put the phone on the desk. What was going on? I have to tell this to Kanu now before I forget what I was going to say.
After a few minutes, which felt like forever, Angie picked up.
"Hi Lynn, are you still there?" she asked..
"Yes."
"Great. Here's Kanu. You can say whatever you need to say."
"Hello Lynn. It is late. Are you feeling better?"
"I'm fine, Kanu. I just, I mean, ugh. It sounded better in my head. I had this dream, and you were ..ugh, no that's not right."
"Lynn, you are not making sense. Did they give you drugs at the hospital?"
"Yes, but that's not the point. They are all gone, which is why I'm awake. Still, that's not the point. The point is, okay, here it is."
Honest. Try to be honest.
"I'm sorry, Kanu. I'm sorry I got so mad at you over nothing. I'm sorry for saying you were stuck-up. You aren't. You are a really, really good friend to Angie. And I hope that one day, we can be friends too."
Lynn waited. She heard some shuffling sounds, but nothing audible. Then she heard Angie say, "Kanu, are you all-right? Kanu?"
"Lynn," Kanu sobbed, "how could you do that to me on a phone call in the middle of the night? If you were here I would hug you so, so hard!" Lynn heard her crying, and then in the background, Angie too.
"You are both amazing and I don't deserve either of you." I was still trying to whisper, but it was hard. The tears were coming, now. "Do you forgive me, Kanu?" I whispered and cried.
"Yes, I do. I do forgive you, you silly burrito."
My neighbor gave a loud snore, and I cried some more. How ridiculous we all were. But how great it was, too.
----
October 29th was unseasonably warm, and the classroom was buzzing with excitement.
"I heard that the group who stole the music is gonna get fifty years in jail!"
"Oh yeah? I heard they had beat up a dozen students!"
"That's not what I heard!"
The three of us had taken seats in the front row and taken out our pencils. It was still early, but we didn't want to miss a moment. Angie was using the time to study for another class, of course.
"Hey, Angie."
"Uh-huh." She answered me without looking up from her Chemistry book.
"Some wild stories are going around, I guess. Only we know what really happened."
"Uh-huh."
"So - are you still seeing Jonathan this weekend?"
She finally looked up. "Yes, well, our date is on Friday not the weekend. Why do you ask?"
"Because the theater in Keithson City is doing a midnight Rocky Horror show this weekend to ramp up for Halloween. I thought we could all go."
"I have no idea what that is." Angie replied. "Is it a musical?"
"Hmm. Sort of. If it is, would that make you want to go?"
"Absolutely. I love musicals." Angie grinned. "If I tell my mom about it, she'll be thrilled."
Kanu leaned over. "What is this?"
"It's a show. Live performance mixed with a movie. Oh, and there might be some people in costume."
"Costumes? Will there be masks? Do we dress up, as well? I would like to come too."
"Awesome!" I leaned back in my seat, bending my leg to rest it on the other knee. "I know I should be stressed out, what with Jim waiting for his court date and all that's happened, but I'm just really happy, too."
Mr. Lee crossed the stage, remote in hand.
"Happy that Rock n' Roll class is back in session!"
<<<<>>>>
That’s the end! Thanks so much for taking this journey with me. I wrote this book several years ago, inspired by a friend’s competition (Thanks, Joe!), and my life as a writer has never been the same.
Click the little heart below to help others find this story.
Think this is worth paying for? Please click here to add a tip.
Thanks for reading!
Janet