Page 4 of Boys Like You

“Shut up, I wanted to see if I can see her eyes flicker.”

“You won’t see; her eyes are still swollen.”

“Wa…” I try again. “Wat…” I try to ask for a glass of water while I attempt to open my eyes.

“I think she is trying to say water.” I hear feet shuffling as I force my heavy eyelids open. One seems to open better than the other, and I look around the room. The walls are white, the bedding is white, the lights are bright; I’m in a hospital. I stare at the people standing in the room. I don’t recognise anyone. One of the guys stands closer to me than the rest; maybe he knows me? None of them say anything, they just continue to stare at me. The door flies open, revealing a tall guy with jet-black hair holding a jug.

“The nurse is coming, she asked me to bring this.” He talks so fast it’s almost hard to understand him. He places the jug on a small table that looks to be on wheels and pours some water into a cup. He brings the cup closer.

“Do… you… want… some… water?” I look at him and back to the other guys, five of them in total. Four of them laugh at the boy talking to me, the closer he gets the more his bright blue eyes stand out against the contrast of his dark hair.

“Pretty sure she can hear you, Rocky.”

Rocky. His name suits him. I nod so he understands I can hear him. I try to move my right hand to take the cup, but wires catch on the blanket and I hiss at the pain in my whole arm. A blond guy races to my side and helps me move the wires out of the way, taking the water from Rocky and holds a straw to my lips. I take a much needed sip, practically washing away the dryness.

“Thanks,” is all I manage when an older lady pops her head into the room.

“Our Jane Doe is awake,” she says, pushing a cart to my side. All the boys shuffle out of the way to make room and she smiles warmly at them.

“Jane Doe?” I ask, looking towards the guys, hoping they know. Rocky shrugs and the rest just stare back.

“It’s what we call patients when they come in with no ID.” She proceeds to wrap a blood pressure cuff around my arm and asks me to hold out my finger. “I’m just taking your obs before the doctor pops in to see you, and a very handsome police officer should be back soon.”

My head starts spinning, my chest gets tight, and it’s suddenly hard to breathe. The nurse is trying to say something, but it all sounds like I’m under water. A large hand is placed over mine and a soothing voice is telling me to just breathe in and then out slowly. The words he says become clearer; he tells me to look at him and just focus. His amber eyes look down at me, his voice is husky yet soothing. When the machines stop bleeping, he smiles at me. The nurse gushes at how amazing he was.

“Okay, lovely, the doctors should be around very soon. Press the buzzer if you need anything. I’m sure these cuties will keep you company.” The nurse winks at me and takes her trolley back out of the room. With the nurse gone I turn my attention back to the others in the room. I take everyone in, trying to place how I know these guys. I try, but everything in my mind is just blank. The boy next to me with the beautiful amber eyes and shaved blond hair is still holding my hand. I should let go, but right now, his touch feels like the only thing keeping me calm.

“Do I know any of you?” I ask cautiously.

“You seriously don’t remember me?” Rocky asks, tilting his head, his face slightly scrunched.

“Should I?” I notice the shy-looking guy looking uncomfortable. Fiddling with his fingers; he seems nervous.

“How could you forget your sexy boyfriend?” He pulls his shirt up to reveal an impressive six pack, and I laugh. I’m so confused at what is happening, why don’t I remember anything. I decide to play along, at least until the police come to see me. These guys seem nice enough and a thankful distraction to the million thoughts running through my head.

“Knock it off Rocky, you will scare her.”

“Merce, I was only playing.”

I again notice the guy sitting on the floor against the wall. “Are you okay?” I ask because he looks like a skittish Chihuahua. He briefly looks up at me and back to his phone.

“Maximus doesn’t talk much unless he knows you, don’t take it personally,” Rocky says, now standing right beside my bed.

“I didn’t. He doesn’t have to talk if he doesn’t want to. Sometimes there is beauty in silence. Now, can someone explain to me who you are?”

“We found you on the beach. Well, Maximus did. You were in pretty bad shape,” Merce says, his voice washing over me like silk, even with the husky undertones.

“Got it. So, you’re Merce?” I ask.

“Mercer, but everyone calls me Merce,” he clarifies.

“I already know Rocky and Maximus.”

“The dude with the man bun is Rory. We keep trying to convince him to shave it off – we managed to get the sides and back – but he insists the girls dig the long hair,” Rocky jokes. Rory flips him off before giving me a wave. He seems to be trying to figure me out.

“I can see that, maybe he has a kink and likes his hair pulled.” I wink at Rocky this time and his mouth drops open. I’m shocked at my verbal diarrhea, but his energy makes me feel like I want to have fun.

“I think I’m in love,” Rocky announces.

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