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LYNN
The first thing I heard was Kanu's voice. She was babbling. "What will we do now? How do we get out of this? How will we get out of this?"
"Ow. Ughhh..." My head hurt. A lot.
I tried to open my eyes. It was painful. I hurt, all over. Am I moving? Is someone carrying me? Where am I?
"Uhhhhh." I groaned and tried again to open my eyes. Sticky. Why am I sticky? My head felt like a bag full of rocks, and someone not very nice was shaking the bag, hard. I heard Angie's voice whisper very close to my ear, "Lynn! Lynn are you all-right? Be quiet, please Lynn, just for a few more seconds."
She was warm. Angie, Angie was carrying me?
Another bounce, a sharp stab of pain, and everything went dark again.
-----
The side of my face felt weird, and cold. I reached my hand up to feel my cheek, and pulled it away to look. This time I managed to open my eyes a tiny amount.
Blood. There is blood. On my face. I opened my eyes all the way and realized that my head was leaning up against a window. The road whizzed by. I was in a car.
What happened? Why can't I move? I dropped my hand, and it landed limply on the seat next to me. I turned my head, and saw Angie in the front seat. Maybe if I push up on my left arm, I can sit up?
"Ow! Ohhhhhh. Ow!" I cried out. Lightning pain shot up my left arm, and it was numb. Why can't I move my arm?
"Hey, Lynn, shhh. It's okay. Don't try to move so much." Angie sounded concerned.
"I will move," I grunted. "I will move until I know what's going on. Where am I? I remember..I was at the bar.. I mean..." I reached out with my right arm, testing it carefully, and grabbing the back of the front seat to pull myself upright.
"What's wrong with my arm?"
"I think it is broken, Lynn." said Kanu.
Kanu was still here. So I didn't imagine it. She was driving, and I was in the backseat again. I replied angrily, "What are YOU doing here."
Angie said quietly, "Lynn, please listen. Kanu is here to help you. We both are. We both came to get you. To save you."
I now realized fully where I was. We were in Kanu's Jeep, speeding down an unfamiliar road. Also, I'm hot, it's hot in here. My coat is on, I want to take it off. I tried to leverage to a better sitting position, but bumped into my bad arm, causing another bolt of pain to race up my sleeve and into my neck. I resisted saying 'ow' again.
"Fine. I'll think about Kanu, later." Everything later. Once the pain was gone. "Well, what's going on? Where are you taking me?"
At the same time, Angie said, "We're going to a hospital," and Kanu said, "We are going to see Jim."
Angie said, "But, Kanu..."
"I know that she is hurt, so a hospital is a good idea. I also know that we need to go to the police. However, if we are going to call the police, we need to talk to Jim first. Why can we not call the police from the school? Jimmy must be told what's going to happen. I want to give him a chance to explain."
"Guys..." I said, trying to interrupt.
"I know you are worried about your boyfriend but it's not just her arm, she was unconscious. She got hit in the head. What if it's a concussion?" Angie pressed. "She needs a doctor, now."
"Guys..." I said again.
"What is it, Lynn?" Angie's voice was gentle.
I had gone back to leaning against the window. "I feel like a ragdoll with too little stuffing, I don't want to move and my arm hurts like crazy. But I'm okay, for now." We hit a bump in the road, and I repressed another cry. I did wince a little. "We can go to Jim. Although, I don't know if I want to talk to him."
"Thank you Lynn." said Kanu. "We're almost there."
Angie made a face, and turned to Lynn. "Are you sure, Lynn?"
"I'm sure." I tried to smile. "I'm so glad to see you, Angie. Are you mad at me?"
Angie smiled, then wagged her finger. "Yes, I'm still mad. You KNOW I'm still mad at you. Furious, actually. Both you and your brother."
"Jim? What are you mad at him for? And why are we getting him in trouble with the police?"
"Oh, I'm looking forward to telling you THAT. You are going to be so surprised. But first you have something to say to me."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Yes. You can admit that you were an idiot." Angie didn't sound mad, not really.
"I am. I was, and I am an idiot. I know you were trying to tell me I was being an idiot with my brother, in the car earlier." Another bump, another wince. It was getting easier to bear. "But I don't understand why you are mad at me. What do you want me to say to you?"
"How about "I'm a liar" or "I'm sorry", and "I can't control myself". What about saying any of those?" Angie sounded mad now.
I'm a liar? Me? "I do make up stories sometimes, and stuff, but.."
"But nothing."
Definitely, she was mad. I know I do that sometimes, but I guess I really hurt her. Did I hurt Jim too? "I'm sorry, Angie." I choked out.
Angie continued, "I thought I could trust you, and then I find out you lie, so easily. How many times have you lied to me, Lynn?" Angie leaned her head back against the headrest. "How can I trust you?" she said gently. "I want to trust you, Lynn."
My chest felt tight, and I forgot about all of the other things wrong right now. She doesn't trust me? "I'm sorry, Angie." I sounded remorseful, even to me. "I've never lied to you. I know, maybe you don't believe me. I don't know how I can convince you, but you are one of the best things to ever happen to me. I don't know..." I paused.
Something clicked into place. So that's what this is about. I care about Angie, and she cares about me. We're friends.
I tried to will Angie to believe me. "You are right. I'm an idiot. I do know." Angie had turned around in the seat, and for the first time I saw that her eyes weren't black, but a deep brown.
"I lied to my brother, but I've never lied to you. I'm sorry I hurt you. I've actually lied to him for my whole life. He's lied to me, too, if that matters. We lie to each other."
Angie let out a laugh. "That I know. The two of you are both idiots. I can't imagine what your family life is like, at home." She shook her head, then turned around in the seat. "For now, I'll believe you. But we'll see. I'm still mad."
She does? "You believe me?" I reached my right hand out and touched her arm. "Thanks. You are my best friend, Angie."
"You're my best friend, too, Lynn." She patted my hand. "You're welcome."
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